Wow, just wow! I absolutely loved this, I could almost hear your voice as I was reading, maybe an audio book version at some point... 😊 cannot wait to read more, you're a fantastic writer and the way you put beautiful words to your journey is magic, I imagine many many many people in this movement will deeply relate.Thank you for writing this and sharing it 🙏🏽
Hi Mark. Thanks for the nice article (and the book to come!). I am a Teal coach/trainer from China, working as an independent freelancer to support Teal/self-managing organizations. I became to know you via Teal Around the World Event years ago. I love your deep thought since then. I love reading your articles here at Substack. And because we cannot access LinkedIn, Substack, etc. without VPN in China, I have translated some of your articles into Chinese and published them in social media (WeChat) we use in China. In this way, enthusiasts and practitioners in China of the same “teal” field would have easier access to these precious "food of thoughts" (especially considering there are not so many of them out there, comparing with traditional management literatures).
I translated Brent, Susan & Travis’ book “Lead Together” and have it published in China in 2022-2023. And also I have translated all the 130 episodes of Frederic Laloux’s “Insights for the Journey” and compiled them into a book in Chinese published just last November. From time to time, I also translate articles from Lisa Gill, and Joost & Pim from Corporate Rebel. The translated texts are always attributed to the original author and with links back to the original website.
I hope you will be fine with it? For example, the translated version of your posts would be seen here:
Thanks so much Laurence, really cool to hear about and see those translations! And for sure, if you can find a willing publisher, I love the idea of a Chinese version of Why Change Fails.
hi Mark, It must have taken a lot of courage to reveal this outcome - and bravo for peeling the onion in such a vulnerable way :-)
I thought you were leading to a different takeaway - not the framework for failure (FFF), but the rich learning about embracing uncertainty and asking more questions - and using that as a model to teach the teams you work with. That's not to negate your FFF, but to add another potentially valuable outcome. What do you think?
Most organizational transformation is just professional theatre. Consultants provide the script, and employees provide the performance. When the director leaves the room, the actors go back to being themselves.
This really resonates, Mark. It’s what I would have written as I left my last corporate OD role, but didn’t have the words to articulate how I felt at that point in my career. Great reflections. I wonder whether large corporations suit humans at all, particularly the human soul. Your conversation with your mate is so revealing. Thank you for this.
Hi Mark, this may interest - https://www.makemeaningfulwork.com/books and can certainly chat more. This has been a 30 year study informally and a 13 year study more formally, and it continues on.
HOly crap, man. I am a lifelong consultant, and you just cracked my tuning fork. I am all about Systems Thinking, experimenting, Conway's Law, emergence, etc. but this chapter felt like my own doubts taking back to me. I look foreward to reading more.
Mark, I look forward to hearing more of your insight - stuff arising from trial & error (esp. error) is so valuable. It reminds me about the way late 1990s “knowledge management” systems (that seemed so full of learning potential) also failed - putting it bluntly they were dead. To establish a process that might thrive, it has to be organic (& likely evolutionary based on the environment) - the forward development cannot be known in advance.
To a limited extent “organic knowledge management” (aka narrative/stories) has perhaps flourished to a greater extent.
Thanks for this and for so generously sharing. I’ve been having similar (less well thought through) doubts having spent the last 30 ish years working with change. I’m curious about your move to in-house work, his that because you believe there’s a better chance of affecting real change?
Thank you, you have absolutely nailed the sense of unease I have always had about organisational change, and my work as a consultant- I really appreciate you putting into words. Engaging and elegantly written- look forward to the book being published!
Thanks for writing this, Mark. You’ve put your finger on something I felt in both my early career in politics and, more recently, as a consultant… Constantly trying to figure out to what degree change is possible (and if it’s possible at all!) And where to choose to spend energy / ‘this one precious life’. Really looking forward to reading more!
This landed for me as a moment of honest destabilization rather than a diagnosis, and I appreciate you staying with the wobble rather than resolving it too quickly. What I found myself wondering (and I’m curious how this unfolds in later chapters) is how much of what you’re describing is about desire versus conditions — not whether people want “more” from work, but when wanting more becomes rational, affordable, and actually supported by the system around them. Looking forward to reading on.
Beautifully written, and accurate too. For many, it would appear from my experience, work is a place you go to eat your lunch (whilst simultaneously claiming you're so busy you haven't had the chance to do so). Like your friend, they've figured out, and made clear-eyed choices on how to work the system whilst simultaneously giving the impression of engaged participation and deep care. Acknowledging most people's jobs simply aren't central to their lives is fundamentally important. The disconnect is real. But, connection is fundamentally important. Intrinsic motivation is fundamentally important.
If great minds think alike and fools seldom differ, can we meet up and work out which one we are please? I think you know Judy Rees? No, I am sure you do! Stand by to get a meeting request from her or me Mark, we'd love to talk about this and some ideas!
Wow, just wow! I absolutely loved this, I could almost hear your voice as I was reading, maybe an audio book version at some point... 😊 cannot wait to read more, you're a fantastic writer and the way you put beautiful words to your journey is magic, I imagine many many many people in this movement will deeply relate.Thank you for writing this and sharing it 🙏🏽
Ah thanks so much Reena, this was wondeful feedback to read :) Can't wait to share more!
