You’re a savvy leader.
If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be here.
I’m sure you’ve studied the myriad of productivity, strategy, and change management resources that are available.
In fact, it is quite popular for leadership influencers on LinkedIn to curate frameworks, books, and free courses for you.
There is an example of one below.
These are all very good.
Yet, there is one framework that doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.
I’m going to illustrate my point with a quick quiz:
The question is: What would you do?
Here’s the scenario:
You are scheduled to give a presentation to the executive team. You’ve made travel arrangements accordingly. You learn at the last minute that the executive team is having cocktails the evening before. You are told you are invited to attend if it fits with your schedule.
Pertinent facts:
- Adjusting your travel plans will cost $2,000.
- The cocktail hour is 90 minutes long.
- There will be about 20 people in attendance.
Here is the question again: what do you do?
The answer is: It depends on the culture of the organization.
I know this because I’ve been in this exact scenario twice at two different companies and there was a 180-degree difference in the correct answer.
One time, I got it right; one time, I got it very wrong;
Company A had a culture of frugality.
They prided themselves on being excellent stewards of company resources at all times. Leaders frequently talked about being frugal. They flew commercial flights, they stayed at business-class hotels, they didn’t attend prestigious conferences (like Davos), etc. To reinforce this approach, they had clear travel expense policies. The $2,000 change fees were outside of the policy.
The correct decision was to keep my existing plans.
I made the right choice!
Company B had a culture of relationships.
They rewarded people by giving them access to high-level executives. They had very few written policies about anything (in fact, when I joined and asked to see the employee manual, they said, “Oh, we don’t have one, don’t hesitate to ask us any questions!”). That meant I didn’t know what the correct decision was.
The correct decision was to go to the cocktail party.
I made the wrong choice.
Without a clear guidance from my boss, colleagues, or written policies, I incorrectly applied Company A logic to Company B.
As a result, I was repeatedly scolded by my then-boss.
I had slighted the executive team.
I’d stepped on a cultural landmine.
I inadvertently did this many times for different reasons.
It was frustrating to do the difficult job of Chief Innovation Officer AND to constantly find myself running into hidden obstacles.
It was one of the contributing factors to my leaving the company.
As a leader, one of the simplest, but most impactful, things you can do is to help your team avoid running into hidden obstacles by providing them with the map.
There’s an excellent framework that does just that: M.I.T.’s Three Lenses Framework.
In this newsletter you will learn:
- The Three Lenses Framework for analyzing organizations.
- How to quickly evaluate your organization.
- How and when to share your insights for maximum impact.
The Three Lenses Framework For Analyzing Organizations.
The three lenses are: (1) procedures and processes (strategic lens), (2) power and authority structures (political lens), and (3) beliefs and attitudes (cultural lens).
Often opaque or indecipherable, these fundamental attributes influence how decisions are made about the fate of ideas, strategies, and people.
Once these attributes are understood, they serve as a map for how the organization ACTUALLY behaves.
Now how it desires to behave based on the mission statement of the website and the manuals in HR.
No, the three lenses are based on real-life observations and can illuminate hidden obstacles and unwritten rules that, when understood and leveraged, unlock success for you and your team.
If you and your team don’t understand the organizational behavior several negative outcomes can occur:
1. Diminished Employee Satisfaction and Engagement: When employees feel disconnected from the unwritten rules, they may experience lower job satisfaction and engagement. A lack of understanding of how their work contributes to broader organizational goals can lead to feelings of disempowerment and disillusionment.
This is what I described in my story above. There are only so many times top performing employees are going to stand for taking a direct hit from an organizational landmine simply because you failed to provide a detailed map of where they are!
But wait, there’s more!
2. Ineffective Decision-Making: Lack of insight into how decisions are made within the organization can result in poor decision-making. Employees may overlook critical factors or fail to anticipate the consequences of their actions, leading to suboptimal outcomes or even organizational crises.
3. Communication Breakdowns: Misunderstandings and misinterpretations can arise when employees lack awareness of the organizational perspective. Communication breakdowns may occur due to differing interpretations of procedures, power dynamics, or cultural norms, hindering collaboration and productivity.
4. Resistance to Change: Without understanding the underlying reasons for organizational changes or initiatives, employees may resist or sabotage efforts aimed at improvement. Resistance to change can impede progress and innovation, preventing the organization from adapting to evolving market conditions or competitive pressures.
5. Dysfunctional Conflict: Ignorance of power dynamics and cultural norms can lead to conflicts within the organization. Employees may engage in power struggles or clash over conflicting beliefs and attitudes, resulting in a toxic work environment and diminished morale.
6. Cultural Misalignment: A lack of understanding of the organization’s cultural norms and values can lead to behaviors that are inconsistent with the desired organizational culture. This cultural misalignment can erode trust, cohesion, and employee engagement, undermining the organization’s ability to attract and retain talent.
7. Increased Risk Exposure: Ignorance of organizational procedures and power structures can expose the organization to heightened risks. Employees may inadvertently violate policies or regulations, leading to legal liabilities, reputational damage, or financial losses.
