Today’s conversation is with Jane Gaukroger on the notion of organisational wisdom. You will find the recorded conversation below, lasting no more than 25 minutes:
In brief summary, you will hear Jane describing her deep interest in organisational wisdom for many years now – noticing in particular in the last 20-30 years a substantial flowering of academic and research interest that has not been well reflected in organisations’ discourse and vocabulary.
She goes on to elucidate her main learnings about organisational wisdom:
A frame of six characteristics – three inner characteristics of Consciousness, Conscience and Context; and three outer characteristics of Collaboration, Compassion and Courage
Six characteristics carried at the intrapersonal (inner), interpersonal (relationships) and extra-personal (whole system) levels
The importance of using all of our interconnected Intelligences - mind, heart and body
The potential for us all to cultivate our and our organisations’ wisdom along the avenues of Quest (our personal search for wisdom), Exemplars (who and what do we follow), Rituals (our practices – head, heart, body) and Witness (how we choose to lead wise lives)
And, taking this lens to the current COVID-19 crisis – a crisis full of danger and opportunity; a crisis that threatens us all but is unequally borne – Jane has noticed an amplified expression of organisational wisdom in a number of ways ……a heightened sense of compassion, deeper attention to people; deeper shared purpose and inspiration; the ignition of rapid, fundamental adaptation. ‘More light than dark’.
She goes on to advocate what organisations might ask most of their wisdom in the coming months and years….above all, stepping back and making fundamental choices about what to change and what to accelerate, especially in the areas of inequality and environmental danger.
And if Jane was allowed one wish for the coming months and years, it would be that the notion of wisdom became fully absorbed in the lexicon and vocabulary of organisational life. Absolutely!
Many thanks indeed Jane, wonderfully stimulating! I am sure that our readers and listeners will enjoy your commentary very much indeed. You can connect with Jane at jane@cultivatingwisdom.org.uk and www.cultivatingwisdom.org.uk.
Next up, conversations with Alison Hogan on the wisdom of the fertile void and liminal space, and Adam Wells on the journey of wisdom evoked by the Il Camino pilgrimage in Spain. Do look out for those in a couple of weeks’ time.
In the meantime, take care on all fronts and very best wishes,
Julian