Scott Ott concludes:
> A biblical understanding of humanity, creation and God provides a
> significantly different platform from which to develop our
> learning organizations. And while the decision to accept Christ's
> sacrifice as payment for our sin is one with eternal signifi cance,
> its importance in understanding organizational development
> represents a paradigm shift for those who cling to the historically
> and ontologically inaccurate view that "people are basically good".
> Well-meaning organizational developers are going to burn
> themselves out trying to call forth the basic goodness that just
> isn't there naturally in humanity. Perhaps that is why Jesus said,
> "You must be born again' (a double-entendre which also means 'You
> must be born from above'). An accurate understanding of human
> nature would seem crucial to developing a learning organization or
> any other kind of human enterprise. If we are mistaken about the
> essence of humanity, then we will find ourselves building a bridge
> whose cables will not support the weight and vibration of many
> crossings.
I observe that to seek organisational change through beauty and compassion
seems eminently laudable. It has a spiritual quality that is missing from
much organisational discussion, debate and analysis. It has a mystical
quality too that whets the philosophical and theological appetite. No
wonder then that it has drawn so much response and is seen by some as a
breakthrough for Learning-org.
However, thank you Scott Ott for suggesting that the truth of
organisational learning is not in spiritual-self, self-centredness, self-
analysis, self-understanding or self-anything, but in purposeful
selflessness like that born of faith in God through Jesus Christ.
Our organisations will always fall short of being compassionate or
beautiful because they reflect a narrow and flawed part of us. However,
our organisations can learn from the platform of our purposeful
selflessness. The ulimate purpose must come from beyond us, but be within
each of us.
Steve Barnett
Lecturer, School of Management, Manukau Institute of Technology,
Private Bag 94006, Manukau City, Auckland, New Zealand.
Telephone 00 64 9 274 8889 direct dial X 7486
Facsimile 00 64 9 273 0707
Email sbarnett@manukau.ac.nz
--"Steve Barnett" <sbarnett@mit.manukau.ac.nz>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>