Why Do We See Everything As Separate?

I was at a meeting with a client the other day discussing ideas to help them improve their safety performance.  In an effort to move on from the historical baggage around the topic of safety, I have tried over the years to make it sexier and more compelling for people by introducing the concepts of valuing people, their safety and their wellbeing as a means to improve the culture and performance.  I also did this to transcend the inherited and predisposed views on safety.  In the middle of my presentation a senior manager piped up with something to this effect:   “What does wellbeing have to do with safety”?  “Anyway we ran a health program last year (ticked that box) and this year is about safety”.  I was gob-smacked.  While I understand all cultural meme’s have a unique view of the world – I have to admit I was taken aback by what I perceived as an inability to see the relationship between things.

The very next day I was at another client meeting with a career safety professional who was planning a safety conference and we were kicking around ideas as to what might make the biggest difference for those in attendance.  He proudly exclaimed his mission within this construction company was to “operationalize safety”… but then sadly added that he felt those in operational / delivery roles were scared of that prospect.  I nearly fell off my chair. I could not believe that after decades of being in this industry – people had not yet operationalised such a critical key result area or function into their standard operating procedures. (Note … I’m talking about safety here, but please fill in the blank with whatever risk / opportunity area you are grappling with improving and see if the same applies).

From where I sit too many companies (most?) have a separated and myopic approach to risk management.  In the beginning, construction companies were initially driven by time and cost….then the quality movement…then safety moved up the food chain…then came community, environment, local employment, cultural heritage, sustainability, don’t impact client operations, traffic management and the list goes on and on and on.  Projects are harder to deliver in this day and age because there is less time, less money, far less resources and please while you are at it don’t hurt anyone and we expect you to also get continually better at all the other key result areas.  It’s like as time moved on and a new risk area emerged, we gave it a name, found the right resources to deal with it, and pretty much abdicated responsibility for that risk to a chosen few – relegating them to a career that can be best described as lone individuals baying at the moon trying to get others to comply.

Why do we see everything as separate? 

Is there any KRA that does not impact another or the whole?  If we are so tight for resources, then why don’t we dismantle the professional silos and give everyone accountability and responsibility for the whole?  Doing what we are doing now is not sustainable on so many levels.  For as we move further into the 21^st century what likelihood is there that there will be no more emerging risks?  So the standard organization will just have to get bigger and bigger, more disenfranchised well meaning and talented professionals working in isolation, trying to move an even larger beast to compliance.  Sound like fun?

We had an election on the weekend here in Victoria, Australia.  After 11 years of a State Labor government - the Liberals returned to power.  Ho hum!  Without getting into political allegiances – I am bored to death with the options.  In most western developed countries, there are arguably two, maybe three choices.  Countries of reference - Canada, USA & Australia.  You have 1) Conservative – Republican – Liberal or 2)  Liberal – Democrat – Labour.  I’m not a political scientist or an economist but from where I sit, conservatives are more fiscally conservative at the expense of what is “right” socially and the other party is more progressive, usually brings about reform but can’t balance a budget to save their lives.  So the cycle goes on and on and on.  Sweeping changes but poor fiscal performance followed by social ineptitude but tighter financial performance.  In recent times the Greens (third option) have emerged as serious players, but their agenda for reform is so strong and not at all grounded in what is financially viable given the nature of the financial beast we have created.  So what to do?  While I personally support reform and the pain that would naturally come from a Green government – it would spell financial disaster for the whole lot of us. 

Why do we see everything as separate -- either / or?  It’s either X or Y or Z.  Why not all of the above?  The opportunity for us all is to stop factionalizing risk (KRA’s) and political approaches.  I’m waiting for the birth / emergence of the Rainbow Party…or the Integral Party.  A party that is made up of diverse individuals who see the relationship between things and who see and manage the emergence of what all human beings have in common -- a party that puts no one issue ahead of any other.  Somebody is going to have to start this party – someone with very deep pockets is going to have to fund this party.  I just hope to God that Gen Y’s and whatever tribes that follow grow up to be the ones to usher in a much needed integral & whole approach to public service (and everything else)!

Are the topics discussed today related?  What is the possibility or opportunity to create the thinking required to eliminate separateness in everything we do?  What is the cost of not?  What role do you play in the proliferation of separateness?