Business Second Opinion podcasts always provide brilliant food for thought. They offer the opportunity to challenge our ways of thinking and create a space to form new opinions.
This particular podcast reflected on an article where the author was "aiming to examine the culture of AirBnB and what she perceived as conflicts between the business’ need to survive versus its culture of wanting people to feel like they were in a family."
There were many points that resonated, but one which felt the most relevant to a theme coming up in work at the moment: the potential repercussions of creating a family culture.
A metaphor that may lead to responsibility being seen as sitting with the head of the company rather than each individual. Here employees could miss the opportunity to hold themselves accountable or to develop the ability to see the bigger picture and adjust accordingly.
"People operating at a sensitive level of energy have intentions which are not evident in this article. They were more relating to one another rather than to their customers and stakeholders which left them vulnerable since they were not to be serving the market and stakeholders, but one another."
How in touch with the relevant markets and stakeholders are your employees or is the focus on each other? Are they able to connect to the bigger picture and act on the shifts and turns taking place rather than waiting to be given direction?
Interesting concepts to explore!
by Carol Sanford | Aug 3, 2021