My pleasure, hope you're keeping well 🌻
Hi Mark. Thanks for the nice article (and the book to come!). I am a Teal coach/trainer from China, working as an independent freelancer to support Teal/self-managing organizations. I became to know you via Teal Around the World Event years ago. I love your deep thought since then. I love reading your articles here at Substack. And because we cannot access LinkedIn, Substack, etc. without VPN in China, I have translated some of your articles into Chinese and published them in social media (WeChat) we use in China. In this way, enthusiasts and practitioners in China of the same “teal” field would have easier access to these precious "food of thoughts" (especially considering there are not so many of them out there, comparing with traditional management literatures).
I translated Brent, Susan & Travis’ book “Lead Together” and have it published in China in 2022-2023. And also I have translated all the 130 episodes of Frederic Laloux’s “Insights for the Journey” and compiled them into a book in Chinese published just last November. From time to time, I also translate articles from Lisa Gill, and Joost & Pim from Corporate Rebel. The translated texts are always attributed to the original author and with links back to the original website.
I hope you will be fine with it? For example, the translated version of your posts would be seen here:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Yr4OlnDs8-9y53kT7td6ew?token=1368469014&lang=zh_CN;
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/GNvVrm84-w9DPDxKBIq6rQ?token=1368469014&lang=zh_CN
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6d7d9SBGH_ibzF_EznJXxg?token=1368469014&lang=zh_CN
I also encourage the idea of publishing your book "Why Change Fails" in Chinese too, if I could find a willing publisher.
Thanks so much Laurence, really cool to hear about and see those translations! And for sure, if you can find a willing publisher, I love the idea of a Chinese version of Why Change Fails.
hi Mark, It must have taken a lot of courage to reveal this outcome - and bravo for peeling the onion in such a vulnerable way :-)
I thought you were leading to a different takeaway - not the framework for failure (FFF), but the rich learning about embracing uncertainty and asking more questions - and using that as a model to teach the teams you work with. That's not to negate your FFF, but to add another potentially valuable outcome. What do you think?
This is fantastic! Followed.
Most organizational transformation is just professional theatre. Consultants provide the script, and employees provide the performance. When the director leaves the room, the actors go back to being themselves.
This really resonates, Mark. It’s what I would have written as I left my last corporate OD role, but didn’t have the words to articulate how I felt at that point in my career. Great reflections. I wonder whether large corporations suit humans at all, particularly the human soul. Your conversation with your mate is so revealing. Thank you for this.
Thanks Trish! Happy to hear it resonated :)
Hi Mark, this may interest - https://www.makemeaningfulwork.com/books and can certainly chat more. This has been a 30 year study informally and a 13 year study more formally, and it continues on.
HOly crap, man. I am a lifelong consultant, and you just cracked my tuning fork. I am all about Systems Thinking, experimenting, Conway's Law, emergence, etc. but this chapter felt like my own doubts taking back to me. I look foreward to reading more.
Mark, I look forward to hearing more of your insight - stuff arising from trial & error (esp. error) is so valuable. It reminds me about the way late 1990s “knowledge management” systems (that seemed so full of learning potential) also failed - putting it bluntly they were dead. To establish a process that might thrive, it has to be organic (& likely evolutionary based on the environment) - the forward development cannot be known in advance.
To a limited extent “organic knowledge management” (aka narrative/stories) has perhaps flourished to a greater extent.
I can't wait for this book!
Thanks for this and for so generously sharing. I’ve been having similar (less well thought through) doubts having spent the last 30 ish years working with change. I’m curious about your move to in-house work, his that because you believe there’s a better chance of affecting real change?
Thank you, you have absolutely nailed the sense of unease I have always had about organisational change, and my work as a consultant- I really appreciate you putting into words. Engaging and elegantly written- look forward to the book being published!
Thanks for writing this, Mark. You’ve put your finger on something I felt in both my early career in politics and, more recently, as a consultant… Constantly trying to figure out to what degree change is possible (and if it’s possible at all!) And where to choose to spend energy / ‘this one precious life’. Really looking forward to reading more!
Can’t wait to read more!
This landed for me as a moment of honest destabilization rather than a diagnosis, and I appreciate you staying with the wobble rather than resolving it too quickly. What I found myself wondering (and I’m curious how this unfolds in later chapters) is how much of what you’re describing is about desire versus conditions — not whether people want “more” from work, but when wanting more becomes rational, affordable, and actually supported by the system around them. Looking forward to reading on.
Beautifully written, and accurate too. For many, it would appear from my experience, work is a place you go to eat your lunch (whilst simultaneously claiming you're so busy you haven't had the chance to do so). Like your friend, they've figured out, and made clear-eyed choices on how to work the system whilst simultaneously giving the impression of engaged participation and deep care. Acknowledging most people's jobs simply aren't central to their lives is fundamentally important. The disconnect is real. But, connection is fundamentally important. Intrinsic motivation is fundamentally important.
So here's to the wobbles.
If great minds think alike and fools seldom differ, can we meet up and work out which one we are please? I think you know Judy Rees? No, I am sure you do! Stand by to get a meeting request from her or me Mark, we'd love to talk about this and some ideas!
I promise I’m a fool.. looking forward to meeting :)