Is an LO a Meaningful Organization? LO19250

Richard Charles Holloway (learnshops@thresholds.com)
Tue, 15 Sep 1998 12:14:32 -0700

Replying to LO19243 --

Peter, I'm very glad you asked this question...though I take your thought
beyond just the scope of the subject.

My continuing question to myself has been, "is my life meaningful." I
try to answer it by leading a meaningful life. For some people, life is
a game (and so, I presume, is their organizational life). For some, life
is labor and drudgery. My personal philosophy and values center on the
perspective that life is (at the least) real, critical, transitory,
dangerous, fun, exciting (exhilirating), difficult, enjoyable and (most
importantly to me) meaningful.

So, my response to your question (is an LO a meaningful organization?) is
that the only reason for an organization to learn is to ensure its'
meaningfulness. Irrelevant, meaningless relationships (including those
within organizations) fill our world...they are organizations where
people are used as tools to create something meaningful for an owner or
board or stockholders. To be a learning organization mandates that
relationships are meaningful and that people are creators of meaning and
purpose for themselves and everyone else in the relationship. At least,
that's what it means to me.

Finally, I think that the term "learning organization" is an apt metaphor
that carries a multitude of meanings to people. It's also a terminology.
There are many ways to express similar meanings. I don't know why anyone
would want to go to the effort of creating a learning organization other
than they want others to experience the same meaningfulness that they do
each day. We have proof that becoming wealthy doesn't require developing
a learning organization. We also have proof that financial wealth
doesn't guarantee happiness or satisfaction. Sharing meaningful
relationships...sharing meaningful purpose...sharing meaningful
dreams--these are the foundations for creating a learning (and
meaningful) organization.

These quotes come to mind that express these sentiments--

"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by
yourself as a mighty one . . . the being a force of nature instead of a
feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that
the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ^WGeorge Bernard
Shaw

"The outward work can never be small if the inward one is great, and the
outward work can never be great if the inward is small or of little worth
. . . All works are surely dead if anything from the outside compels you
to work. Even if it were God himself compelling you to work from the
outside, your works would be dead. If your works are to live, then God
must move from the inside, from the innermost region of the soul^Wthen
they will really live. There is your life and there alone you live and
your works live." ^WMeister Eckhart

"A human being is part of the whole called by us 'universe,' a part
limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and
feelings as something separate from the rest^Wa kind of optical delusion
of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting
us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to
us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our
circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of
nature in its beauty." ^WAlbert Einstein.

-- 
"Go and wake up your luck."   -Persian Proverb

Thresholds <http://www.thresholds.com> Meeting Masters <http://www.thresholds.com/masters.html> Richard Charles "Doc" Holloway Olympia, WA USA ICQ# 10849650 voice 360.786.0925

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