8. Misalignment of Actions and Goals: Without a clear understanding of the organization’s procedures, power dynamics, and cultural values, employees may inadvertently act in ways that contradict the organization’s goals and strategies. This misalignment can lead to wasted resources, inefficiencies, and ultimately, failure to achieve desired outcomes.
9. Missed Opportunities for Improvement: Without awareness of the organizational perspective, employees may overlook opportunities for process improvement, innovation, or collaboration. This can stifle creativity and hinder the organization’s ability to adapt and thrive in a competitive environment.
None of these outcomes are good.
A lack of understanding of the how the organization actually works can impede organizational performance, hinder employee morale and engagement, and increase the likelihood of conflicts, inefficiencies, and risks. Leaders must prioritize efforts to educate and empower their staff to comprehend and navigate the complexities of the organizational landscape effectively.
How To Quickly Evaluate Your Organization.
Hopefully, I’ve impressed upon you the value of educating your staff about the the hidden rules and obstacles. The next logical question is how do I do it?
I learned this framework while earning my Executive MBA at M.I.T.
I fully appreciate that not everyone can spare the time and expense that I did.
I’m going to share three fast and significantly cheaper (in 2 out of the 3 examples, it’s free) ways you can gain an understanding of the Three Lenses for your organization.
Method 1: Ask These Guiding Questions
I teach a Harvard Business School Case Study in Penn State’s Energy Crisis Leadership course. During those 90 minutes, I use the 3 Lenses Framework to help engineering students analyze a case about an aluminum smelter blackout at Alba’s smelter in Bahrain.
If undergraduates can grasp the concepts and have a thoughtful discussion, you can, too.
Here are the guiding questions:
Culture and Symbols:
- What symbols are prevalent in the organization (what is on the walls, what images do leaders use in their presentations)?
- How does the organization celebrate successes?
- How does the organization treat setbacks?
Structure and Processes:
- What performance metrics does the organization value?
- What is the org chart, and how has it changed over time?
- What processes are important (well-funded and well-staffed) to the organization (for example, financial planning, performance management, etc)?
Power and Authority:
- Who are the most important stakeholders in your organization? Do leaders talk most about customers, investors, or employees?
- Who makes the major decisions?
- Who is influential in your organization but might not have a top position on the org chart?
Fun fact: I know the protagonist in this HBS case, Tim Murray. During the session, I ask the students, “What would you ask Tim about his choices if you had the opportunity?” Then, in the last 30 minutes of the class, Tim joins, and I say, “Well, go ahead and ask him!” The students go crazy when they see this important CEO they have been reading about show up in real life.
2. Watch this webinar
Watch Professor Emeritus John Van Maanen describe the Three Lenses in this YouTube video from MIT’s Executive Education.
3. Read this book
How and When To Share Your Insights For Maximum Impact.
There are two instances when sharing your insights have a great impact.
During Strategic Decisions
When strategic decisions are being made, it can be useful to illuminate relevant aspects of the hidden rules of the organization to help guide recommendations.
Here’s a personal example.
Early in my career, I was torn between taking an operational role in a production facility or a higher level staff position at the research center. My mentor at the time recommended the operational role.
He said, “In order to get to executive levels in our company, you need to have operational experience, front line supervisory experience, and an international assignment. I’ve been here for 30 years and every Vice- President and C-level executive has walked that path”.
That path wasn’t written anywhere. It is just how the organization has behaved for decades.
This was very useful information! I chose the production role. It helped propel my career forward.
It also helped me put a career second choice into perspective.
I didn’t want to move frequently or internationally because of the importance of my husband’s job and because I had a challenging time moving around frequently as a military child.
That meant that I knew I might hit a ceiling. And 10 years later, when I didn’t get an executive level position in my area, I was disappointed but not surprised.
Because I knew how the organization worked, I’d already made contingency plans to achieve the career growth I desired.
That’s actually how I ended up applying for my Executive MBA at M.I.T.
Many decisions get made that are a reflection of organizational perspective. Illuminating those unwritten rules will benefit your team.
During Staff Meetings
Another good time to review your insights is during staff meetings. I’d recommend that you take a major change or decision that has occurred and discuss the reasons behind the decisions that were made. I also recommend that you assign your staff to do their own critical analysis.
Every team has their own unwritten rules. Bringing those to light benefits everyone.
You can learn more about the other topics that you should be covering in your staff meetings in my article: 5 Presentations Rockstar Technical Leaders Include In Their Staff Meetings.
TL;DR
A lack of understanding the hidden obstacles and unwritten rules of your organization can impede performance, hinder employee morale and engagement, and increase the likelihood of conflicts, inefficiencies, and risks. Leaders must prioritize efforts to educate and empower their staff to comprehend and navigate the complexities of the organizational landscape effectively. The M.I.T. Three Lenses Framework is an excellent tool to help you quickly analyze your own organization and share your insights with your staff.