Organization 21C: Someday All Organizations Will Lead This Way

Enabling an Honest Organizational Conversation That Will Produce Fit and Fitness

Looking at the “whole truth” about the silent killers and their consequences is essential for companies to avoid decline. Yet, years of research by Chris Argyris have shown that defensive routines are deeply embedded in organizations and their leaders.^[20] Fearful of threatening or embarrassing higher ups, peers, subordinates, and themselves, the whole truth is rarely communicated. We learned about the silent killers from task forces composed of eight high-potential individuals appointed by top teams to interview 100 key managers about the organizations' strengths and weaknesses as part of an intervention I describe below. These task forces often displayed great ...