How can workplace structures cause "poor behaviour"?
When we see ‘poor behaviour’ in our workplaces (I use inverted commas there because it’s subjective, and there’s often more to it – as I’m about to explore), it’s easy to pass off as individual shortcomings. In fact, the invisible designs dictating interactions, workflows, and decision-making processes that shape our organisations play a significant, if silent, role in moulding the behaviour of the people working within them.
I’m reminded of W. Edwards Deming’s observation that most organisational outcomes stem from the structures, rather than the individuals. This suggests a profound need for organisations to look within and realign these invisible frameworks to foster healthier workplace environments. Systems thinking provides a valuable lens here, encouraging leaders and senior execs to peer beneath the surface of issues to understand the broader patterns and structures at play.
Within this context, let’s consider the experience of a young manager (we’ll call her Sarah) at a busy office. Despite hiring skilled individuals for a pivotal role in her team, Sarah has experienced three resignations over the last three years. On the surface, this seemed to be a personnel issue, but a further investigation (using systems thinking) shed light on a bigger, and much different picture. The way projects were timed, and the disconnect between departments inadvertently increased stress and triggered defensive behaviours, resulting in the resignations.
Sarah used the iceberg model of systems thinking (see above) to delve deeper. Like all models, it not an accurate depiction of reality, but this simple model can be quite helpful as a way of exploring the often unseen forces at work.
By reimagining the problematic role and integrating it across departments, Sarah was able to alleviate strain and create a more cohesive workflow. This keen insight led to a significant reduction in stress-related behaviours and demonstrated that fostering healthier organisational behaviour often involves reconfiguring the structures that shape the environment.
How might structures within your organisation be affecting the behaviours of the people working there (including yourself!)? Have there been past workplaces where this has been noticeable?