The framing of administrative processes as cultural artifcts is spot on. In my experince working with large organizations, the disconnect between stated values and actual workflows is where cynicism grows fastest. When a simple request takes three layers of approval but leadership talks about agility, that's the hidden curiculum at work. The questions you pose for leaders are powerful tools for making these patterns visible.
Thank you so much for this reflection. You captured it perfectly. The gap between what we say we value and how our workflows actually function is exactly where the cynicism takes root.
I really appreciate your example about “three layers of approval” in an organization that claims agility. Those small frictions accumulate and become part of the hidden curriculum far more quickly that most leaders realize.
I’m glad the questions for leaders resonated with you. My hope is that more of us start treating administrative processes as cultural artifacts we can examine, redesign, and align with the kind of environment we say we want to create.
The framing of administrative processes as cultural artifcts is spot on. In my experince working with large organizations, the disconnect between stated values and actual workflows is where cynicism grows fastest. When a simple request takes three layers of approval but leadership talks about agility, that's the hidden curiculum at work. The questions you pose for leaders are powerful tools for making these patterns visible.
Thank you so much for this reflection. You captured it perfectly. The gap between what we say we value and how our workflows actually function is exactly where the cynicism takes root.
I really appreciate your example about “three layers of approval” in an organization that claims agility. Those small frictions accumulate and become part of the hidden curriculum far more quickly that most leaders realize.
I’m glad the questions for leaders resonated with you. My hope is that more of us start treating administrative processes as cultural artifacts we can examine, redesign, and align with the kind of environment we say we want to create.