III. The Elements of the Metanoic Framework
| . III. The Elements of the Metanoic Framework |
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| C. TALENT AND MASTERY There is a deep, humanistic commitment within metanoic organizations to each individual and to his ability to achieve the quality of life he desires. It is assumed that overall performance rises and falls according to each individual's performance. Consequently, there is a basic need to develop talent. Although traditional methods are used (and in this respect metanoic organizations appear for the most part indistinguishable from others), their focus and the assumptions behind them may be unique. Whether explicit or not, an environment is sought in which each person feels vital. Expectations are high but realistic, and people are placed in positions in which they must exert themselves to succeed. There is an attempt to discover the true potential of each individual, bring those qualities that make him unique to the surface, and allow this true nature and purpose full expression in the organization. In this way the inherent power of personal alignment is tapped. In most cases conditions are created that gently and continuously stretch people, thereby eliciting more and more personal mastery. The individual feels fully employed and is remarkably satisfied and motivated to grow and accomplish as much as possible. Metanoic organizations seek a strong task-orientation, individually and organizationally. They trust that, by a structural tension analogous to that described earlier, the individual who focuses on what he wants more than the methods of getting it will be drawn relentlessly toward his desired goal. Managers have long known that concentration on results is vital to performance, but at the same time they have often become mired in the processes that produce the results. This inappropriate attachment to the means used to reach the ends undermines an individual's or an organization's inherent power. A dominant focus on results does not imply that processes are ignored, but rather it allows people to divorce themselves personally and organizationally from old habits. Focusing first on the goal and then on the methods permits experimentation in selecting those processes that might ultimately bring about results more expeditiously. |