The Cracks of Disunity

Unity within an organization is difficult to achieve and almost impossible to maintain. Unity provides solidarity and yet that solid surface is like a smooth, thin layer of ice. It looks shinny and perfect but when a little pressure is applied, it begins to crack and lines of weakness appear on the surface.

As a boy, I remember taking a walk on a newly frozen pond. I quickly discovered the depth of the ice. My stroll began in silence as I step out on the solid surface. The first dozen paces were met with continuous peace, but the next movement forward resulted in a fissure line shooting across the ice from my footprint and the cracking sound of instability filled the frigid air. As an inexperienced pond-walker, I immediately turned around and headed for the shore. I will never know if another step would have introduced me to the freezing waters under the surface of the ice, but my young heart was quite content to stand on solid ground and throw snowballs at my friends.

Unity within an organization seems to have many of the qualities of a partially frozen pond. On the surface it appears to be solid and strong. But cracks can appear at any moment when pressure is applied to the surface. Let me share four quick examples to illustrate the cracks of disunity.

First, consider the pressure exerted by change. Proposing a change in the status quo can cause great angst within an organization. The institution can be in a huge rut and the employees can be crying out with voices of dissatisfaction, but the moment change is suggested, the crack begins to form. Outdated methods, old policies, laborious paper-work, extra-long red-tape, and archaic procedures are the subject of complaints... until change is promoted and then those albatrosses are all of a sudden valued as the “tried and true.” Change can result in tribal wars – advocates verses opponents; the new guard verses the veteran warriors; the progressives verses the orthodox. The chants of disunity sound loudly in the organization: “We need change, but not in that direction!” “The new way isn't any better than what we've always done.” “I liked the old way – at least I knew what I was doing and most everyone was happy.”

Second, the weight of fairness can cause some pretty good cracks in the ice of unity as well. If one department within the organization is provided with a resource to better facilitate the productivity of that department, all is good until another department hears of the blessing. Then, the second department wants to know why it did not receive the resource as well. Why were they not consulted; why were they not given the same opportunity; why are they not as valuable as the first department? Even though the environments are completely different in the individual departments and the resources needed are very unique to each division, disunity cracks begin to open. “The-grass-is-greener-in-the-other-department” syndrome begin to spread. It is so difficult for people to rejoice with the blessing of others without the baggage of jealousy following alongside. Life is rarely fair; all people are rarely treated equally; not every idea is fairly evaluated; and not every person is gifted the same.

Third, the ice surface of the organization can splinter amidst the complexity of programing. This is true especially within a service-oriented, non-profit situation involving multiple programic elements. In my school system I work with six different principals, each of which has a plate full of academic and extra-curricular programs. The job of the principal is like the plate spinner. As a boy, I remember watching a plate spinner on TV (maybe the Ed Sullivan Show in the 60's) trying to see how many plates he could spin on sticks at one time. He was good at spinning 6 plates or so, but around the seventh plate he had to run back to the first plate before it slowed its spin and fell off the stick. Once up to a dozen spinning plates, the fun really began for the observer as I laughed, watching the spinner rushing back and forth trying to keep all the plates happily rotating without falling. Tragedy was soon to strike...and it did. Life is great and unity reigns as long as all the plate are spinning, but once a plate falls....once a ball is fumbled... once the balance is lost, the pond begins to crack (what a mix of metaphors!). If a plate falls, the cries begin - “Whose fault was that? How did that happen? I can't believe that they forgot that detail! Why didn't they see that coming?” There are almost as many cries as there are plates.

Four, the cracks of disunity often occur as a result of the weight of ideas. Creative ideas can keep an organization fresh and innovative. Ideation serves such a critical role in the growth and maturation of an institution. But, if mishandled, ideas can place great pressure on the surface of the pond. Two ways of mishandling ideas immediately come to mind. First, an idea can be embraced and encouraged in one section of the organization. If the idea works and it praised for its effectiveness, those who did not pilot the innovation feel slighted that they were not included in the initial project. If funds were allocated as part of the creative idea becoming a reality, divisional leaders become disenchanted with the budgeting process. Ideas that are empowered can cause jealousy and strife. The opposite is true as well – the second avenue of mishandling creativity is to mandate that an idea be incorporated by all. Just because one division has tried a novel approach and it worked, doesn't mean that the idea will be successful in every division. The more creative a leader is, the less he/she likes mandated programs. “You hired me to be the overseer of this division, please empower me to create my own way path. I want suggestions, but I don't want edicts.”

Unity can be obtained through the provision of stability (freezing temperatures produce a frozen pond), but to maintain unity is a difficult task.... establishing balance and monitoring the pressure applied to the initial unity (the amount of weight upon the surface of the pond). Great skill and deep wisdom are needed to walk across the pond of unity.

Just an additional thought – when is unity the goal and when is a crack essential for growth and improvement? Is unity always the highest priority, or are they times when disunity is necessary and even intentional in order to accomplish the mission and vision of the institution?

Photo found - http://www.arkone.org/blogger/2005/11/this-beaver-built-pond-near-cherry.html