“Below the Surface”

Adam Kahane once suggested that “most change processes are superficial because they don’t generate the depth of understanding and commitment that is required for sustaining change in truly demanding circumstances”. As evidence for why this deeper understanding may be important consider the increasing body of evidence, made popular by Daniel Kahneman and the increasingly popular study of behavioural economics, which points to the fundamental irrationality in human decision making. A theme picked up powerfully in Bob Keegan’s book, Immunity to Change.

Why is it then in the face of this evidence, when we gather together a bunch of human beings in the form of an organisation, we assume they will behave rationally. Further more why it is the consulting and advisory profession propagates this charade?

It is not the purpose of this short article to explore this question. It’s purpose is to suggest that perhaps in light of the evidence, it may be worth at least considering a different perspective from the rational approaches favoured by the majority. Indeed, if we accept the premis that we are all fundementally irrational and that our behaviours are driven by the swelling uncurrents of our deep seated, often unconscious hopes and fears, then it follows that any approach must consider what lies “below the surface”.

Perhaps this is no more relevant that when considering the challenges of bridging the transition between scale-up and sustainable enterprise in high growth SMEs. In this “adolescent” period, full of storm and stress, it is understandable that one may reach for the “solid” ground of new structures, new strategies and even new investment. However, it is my belief that these will provide cold comfort, based as they are on a false assumption that this is soully a rational and intellectual challenge rather something more profound. What is required is a broader perspective, that maybe found by considering that which can not immediately be seen.

Here in lies the challenge, because in times of chaos, structure however temporary is attractive. This fresh perspective is anything but solid nor can it be easily explain ed in a series of powerpoint slides, and as Jung himself suggests the closest we can come to it is to say “it is as if”. But, in my experience even tentative hypotheses can start to provide a level of clarity that might inform better choices about what really lies at the heart of this and many other business challenges.

One advantage that smaller firms may have over their large counterparts is the immediacy and perhaps reduced complexity of a smaller system. That said, the often very personal nature of the endeavour can intensify the experience and make these explorations no less challenging.

This is not to say that more rational considerations and not important, indeed they are critical but it seems to me in a world that continues to favour analysis, logic and rationality, that intuition and what lies below the surface are to easily forgotten or perhaps more accurately avoided..

Approaching this requires courage but it also may require a guide. Clearly it isn’t advisable to play in this space if you don’t know what you are doing. This is also important because despite the plethora of unconscious bias training, their very nature (it’s in the title) suggests that they sit beyond our conscious capacity. We find it hard if not impossible to see them. Fortunately others can.

With a guide, whilst challenging, this exploration can often be fruitful in laying the foundations for sustainable transition. To do otherwise is to leave potential hazards in place which may have us founder at a later date.