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An aversion to many kinds of hierarchies (both good and bad) A valuing of intentions over results Another problem with the Green/Consensus world view is that it dismisses the strengths of the Orange/Strategic worldview (the dominant capitalist business worldview) as well as the Blue/Authority worldview (the dominant conservative culture worldview). What This Means in Practice Using this consciousness framework to assess one foundation's strategies, we provided a top executive with this analysis of the strategic weaknesses caused by the foundation's Green/Consensus point of view: Several consistent characteristics of your strategy materials reflect what we would call the “green pathology syndrome.” Strategy becomes so broad that it verges on being meaningless. Good strategy is also clear about what you won’t do, and allows you to make choices about what is in/out of your “target zone.” There is an effusive “aspirational” tone to much of the material that makes one inherently ...
As Foundations Seek More Impact, Their "Green Consciousness" Blocks the Way
Why big professional foundations have trouble being rigorously strategic and innovative.We've spent much of the last few years working with foundations--and whining about them (with our partners and with many of the people we know who work in foundations). From time to time we have reflected on what it is about the foundations that often makes them frustrating to engage. Our conclusion is that usually it's not a particular individual or an irrational process; it's a particular type of modern organizational culture. And, we've learned from philosopher Ken Wilber, the culture reflects a certain level of consciousness (the "Green/Consensus" level) that impedes strategic decision making. We thought our friends in Foundationland might be interested in this analysis of the "power and pathology" of foundation culture. The Meeting Let's plunge right in. Wilber describes a meeting run on green-consciousness princi...
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