Organizational structures that allow divisions and departments to own their turf and people with long tenure to take root creates the same hardened group distinctions as Congressional redistricting to produce homogeneous voting blocs - all of which makes it easier to resist compromise, let alone collaboration.
Interpretation
Rigid organizational structures can hinder collaboration and compromise.
This quote highlights how organizational structures that promote division and long-standing allegiances can lead to entrenched group identities, similar to how political districts may create homogeneous voting blocs. Such environments can stifle collaboration and compromise, making it difficult for diverse ideas and solutions to emerge.
In practice
In a corporate workshop on teamwork, this quote can illustrate the challenges posed by siloed departments.
Tribalism reflects strong ethnic or cultural identities that separate members of one group from another, making them loyal to people like them and suspicious of outsiders, which undermines efforts to forge common cause across groups.
The way innovating companies are designed leaves ambiguities, overlaps, decision conflicts or decision vacuums in some parts of the organisation. People rail at this, curse it-and invent innovative ways to overcome it.
The boomers' biggest impact will be on eliminating the term 'retirement' and inventing a new stage of life... the new career arc.
The middle of every successful project looks like a disaster.
I've found that small wins, small projects, small differences often make huge differences.
Leaders is the new organisation do not lack motivational tools, but the tools are different from those of traditional corporate bureaucrats. The new rewards are based not on status but on contribution, and they consist not of regular promotion and automatic pay rises, but of excitement about the mission and a share of the glory of success.
One of the fondest expressions around is that we can't be the world's policeman. But guess who gets called when suddenly someone needs a cop.
Government's first duty and highest obligation is public safety.
The owner or president is the person who controls the club. The coach's job is to keep him happy. But the key to success, as a manager, is your relationship with the players. Important clubs and important players succeed when the environment is correct. The players must enjoy their work and feel free to express their talents.
I am convinced that the best service a retired general can perform is to turn in his tongue along with his suit and to mothball his opinions.
An army is a collection of armed men obliged to obey one man. Every enactment, every change of rule which impairs this principle weakens the army, impairs its value, and defeats the very object of its existence.
There is nothing fast or easy about diplomacy. I have no illusions about that.
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