Creating an Environment Where Strategy Can Succeed
Several years ago, I was having a conversation with a senior-level strategy executive about a massive new growth initiative he was championing. This work would drastically expand the reach and scope of the organization, bringing in new sources of funding and substantially increasing the organization’s mission impact.
After telling me about his big dream and what it could do for the cause and the organization, he confided he was feeling frustrated that staff at his organization didn’t seem to share his enthusiasm. He felt like he was sharing this great new direction, but no one was really hearing him – and he didn’t know why.
Were they lacking imagination or strategic thinking? Did they disagree with this direction? Was this just so far afield that staff didn’t know what to make of it?
I listened to his concerns as he paced around the room, and then I said something that stopped him in his tracks.
“Maybe it’s that they had to restart their computers three times today before they could actually begin their work.”
I watched something click in that executive’s brain as he realized that the problem wasn’t whether the staff agreed with his strategy – it was that they were being set up for failure in even the most basic of tasks. If they didn’t feel confident they could achieve these minor projects, then it would be nigh on impossible to pull off his new strategy.
That moment taught me one of the most important lessons I’ve learned about what makes strategy successful:
Strategy succeeds when we intentionally create an environment that enables success.
That may sound obvious, but so many organizations struggle with this simple truth.
If your work environment is essentially a harrowing obstacle course ranging from minor frustrations, like not being able to get the right people in a meeting for two to three weeks, to major barriers, like having out of date or faulty technology systems that actively reduce your ability to do your job every day – your chances of success dwindle quickly.
On the flip side, when your environment and organization culture are intentionally designed to support you, it becomes a whole lot easier to achieve your goals and feel great while doing so.
While there are many business books that tackle this topic, I encourage the leaders I work with to glean inspiration from the teachings of the late Dr. Maria Montessori. Creator of the well-known method of education bearing her name, Dr. Montessori emphasized the importance of a meticulously prepared environment designed to maximize learning, growth, and independence in students. She also observed that the effects of an ill-prepared environment made it incredibly difficult for children to learn, grow, and effectively participate in their learning community.
If you’ve ever seen a Montessori classroom (also known as a community), you’ve likely marveled at the sight of small children effectively completing complex tasks with minimal instruction from their guides (the Montessori word for teacher). These kiddos can be seen learning, laughing, creating, cleaning up messes together, communicating respectfully, supporting one another, accomplishing things that seem way beyond their age or size, and finding joy and purpose in the work they are doing. Sounds like a pretty great place to do your best work, right?
To achieve this kind of community environment, Dr. Montessori laid out Six Principles for a Prepared Environment. As you read these descriptions, ask yourself – what would it take to make this principle possible in my organization?
Six Principles of the Prepared Environment*
Freedom – “The prepared environment allows for freedom of movement; freedom of choice during independent work blocks; and freedom to either interact socially or take time to yourself.” Freedom in Montessori is essential to creating an environment in which community members can be independent, and it includes having the right tools – like, say, a working computer and user-friendly technology systems – to do your work successfully.
Structure and Order – “A chaotic environment can have a detrimental effect to developing reasoning skills and confidence.” This is no secret to anyone who has worked in a chaotic work environment. Structure and order provide clear expectations, guardrails, and rhythms that the entire community can rely on – they are intended to further support independence, not restrict it.
Beauty – “Beauty creates a sense of harmony, order, and comfort.” The physical environment you work in has a direct effect on your ability and desire to focus and find joy in your work, which in turn impacts your productivity and creativity in problem-solving. You don’t need expensive furnishings or art to make a space beautiful – but you do need to recognize when a space could use some refreshing.
Nature and Reality – “Students are encouraged to interact with the natural environment outside of the classroom, to experience and interpret natural phenomena.” In mission-driven organizations, it can be easy to get caught up within our own walls and lose touch with the people we are looking to serve and our supporters. Reconnecting with our communities, our funders, and yes – with nature – all enable us to have stronger clarity of purpose and be grounded in what is true.
Social Environment – “Students have the ability and freedom to interact with each other through work, rest, and play; the social and emotional frameworks of a Montessori education encourage students to approach each other with empathy, and to work constructively through disagreements or differences.” Strong interpersonal communication skills are essential to creating an environment where strategy can succeed. Creating an equitable, transparent, trustworthy, and communicative culture should be a top priority to ensure our organizations are both an excellent place to work and excellent in advancing our mission.
Intellectual Environment – “The intellectual environment is the culmination of the six principles of the prepared environment; by creating a space in which the Montessori curriculum can flourish, students will develop their intellect as well as their personalities.” This is the space where our practices intersect and align with our purpose – where our teams can be their very best, dream big dreams, and bring new strategies to life.
The value of reviewing these principles is that they identify basic human needs when it comes to an environment that supports individual and team success. If we want to create environments where our strategies – and the people who power them – can succeed, we need to be mindful of these essential building blocks so we can construct a strong, sustainable foundation.
*Thanks to the Kingsley Montessori School for their accessible description of these principles. Quotes in this section come from this article.