The Five Dysfunctions of an Organisation

Organisations are intricate ecosystems with a myriad of interacting elements. However, certain dysfunctional aspects can throw a spanner in the works, hindering progress and productivity. Let’s highlight five such dysfunctions and shed light on ways to tackle them:

1. Dysfunctional Culture: The culture within an organisation shapes its identity and modus operandi. It’s a shared set of assumptions, values, and beliefs that govern how people behave. However, when these shared elements become dysfunctional, it can manifest in the form of low trust, a fear of conflict, lack of accountability, and resistance to change. It’s like an invisible fog that muffles voices, inhibits initiative, and fosters a climate of apprehension. To dissipate this fog, it’s vital to foster a culture that values trust, views conflict as an opportunity for growth, encourages accountability, and embraces change. This journey of cultural transformation requires sustained effort, commitment, and, most importantly, exemplary leadership.
2. Dysfunctional Strategy: A strategy acts as an organisation’s compass, pointing the way forward. However, when it becomes dysfunctional, it leads to a state of disorientation, akin to wandering in a labyrinth with no exit in sight. Goals become fuzzy, decisions seem arbitrary, and efforts appear disjointed. To navigate out of this maze, it’s crucial to ensure that a robust, clear strategy is in place, one that’s effectively communicated, understood, and embraced across all levels of the organisation.
3. Dysfunctional Communication: Communication is the lifeblood of an organisation. When it’s dysfunctional, it can result in a fractured narrative, missed opportunities, and ineffective coordination. The atmosphere could be riddled with secrecy and hearsay, giving rise to an unhealthy ‘grapevine’ culture. To rectify this, establishing open, timely, and effective communication norms and channels is imperative. By fostering transparency through regular updates, meetings, and informal chats, a culture of openness can be cultivated.
4. Dysfunctional Organisational Structure: Siloed operations can turn an organisation into a disjointed archipelago, with each island (department or unit) functioning in isolation. This structure can stifle collaboration and holistic thinking, resulting in disjointed efforts and missed synergies. To bridge these islands, it’s essential to promote a culture of collaboration, encourage cross-functional teams, and facilitate open communication across all departments and levels.
5. Dysfunctional Belief in the Concept of Talent: An overemphasis on innate ‘talent’ can skew an organisation’s perspective towards personnel development and performance evaluation. This belief can lead to an underinvestment in the way the work works (“the system”) and its improvement. Moving away from this talent-centric viewpoint, we may choose to embrace systemic issues rather than “work on the 5%” (the individuals within the system).

Addressing these dysfunctions is an ongoing process requiring patience, effort, and a thoughtful, holistic approach. By recognising and actively addressing these issues, organisations can foster a healthier environment, paving the way for improved productivity and overall success.

In my book “Quintessence” I explore these dysfunctions in greater detail, plus a whole passel more. And its precursor volume “Memeology” has much practical self-help advice on dealing with them.