Interdependence

31/1/2018

‘Vision without systems thinking ends up painting lovely pictures of the future with no deep understanding of the forces that must be mastered to move from here to there.’ (Peter Senge)

Huyen Tran definitely stood out as a star performer, paradoxically owing to her awareness of team systems and dynamics. While most others in this global INGO – like in so many other organisations at the time – were fixated on identifying individual differentiating capabilities in order to recruit for, develop, reward and retain them, Huyen, a humble and thoughtful HR leader in Vietnam, observed that those individuals we regarded organisationally as 'great' rarely worked or succeeded in isolation.

This recollection came to mind at a, ‘Working with Teams as Systems’ seminar this week. Sue Powell, the trainer, commented on a growing body of research that shows how fields including leadership and coaching are shifting their attention from individual development towards team development. It’s something about noticing the reality, paying attention to risks and valuing the potential of inter-dependence, whether that be between individuals, teams, organisations or wider stakeholders.

What we notice – and not – and what sense we make of it is a recurring theme in Gestalt psychology and social constructionism. If, for instance, we live and work in an individual-orientated culture, we are likely to notice the individual and attribute success or failure to their own effort and skill rather than to, say, the cultural, contextual and relational systems of which they are intrinsically a part and which form the essential backdrop – and, thereby, critical field of influence – for their success.

What we and others consider as success will vary from context to context, culture to culture, time to time. Who or what contributes to that success or, conversely, lack of success is the key question here. As a leader, OD or coach, how well do you notice and work intentionally and skilfully with the dynamic inter-plays between individuals, teams and their environments? How far do you recognise the impact and influence of your own presence, behaviour and actions on systemic fields too?

30 Comments

Richard Simpson

2/2/2018 09:33:05 am

So true, Nick. I was in London this week and reflected on the statue of Winston Churchill (or was it Gary Oldman?) that faces the Palace of Westminster. We Brits regard Churchill as a Superhero, yet if it hadn't been for the Second World War (cometh the hour, cometh the man) Churchill would have faded from public memory faster than April snow. And of course, whilst his leadership was crucial to a successful outcome, we Brits sometimes forget the role played by the USA, the Empire (as was) and the Soviet Union - not to mention the collective effort on the Home Front - in achieving victory. Churchill himself would have acknowledged the importance of interdependence to the successful outcome of WW2 - but it is human nature to attribute success and failure to individuals because it justifies our faith in our own agency. The Halo Effect and the Horn Effect are alive and well.

Nick Wright

2/2/2018 02:45:02 pm

Thanks Richard. Well said. I wonder what psychologically and culturally drives us to separate out the individual from the wider context and - in Churchill's case - contribution of others? I wonder if it's something psychologically about e.g. projection (e.g. a desire to be and see myself as a heroic figure, projected onto another)? That would resonate with your sense that it 'justifies our faith in our own agency'...and, perhaps, a hope in our own agency too. Your comment about Gary Oldman made me smile. :) I haven't seen that film yet but I hope to do so soon. Have you seen it?

Lester Hirst

2/2/2018 02:08:23 pm

Interdependence is one sign of social maturity -- teams require a great deal of social maturity.

2/2/2018 02:35:04 pm

Hi Lester. Nicely put - and very succinct!

4/4/2018 02:21:05 pm

Thanks - pretty simple, but not easy!

4/4/2018 02:21:23 pm

Rowena Davis

5/2/2018 11:01:01 am

Absolutely. The Systems-Centered approach is all about this.
Conference in San Francisco April 7–13, 2018: From Conflict to Collaboration: Moving from "Us vs. Them" to "We"
https://www.systemscentered.com/SCT-Conference-2018/Welcome-to-the-2018-SCT-Conference

5/2/2018 11:01:36 am

Thanks Rowena. Looks interesting. Will you go..?

5/2/2018 06:32:18 pm

Yes i am going and co-leading a weekend workshop and foundation morning training during the week. want to join?

5/2/2018 06:33:26 pm

Thanks Rowena. Sounds like an exciting experience! I would love to go but SF is a bit out of my £s-range! :)

Barbara Whitney

5/2/2018 11:04:47 am

I particularly like the emphasis on coaching teams as opposed to the individuals. I would be interested in how supervisors organize this approach in the workplace so the team effort is reflected in the Performance Management System. Thank you.

5/2/2018 11:16:58 am

Hi Barbara. I think that's such a good question. I know Huyen was working on this dimension too and I would be fascinated to hear what happened next..! I have worked with teams where we have evaluated team performance and individual performance in relation to the team. I have also worked with organisations that have integrated team and inter-team working into goal setting, development plans and review. In those organisations, a key indicator of individual good performance is the degree to which that individual had enabled others to achieve their goals, including other individuals and teams. I have also worked with organisations that have identified inter-dependence alongside other qualities in their brand and values and annually recognised and rewarded individuals and teams publicly for demonstrating them in practice.

