The Adolescent Enterprise
Drawing parallels between organizational and student maturity.
These thoughts are my own wrapped around other people’s. They’re random and they act as fodder for more structured posts. Comments and claps are welcome. Positive criticism helps. I’m learning how to write. It’s a struggle.
Truth at the edges and beyond
I always find truths on the edges or beyond my field of study. This is where concepts overlap or extend into other domains. Cool stuff and new knowledge happens here.
It’s choose your own adventure.
When I’m curious about something, I compare definitions of keywords. I poke at synonyms and antonyms then I’ll skim articles in different domains to see ‘the thing’ from a different angle. I do this daily, randomly and on impulse.
It’s rapid fire (characterized by, delivered, or occurring in rapid succession).
I’ve been practicing, researching, developing models for, and working with leaders on enterprise maturity for several years.
For fun, I decided to rapid fire maturity again this morning.
Call me obsessed.
Below are definitions that came up in my search. Some expected, others more interesting and relevant while few were off on a tangent (and exactly what I was looking for).
Expected:
the quality or state of being mature;
full development;
ripeness.
Interesting:
termination of the period that an obligation has to run;
a very advanced or developed form or state;
perfected condition.
Relevant:
to bring a plan to maturity;
maturity of judgment.
People maturity, now we’re getting somewhere:
the quality of behaving mentally and emotionally like an adult;
the state of being mentally and emotionally well-developed, and therefore responsible.
Yee haw! Down the rabbit hole
From these varied definitions I searched and one of the first entries led me to an editorial discussing significant maturity gaps in our youth.
The article I stumbled on by Tim Elmore of Artificial Maturity was:
“The Marks of Maturity: Many students today appear mature but are actually missing these components” available from Psychology Today.
My lane is Enterprise Capability Maturity so you’re probably wondering where I’m going with this?
Give the article a skim then I’ll play word substitution to show you where I drew parallels. Then I’ll let my mind wander on this medium.
Organizations are students?
First, let’s start with the title. Replace students with organizations:
“The Marks of Maturity: Many organizations today appear mature but are actually missing these components.”
“Many organizations today appear mature”. Ya. Whatev’s.
From my experience, many organizations are going through the motions of doing things required to transform with digital. They say they understand and actively support their geospatial programs. They say they’re on the digital transformation track.
Like most though, they’re failing. Miserably. Really.
Based on what management is reporting, all is good, but a closer look reveals they’re missing many of the marks of maturity they should possess.
How do I know this? From the privilege of reviewing dozens of enterprise health assessments, from case study and personal experience working in government. More importantly, it’s through peer discussion, direct messages, unscheduled random web meetings and conferences.
Leaders are Kids
Second, I replaced “kids” with leaders.
“Although there are exceptions to the rule, this generation of leaders is advanced intellectually, but behind emotionally. They are missing many of the marks of maturity they should possess.”
Leaders may be advanced intellectually but are behind emotionally. Ouch!
For me, behind emotionally means two things.
1. A strong parallel to the collective leadership’s digital, spatial and data literacy. One of the top keys to transformation success is having the right, digital-savvy leaders in place.
2. There is a lot written about emotional intelligence, empathy, self-aware, genuine humble leadership but it seems many organizations continue to suffer the effects of outdated models, authoritarian hierarchical organizations and the Peter Principle. To learn more about these concepts, follow Corporate Rebels. I do. In fact, I’m a super fan.
So how best to measure the “emotional maturity requirement”?
Intelligence, Skills, Emotional and Grit Quotients
Transformation deficit
Based on what I’m seeing in our industry, “non digital-savvy leaders” hinder transformation and hemorrhage cash. The waste from lost operational efficiencies through missed modernization and data-centralization efforts — it’s a transformation deficit.
They’re adolescent.
Emotionally unprepared
Finally, no substitution is required:
“They want so much to be able to experience the world they’ve seen on websites or heard on podcasts, but don’t realize they are unprepared for that experience emotionally. They are truly in between a child and an adult.”
Leaders AND the workforce in general want to function at a level they see on websites, at conferences or in other organizations. Hey, keep up with the Joneses everyone! They don’t realize they’re completely unprepared for that experience.
They believe this state of being can be bought or mimicked.
Wanting it doesn’t mean they’re equipped with the modern and relevant workforce and culture required to actually make it happen.
It’s wishful thinking.
In government organizations, you need only compare their open data sites. You can immediately tell those that understand the importance of and have an institutionalized long-term commitment to data sharing vs. those that just dropped an open data portal in place to keep up with the Joneses.
Again, the organization likely does not have the collective 4Q to handle the change emotionally or structurally. They may have huge capacity but no capability aka full time employees that just aren’t able to function at a 2019 level.
In the geospatial domain, there’s a capability chasm. This gap is deep and broad across entire organizations. The chasm is bloody huge, filled with gators, outdated mindsets …
… and scary clowns.
Unfortunately, for many, transformation is on the other side.
You’ve heard it before. It’s not tech. It’s humans.
The right people make change. In mature healthy organizations with the right culture and growth-mindsets, these people make data-driven progress. They grow. They get it.
They have the right skills and grit to stay in it for the long haul.
Putting the enterprise spin on the Marks of Maturity article speaks directly to developmental issues in organizations. Are you taking the steps required to strengthen and bolster your workforce and leadership with comprehensive data and geoliteracy programs. Are you breaking down silos and supporting innovation. Are you creating an environment for your people to progress and prosper?
Are you dealing with your culture problems? Really dealing with them?
We can tell when you fake it.
Getting to where you need to be requires maturity and capability. This requires a measurement framework, an approach, the right people, philosophy, mindset, creativity, patience, experience, time and perseverance.
It needs self-aware, genuine leadership (and parenting :-).
This must be based on trust, vision, shared values and radical transparency. It needs to be introspective and with concern more for the collective than outward appearances and self-interest.
As the article indicates, parents lately seem to be missing the boat on this (myself included). So are many of your senior leaders. Maybe even you?
In this digital era, you can’t fake maturity anymore.
Organizations: A Collection of personalities, mindsets & skill sets.
For me, I see organizations as a collection of personalities, mindsets and skill sets. This collection is your enterprise and in essence, they aren’t that much different than adolescents.
The maturity and culture of the collective is important.
The quality of leadership is key.
The more I work with leadership on developing enterprise maturity as a practice, the more I see either large groups of interrelated people working together as a high performing family OR dysfunctional ones characterized by poor parenting, in-fighting, emotional deficiencies and mistrust.
The question then? Is your organization able to “yield to maturity” as a mindset, practice and driver of continuous improvement?
In closing, I present the authors 7 marks of maturity. I won’t draw parallels between each item in this article. In future postings though, I’ll dig deep into Enterprise Geospatial Maturity through the analogy of a fictional family and maturity model.
As you review Tim Elmore’s points, think about how each translates to an organization, it’s leaders and the collective as it attempts to take on digital transformation (hint: replace person with organization and others with the team):
1. A mature person is able to keep long-term commitments
2. A mature person is unshaken by flattery or criticism.
3. A mature person possesses a spirit of humility.
4. A mature person’s decisions are based on character not feelings.
5. A mature person expresses gratitude consistently.
6. A mature person knows how to prioritize others before themselves.
7. A mature person seeks wisdom before acting.
“Maturity isn’t instant and it certainly isn’t easy”
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