Equilibria’s transformational practices work with five cultural orientations*:

Creative

|

Reactive – Responsive – Proactive

|

Instinctive

55Instinctive cultures are the typical “addictive organizations” first recognized by Ann Wilson Schaef. They are focused only on their next “fix,” seeking to engage others often through illegal scams, lies and blandishments. Not only are they self-destructive, they can drag down others as well. They typically do not evolve except through extreme duress or by spiritual grace.

55Reactive cultures are focused on the past. They foster a climate of blame in which to cover up their own inadequate work. They function in a survival mode lurching from crisis to crisis. The reactive culture can evolve into the responsive culture, but only through some form of outside intervention that has the capacity and strength to implement the transformational changes required.

55Responsive cultures are organized around the present, they plan activities that will lead to certain outputs, and they adapt to changing circumstances. Goals, budgets, management by objectives and teamwork are key characteristics of a responsive culture. While adequate to the tasks they take up, responsive cultures are rarely inspiring to the human spirit and do not elicit extraordinary performance.

55Proactive cultures are typically oriented toward the future, using strategic planning to achieve far-reaching results. Leadership begins to drive the organization in such a way that every individual can play a part. Performance is paramount.

Proactive cultures, however, can become so all encompassing that participating individuals begin to lose their own sense of purpose, which is sacrificed for the sake of the organization. This extreme state leads to a loss of meaning and a sense of just “going through the motions;” of mechanical action rather than human fulfillment.

55Creative cultures have a different orientation toward the future. It is there to be created and everyone is empowered to make his or her own contribution. The impossible seems to become the everyday. Mission statements are simple and truly inspiring. The energy available for moving forward seems unlimited. Creative cultures represent the highest attainments of organized human beings. They are both a means and a destination. This is the true high-performance culture.

* Adapted from Linda Nelson and Frank Burns, “High Performance Programming,” Organizational Transformation, 1983.