Luís Cochofel

6/2/2018 07:07:25 pm

Loved to read, as usual, dear Nick.

The focus of my work is the Team, the organization, so I may only work in such a way that my presence becomes useless.

All contributors matter, once they are aware of the purpose that has origined the opportunity to make her/him a team member.

No great result is achieved if a team does not work as a team. Sometimes I ask the 'aces': do you believe Barcelona would win a single game if only Messi would come into the field? Would he ever have the chance to score one goal?

6/2/2018 07:08:54 pm

Thanks Luís. Very good to hear from you again after such a long time! I like your football team analogy. Very true!

Heather Day

8/2/2018 08:56:54 am

Thanks Nick for this thought -provoking post. Since training in Systemic constellation work it is very difficult to coach without having " the system in mind' and that includes my own systems as well!

8/2/2018 08:57:47 am

Thanks Heather. It sounds like you have engaged in useful training! :)

Janet Curran

8/2/2018 12:27:15 pm

I agree with Heather. I did Systemic Constellations training last year through the whole partnership and it was an amazing experience. One big takeaway was this: in organisations s**t happens. But 95% of it is not personal. Now when I come across somebody who is struggling I look for the systemic factors in their organisation that may be coming up in them. It helps to depersonalise everything. Understanding the family system is also useful. As human beings we are social creatures and products of our social conditioning.

8/2/2018 12:31:09 pm

Thanks Janet. You may find these related short pieces interesting. Let me know what you think?

http://www.nick-wright.com/what-is-really-going-on-here.html
http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/micro-macro
http://www.nick-wright.com/blog/systems

8/2/2018 07:11:11 pm

Thanks Nick, very interesting.

8/2/2018 07:11:37 pm

Hi Janet. You're welcome. :)

Michelle O'Sullivan

9/2/2018 10:32:54 pm

If OD is not thinking in this way then what are we doing? For me it is all about the interplay between people in teams. Only focussing on individual development hampers our ability to see the interconnectivity and the power of delivery when we work in unison. Thanks for posting this Nick.

9/2/2018 10:35:29 pm

Thanks Michelle. 'If OD is not thinking in this way then what are we doing?' That is such a good question! You may find this short related article interesting? http://www.nick-wright.com/what-is-really-going-on-here.html Let me know what you think.

Nicoll Loyd

12/2/2018 10:57:03 am

Thank you for posting...I found both of your articles interesting. I have been wondering for a little while now how where we choose to intervene is where we are asked to/given permission to and where we feel comfortable ....

12/2/2018 10:59:39 am

Thanks Nicoll. I think the question implicit in your comment, that is, 'Where do we choose to intervene, how and why?' is a great one for OD practitioners to consider very carefully.

Roland Sullivan

12/2/2018 11:01:21 am

Great work Mr. Wright

I am a whole system transformation expert. I am making a New Year’s resolution to share the theory and practice behind my work. Today I posted on my blog a Keynote of Peter Block when he addressed the Asian OD network. That Summit was essentially a whole system event utilizing large group dynamics.

It looks like the conference is moving in the right direction.

12/2/2018 11:05:20 am

Thanks for the encouraging feedback, Roland. I'm trying to imagine what it would take to be a 'whole system transformation expert' since, in my experience, human systems are so dynamically complex. I would be interested to see the keynote by Peter Block. Would you be willing to share the link here?

James Briscall

4/4/2018 02:22:32 pm

The cycle of Dependence to Independence to Inter-dependence (& possibly back to dependence again) is seen within individuals; organisations & societies.

4/4/2018 02:23:02 pm

Hi James. Do you have any examples you could share?

5/4/2018 10:44:40 am

Sure Nick. 1) Our (simplified) life for instance:- childhood is dependency; late teens/20's is INdependency; 30's - 40's (ie marriage) is INTERdependency; then INdependency (if divorced); old age is dependency

2)A similar concept has been identified within advancing levels of societal & community development:- 1st) people in the most primitive tribes are dependent on each other for survival; 2nd) a leader emerges & powerfully forces people to serve him/her (ie gangs/warring tribes); 3rd) people overthrow leader & work dependently to serve a (supposedly) greater good (true religious or communists societies); 4th) Some people want more than 'all for 1 & 1 for all'. So leaders emerge & others made to serve them (industrial revolution); 5th) many people fed up with pollution/working conditions etc & break away to form dependent ethical, environmental communities/organizations; 6th) nothing gets achieved & natural leaders are disenchanted; so they take what they've learnt & form a new type of organisation; the conscious company. I believe there is now a 7th level which incorporates everything learnt from the previous 6.

5/4/2018 10:46:01 am

Hi James. Interesting thoughts!