Some words on organisations

In my new job I see a lot of different organisations and I have seen even more and – although I never studied anything like it – I begin to see patterns that divide them and the people working for them. Like, for example, right now. Of my “empresas” both Cigna and Societe Generale are very much alike. The people working there are young, entrepreneurial, enthusiastic and a little crazy. Their offices are in the heart of something (as in: near a StarBucks and a VIPS restaurant) and look beautiful. People say “hello” (everybody). And – maybe superficial but true nevertheless – the people who work for them are beautiful, or rather: attractive. I wouldn’t mind working for them.

Then there are BNP and Erikson. They’re different. Their offices are different (these grey out-of-the-city things), their employees are different and the overall atmosphere is different. Whereas with SG and Cigna I get the feeling that people work there because they like it and that they like their work and the life that comes with it, BNP and Erikson give the opposite impression. People come there to earn money and they like their work as much as the life they live because of it, it seems. Superficial again, but it is also true that the people there are less beautiful. And they don’t say “hello” (apart from the support staff who are always happy). I would go crazy if I had to work there.

Finally there’s Global Consulting Partners where it’s a pleasure to be as well. But that’s different. Or no: that’s exactly the point I try to make. The few people who work there are self-made people and they made it very well (if one private jet is in maintenance they just share another). They are too old to call the attention as beautiful, but they are and every one of them says “hello”. They like what they do obviously very much. I could never work for them, but it would be a great experience and it makes me happy to go there as a teacher.

It’s like, there’s a lot written about organisational culture and gurus (always self-appointed as that’s the only way to become a guru) say the smartest things about it, but to me it really boils down to these simple observations. An organisation is filled with people who say “hello” to strangers or people who don’t. Then you can probably tie a million relations to saying “hello” to strangers, if you please. I won’t. I just observe this and it proves my worldview. But I’m a teacher and not a business consultant, so I say “hello” to everybody and what that says about me is also up to you.