Transformation: A Change in Form By Design

In the field of architecture, there is a fundamental principle of design: form follows function. Organizational design needs to support what people do and how they work, and live. Organizations thrive with the right form for the moment. The right form is the form that best serves the organization now, in this moment. Once you've got it right, unfortunately, everything changes. Leaders today must adapt constantly, shifting with the changing tides.

History tells us, the next moment will require different form because needs will change. The reality of continual change is that organizations who are nimble and can adapt quickly have an advantage. The key characteristic of such organizations is agility—flexible form that can shape shift as needs change. Adaptive capability can be created with what we refer to as Relational Architecture™.

All of this is meant to simply say that we must change how we design our organizations if we want to bring about better outcomes. But what do we mean by better outcomes? Our signature statement at the top of our home page describes this pretty well. Better outcomes are outcomes that give life to a better world, supporting equality and nature and supporting society in general—as opposed to a sole focus on Wall Street's interests, for example. So then, what kind of design makes sense for organizations if we want such better outcomes? In the past we designed organizations for production and profits. We still do. Design goals such as these can create places where people feel out of place and unable to flourish, because the design is not for human connection.

To design for human connection requires different design principles. At Mindshift, we design organizations and organizational change with community as a design principle, and with a focus on intention and structure that supports practice, learning, and form. For example, we design a change with the idea of bringing in the entire community of stakeholders and involving them from the beginning, involving them in the design of the change, up front.

In A Timeless Way of Building, architect Christopher Alexander describes spaces where people flock and flourish, versus other spaces where no one seems to come. Christopher studies a space—like a public square, for example, and how people experience it and use it, what purpose it serves and what purpose it might serve, before he begins to design. In other words, he learns about the people and their needs before he begins to design. The art of design is one of enabling purpose. When it comes to organizations, we are talking about a purpose-driven community.

People want to be in places where they feel they belong, where they feel they can contribute, and where they feel comfort. How we design organizations and change matters. Design today must consider the human condition, and strive for the creation of vibrant cultures and communities. No matter what you hope to achieve, this form of design will produce the most value from any organization. While every organization has the goal of producing something of value, perhaps we need a different way of looking at how we create a space for people to work together.

The simple truth is that all organizations need to continually learn and evolve to survive. Transformation is simply larger change requiring a shift in the culture. At The Kuendig Group, we help leaders with change. One of our fundamental beliefs is that the primary task of individuals and organizations is to learn. We view learning as the best strategy for coping with change. Leaders today face continual change. Mindshift Consulting advises leaders on how to do this.

At The Kuendig Group, we understand that organizations operate within the constellation of larger systems, that leaders struggle to balance stability with the need to move quickly and be nimble, and that all elements of an organization need to flow in harmony. Leaders set the vision and culture delivers the goods. How well any organization can pull this off, is a matter of clarity.

So how do we bring about transformational change, in ourselves and in our organizationls? As simple as it may sound, we begin at the beginning, with intention. It is difficult to organize anything effectively without first clarifying one's intentions. As people of the world, what we have in common is our desire to create and give life to a better world.

From this overall place of good intention, an organization sets out to solve some need in society. Ideally, organizations exist to support human needs and social values, making it possible for people to translate their personal beliefs and life's work into the mission of an organization's work. We all know people working in organizations and doing work they do not believe in. At The Kuendig Group, we intend to change this.

Today we see the nature of organizations changing. Where people work and how people work is changing. Social consciousness is growing and leaders need to be aware of these changes, or potentially lose their best people. Being an effective leader requires a different understanding of organizations and how they will operate in today's world.

To change, we must be willing to do something different. We must be willing to change how we see ourselves in the world. This requires transcending who we are today and being in the world differently. Everyone wants to do better and feel better. But how do we get there? The starting point is a new level of awareness, as well as coping tools. At Mindshift, we help leaders get there, to a better place where you feel more at peace in your life and your roles, more confident, and more happy.

The challenge for leaders today is to guide an organization in the midst of uncertainty and change and to create cultures that inspire people. In these turbulent times, even the best can find their capabilities stretched. To counter the reality of constant change, we offer strategies and structures that enable the best possible balance of internal integration and external adaptation, which is to say, continual transformation. The alternative is resistance, and resistance to change is futile.

For organizations, transformation means a new direction and new work. At TKG, change strategies focus on the whole system. We view engagements as developmental experiences, because every change is also about development and growth. As we work with you, our intent is to infuse energy and excellence throughout your organization. We understand human behavior. Our expertise is helping people transition and organizations transform.