Organizational constipation

Oh yeah, the digestive system problem in eliminating feces. Now that is disgusting! But the market size for laxatives is an unbelievable $1 Billion! Believe it or not constipation affects every one at one time or another. Businesses and organizations are no different.

Organizations and about people, processes and products. Constipation can affect all three. Excessive bureaucracy, meandering career paths, whimsical products are typical examples of constipated organizations.

I am not sure the problem is simply discharge of waste, "Do not look where you fell but where you slipped". So what is the root cause of this constipation? I tried to look I up on WebMd to see if the suggestions were something we could apply in organizational design to avoid organizational constipation. The suggestions on WebMd said eat VARIETY of foods, FRESH foods, drink LIQUIDS, EXERCISE, NOT RESISTING bowel MOVEMENTS, appreciate UNIQUE habits, the list went on…

It felt like a breakthrough to me, I meant it really! I translated it into DIVERSITY, FRESH IDEAS and thoughts, OPENNESS TO CHANGE, appreciate and REWARD STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES, test and EXERCISE THE ORGANIZATIONAL MINDS with new and different challenges and finally organizational PURGE IS ESSENTIAL and a good thing.