1: “Just as every object can be measured in length, width, and depth, every organization can be measured in terms of It, We, and I,” Fred Kofman writes in The Meaning Revolution: The Power of Transcendent Leadership.
We begin by imagining a company as a three-dimensional space. We call the three dimensions “It,” “We,” and “I,”
The “It” dimension refers to the tasks, systems, and processes that make up the company.
“It” is impersonal. This dimension is all about “the efficient allocation of resources and accountabilities,” Fred writes. “The It dimension concerns the organization’s ability have its members work rationally toward its goals. . .
“It” is all about increasing sales, reducing costs, gaining market share, and growing shareholder value. In this dimension, the leader’s chief concern is efficiency, effectiveness, and efficacy.
The “We” dimension is the interpersonal. “It focuses on the relationships between the individuals, their interactions, the quality of their connections, and the kind of community they create,” he observes.
The “We” dimension drives the company’s ability to have its team members work together toward its goals.
The “I” dimension is about the individual people within the organization. “It focuses on the individual’s values, beliefs, thoughts, feelings, aspirations, well-being, sense of meaning, and happiness,” Fred writes.
When the “I” dimension is high, the organization’s people are enthusiastic about achieving the company’s goals.
2: What is one of the biggest drivers of low workplace engagement?
When leaders see their organization only in the impersonal “It” dimension.
“This is the dimension in which all managers go through basic training,” Fred writes. It’s also “where most of them stay.
“The focus is on attaining the maximum output with the minimum consumption of resources,” Fred writes. “A successful It-dimensional leader will establish clear goals, strategies, and roles and provide access to the knowledge and resources people need to get their jobs done.”
Are these critical drivers of a company’s success?
Of course! “Without a solid performance along its lines, an organization’s very survival is at stake,” he writes. “If a company does not operate effectively, it will fail to draw energy and resources, and it will collapse.
It-dimension results are essential. But. . . they are not sufficient by themselves to connect and engage people who make up the organization.
“Stripped of the other two dimensions,” he observes, “business becomes a purely mechanical activity in which success and failure depend exclusively on the rational management of rational agents.”
Long-term business success requires passionate people who care deeply about their work.
Which is why leaders must also emphasize the “We” and “I” dimensions.
“The We is about the quality of interactions and relationships among the organizational members,” Fred writes. “Interpersonal success is required for survival. If people do not cooperate and respect one another, the organization will fail.”
What are the key components of the “We” dimension? Teamwork, trust, and mutual respect. When this dimension is strong, there is a general sense that “we are all in this together.”
Leaders who excel in the “We” dimension create an environment where people collaborate to achieve exciting goals.
What happens when an organization’s “We” quotient is low?
“Office politics, ego management, and passive-aggressive avoidance of tough issues,” Fred explains.
3: The “I” dimension involves our need “for personal achievement, self-actualization, and self-transcendence,” Fred observes. “This dimension is all about personal growth, meaning, and happiness.”
Leaders who are strong in the “I” dimension create a workplace environment where people are resilient and are inspired to deliver exceptional results.
The “I” dimension is also about finding meaning. We ask ourselves: Above and beyond making money, what difference am I making?
“Every person, from the chairman of the board to the guy who unloads trucks at the warehouse, wants to feel whole, knowing that his or her life matters,” he writes.
“When they feel this way, people are much more productive and creative. They are resilient when suffering setbacks and enthusiastic when facing opportunities.”
What happens to an organization when its “I” quotient is low?
Team members disengage. Fred notes: “They put less energy into their work and see if as ‘just a job’ that gives them little more than a paycheck.”
According to research done by the management consulting firm McKinsey, the ingredient that is most often missing in creating a peak-performance environment is “a strong sense of meaning.”
“By ‘meaning,'” McKinsey reports, “they imply a feeling that what’s happening really matters, that what’s being done has not been done before and that it will make a difference to others.”
More tomorrow.
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Reflection: Am I leading in a way that promotes all three dimensions of leadership: the It, the We, and the I?
Action: Discuss with my team or with a colleague.
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