Manage Tensions not people

Based on the latest (2024) research, managing tensions has emerged as an effective approach to organisational transformation. Not only does the tensions management approach engage employees and improve performance, it comes at zero cost.

Why manage tensions - why now?

There is no doubt the workplace has changed over the last few decades: unprecedented consumer choice, greater focus on issues of social justice and mental health, increasing regulation, new KPIs, impact of technology and the rise of AI, and of course, financial pressures, are all forces that affect professional staff. If the fundamental assumptions on which our organisations were built have changed due to these tensions, what do we need to do to reflect external factors?

Social and technical factors

Adaptability is an essential capability for the digital age. Technical skills, such as Lean-Agile and Design thinking that enable adaptability are easily learned. Learning is fastest when directly applied to customer-value work but percolates upwards through the hierarchy in a few years. See the right-hand self-reinforcing loop in the diagram below.

Human-first, soft, or social skills represent different challenges, especially for those in managerial positions who are distant from the work which directly creates value for customers. Although they want the best for their organisation, employees and themselves, they must resist change. In the diagram above, managing tensions releases redundant parts (beliefs, policies, assumptions and traditions) by managing tensions, so their owners can re-deploy their knowledge and care by developing today's organisation.

Resistance to change

Two key factors drive an organisation's resistance to change antibodies, greed and fear. Words cannot improve someone who acts from personal greed but we can resolve a fear of consequences. For example, it is reasonable for a manager to fear the consequences of a bad decision because other people may be negatively affected. Indeed, after the founder departs, most organisations are handed over to guardians whose implicit purpose is to preserve that organisation. In other words, the organisation develops the desire to sustain its life, what biologists call autopoiesis. Autopoiesis is a good thing for life-forms but not automatically useful in the life-cycle of an organisation. Tensions are a signal that there is an imbalance between what is and what should be happening. They are therefore worthy of investigation, led collaboratively, by managers.

Tensions framework for middle managers

It takes 30 minutes for managers to learn how to apply the tensions framework to a problem in their area. Managers are key to improvement because they have expert knowledge of the issues in their context and the motivation to improve them. Since middle managers are how organisations scale, managing tensions scales with managers. They are already in position, in every part of the organisation, allowing improvement activities to take place concurrently and systemically. No more 'islands of performance'!

It starts with a tensions workshop

Tensions are experienced by managers at every level and in every job function. Dr Russ runs Manage Tensions not People workshops for organisations in every sector, globally. A short workshop (eg. conferences, lunch 'n' learns) lets people experience the potential of surfacing and managing tensions collaboratively. In a half-day workshop, managers explore tensions and work together to resolve them practically and efficiently.

It's always an uplifting and motivating way to reframe organisational challenges.

Send a message if you want to arrange a tensions management workshop.