Corporate Tides

"With so much focus on change, why is there so little successful change? One penetrating answer: Change has been imposed on top of existing inadequate organizational structures."

"All things not being equal, the parts in relationship to each other must be explored with a discerning eye."

"The tension-resolution system is the root of structure."

"Work becomes hard to accomplish as familiar lines of communication disappear."

"Structural conflicts produce oscillating behavior."

"If problem solving is the major organization principle within a company, it cannot be structured to advance, and therefore it will oscillate."

"Either change or continuity can predominate, but they cannot be equal."

"The organization is not an organic phenomenon of nature."

"We want structural tension, and we don't want structural conflict."

"Based on my consulting work with organizations, I have developed the following questions to help guide an organization to construct a business strategy."

"Any change effort that does not address the underlying structural makeup of an organization will not work."

"The organization learns how to think of time from the broad perspective of the purpose and business strategy and, simultaneously, the shorter levels of the management and local strategies."

"The organization takes on a life force that is truly extraordinary, a spirit that moves beyond simply doing a good job to doing something that deeply matters."

"Leadership is inextricably tied to the structural makeup of the organization."

"Here is the most important question concerning any discussion about motivation: Can an organization influence the motivation of its individual members?"

"This learning leads to higher performance."

"Great organizations are, in microcosm, what great civilizations are in macrocosm."