Experimenting with Corporate Culture: From meetings to conversations

Speakers: 

Jules Goddard, CEDEP Faculty, Fellow of London
Business School, Member of the Council of the Royal Institute of Philosophy and
author of recently published books on both philosophy and business
experimentation. 

Kate Chauviré, Director,
Academic Planning and Coordination, CEDEP 

One of the most important insights of philosophical evolutionary theory is that life
continuously throws up challenges and we must adapt. We are at our best and
most human when solving problems. Rather than following rules, obeying
instructions and sticking to what has worked in the past, modern workplaces
draw upon our capabilities most effectively when we are meeting critical challenges
creatively.

We rarely challenge organisational hierarchy and bureaucracy. But in times of crisis, the
rule book is thrown away. We ignore standard processes. Those who have the
skills to solve the problem come together spontaneously and informally. The
culture becomes one of constructive conversation amongst equals rather than a
formal meeting of bosses and subordinates. In other words, adhocracy replaces
autocracy with hugely beneficial consequences. The problem is solved.

Getting the balance right between spontaneity and structure or between informality and control is difficult. And many companies are too wrapped up in their conventions to see
things differently and try out alternative ways of working.

The workweek and
the workplace are human inventions. They are not part of nature. We do not have
to work from Monday to Friday in office settings in structured organisations
and have salaried jobs or paid employment. These are our inventions, and we
have chosen to work like this.

The Covid-19
pandemic has taught us that there are alternatives to the conventional
workplace, and it is time to reinvent corporate culture and the way we work.  

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