Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Subordinant's Lament

For several years in different positions I have reflected, only around the edges, about what one does when the boss does not appear to be as effective as the organization needs.

In the last years of the 20th century, for example, I sensed that one organization was going to have trouble when the new leader was drawing inspiration from the writings of leaders of the organization from the 1890's. In another situation, I watched the collective leadership of an organization I loved behaving in such unhelpful ways that I imagined myself in "Gorillas in the Mist," saying "they look like us, they have so many of the same characteristics, but THEY'RE DIFFERENT!"

Now I ready to offer some more constructive suggestions for those in subordinant positions who have higher hopes for their organization than those in the dominant positions. (Note: I'm following Carol Pierce and her colleagues from New Dynamics Partnerships and their work on multicultural, gender and ethnic relationships in using "subordinant" and "dominant" to avoid the cliched organizational terms here.)

  1. Nurture your own spirit. When tempted to spend time moaning or griping, exchange that time for quiet reflection on yourself, your place in the universe--a broader perspective than just your organization or church, and your calling and your principles. Keep track of your own integrity and don't let it get lost in your discouragement and cynicism.
  2. Keep your own creativity going. The organization needs creativity, adaptability, and connection with fresh ideas even more when the folks at the top are less in touch. The musician and coach Harry Pickens reminded me several years ago that a person could have more influence on an organization from the margins than from the center. You can keep tabs on creativity by asking if you are increasing your sense of knowledge and truth, if you are growing in respect for differences, if you are building community, and if positive work can still be done (a distillation of the thought of the philosopher of the creative spirit, Henry Nelson Wieman).
  3. Find partners or allies for the journey through this time in your organization. There is strength also in collaboration and alliance. You are better with others than alone. A caution about this, however, is to avoid a secretive and oppositional coalition. As I define it, a coalition is two or more members of a system, often at different levels of authority (a member and a staff member, or a member and a member of a governing board), who join together expressly to oppose or exclude another person or group. A coalition usually involves secretiveness, and it is likely to be denied if someone asks about it. By contrast an alliance is defined as two or more members of a system who agree to work together on an issue of common interest, without intentionally excluding or opposing others. An alliance is not usually secretive. Open and transparent relationships formed for the benefit of the organization and for its members are usually welcome.
  4. Look for ways to adapt to the new realities of the organization, for ways to act out transformational leadership in your area of work, to help the organization keep learning and growing. Assuming that an organization is a holistic organism, any part that can be healthy and creative can leaven the whole.

So do not lament, faithful subordinants. Free yourselves to be the best you can be in the circumstances and it will pay off.