Page 127 - Make Work Great

Organic Growth

Philosophical discussions like this one are worth having. If you’re
going to change the world around you, it’s worth thinking about the
kind of world you want to create and live in. These are issues that can
be pondered for hours, days, and even lifetimes.
For the moment, consider a simpler and more utilitarian argument

for mutual benefit: in attempting to add people to your crystal, you’re
suggesting that they do things differently. You would like them to
interact with you differently and also to role-model overtness and
clarity to others. Changes require effort. Think back to our hiring
analogy: to successfully hire a new candidate for your company, you
must not only convince yourself that he or she is qualifi ed, but also
convince the candidate that you’re offering a desirable opportunity.
The approach for cultural crystal candidates is the same as the
approach for employment candidates. There is an old joke that claims
everyone is tuned in to the same radio station—WIIFM, or “What’s
In It for Me?” There’s a bit of cynicism here, but it does work with
our broadcast metaphor: the strongest way to suggest that others
should make a change is to directly address how the change will help
them.
Your new patterns of behavior sell themselves through your actions.
As a result of your role-modeling, it becomes obvious to your addi-
tions in progress that interacting with you and others in this new
way will help them get their own needs met. In asking them through
examples and actions to interact with you differently, you’re teaching
them how to help you to help them even more.
This is why your best candidates come from those closest to you
in the workplace network—people like your managers, employees,
mentors, mentees, and role set members. You’re already in a position
to help or support them. In fact, your relationship mandates that you
do so. Crystal building must start locally! Imagine how artifi cial it
would be for you to make a contact in another company or industry,
attempt to show that person some new patterns of working, and then
ask him or her to follow suit. What credibility would you have? What
benefi t could you offer? How could you say, “Try this, please, and
let me know how it goes,” or “I think this is the right thing to do”?

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