I work in an organisation that is very complex in nature, and also very structured. We operate all over the planet across many industries and for global corporations, for government departments like public service, legal and law enforcement, administration, foreign affairs and trade, infrastructure and defense/military and all the rest, and also for privately run business enterprises...we even work all the way down to smaller businesses if they have the money to pay for our services. The organisation is multi-faceted, flexible and fluid enough to be able to tailor solutions to suit the customer's needs exactly, and is well-enough equipped to deliver services into the field quickly, efficiently and with a high degree of success - The organisation gets paid incredibly well for the services we provide and that's passed down as a benefit to all of us who work there.
It's complex though, what we do and how we do it, and therefore the company structure is complex; not something I prefer, but not something I'm unaccustomed to. It works usually, the systems and processes, but there's many twists and turns and sometimes that means things get tangled. This happened last week and it was...[I'm trying to think of the right words]...Fucken horrendous! Yep, they're the words.
The team, all of us no matter where we are around the world, all work under the same systems and procedures and with the same mission - deliver excellence, efficiently, every time - however, as always humans will be humans and problems occur.
Something I'm really pleased to see in my organisation is that people take ownership.
Human beings are fascinated with power, the feeling of it, thinking they have it, wanting it, chasing it, exerting it, increasing it...Power is not a bad thing either. For instance, having the power to command one's thoughts and attitudes can lead to great personal gain, as can the power to take better care of one's health or the wellbeing of one's family...maybe not power-things per se, just abilities, but the two could intertwine I think.
Anyway, in my organisation there are some who are more 'powerful' than others as with most organisations; there's a hierarchy, a chain of command, a leadership team and structure. It's good too, otherwise the organisation would be a shambles. What's great about how my organisation works is that people don't exert that power upon others, abuse or misappropriate it - No, they take ownership and use their power, status or standing in the chain of command to the betterment of the organisation, the end-user and those in the organisation as well. It's refreshing.
I'm fortunate enough to be somewhere within that leadership group, a responsibility I take seriously, and I'm focused on gaining the desired results and doing it in such a way that each member of the team feels empowered, involved and a critical element within the mechanisms that keep the machine working and producing the results the organisation needs. I work across the lines of power, up and down the line so to speak, with ownership, as do everyone in the organisation and what I've come to see is a great collective of people all with a focused eye on the ultimate goal and a fierce determination to deliver excellence and that makes for a great environment and one in which ownership has greater meaning than power.
What's been your experiences with a workplace, social or sporting group, family or any other place in respect of people misusing the power they have, or perceive they have, or using it wisely and to the common good? Have you found you've misused your own power, do you see being in a position of power as a responsibility or do you see it as an entitlement? Feel free to comment below if you'd like to.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Image(s) in this post are my own
