Page 132 - Make Work Great

Growing Your Crystal

it mean the loss of any hope that your additions in progress might
continue to learn and practice the new cultural patterns?
Probably not. Remember, you’re not putting yourself in a position
of telling these people what to do with respect to overtness and clar-
ity. Rather, you’re role-modeling your patterns and allowing them to
learn by example. The difference here is substantial: if you told an
addition in progress to do something, and it didn’t work, then you
were wrong and they will think twice before listening to you and
your crazy ideas again. But if your additions in progress discover the
importance of overtness and clarity through observation, determine
on their own that they might help, and develop their own strategies
for implementation, then they have no reason to doubt your cred-
ibility! If anything, they may come back to you to share their stories
if things go wrong, giving both of you the opportunity to learn from
their experiences. Since you’re role-modeling many patterns and pro-
viding lots of content to help your additions in progress develop their
own strategies, you retain your advisory function.
No strategy is perfect, but organic systems are self-correcting.
Remember what happens when a branch of a rosebush bumps into a
wall. The plant doesn’t die, it simply adjusts. Organic growth takes
care of itself.

Selective Versus Exclusive
As we close this chapter, one other aspect of the organic growth
process is worthy of attention: the difference between selectivity and
exclusivity.
Let’s return once again to the metaphor of ice formation on a
pond. Consider for a moment the type of “screening” that goes on
from the perspective of the growing ice crystal. As the new crystal
takes form, it sits there silently encouraging neighboring particles to
attach. You might imagine particles of the emerging crystal saying,
“Look at this. I’m doing this, and you can be a part of it.” The broad-
cast is a positive invitation to change, not an attempt to force or sell.
Any neighboring particle that is able to do so can quickly attach.

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