June 9, 2025 • 11 mins
Organizations often oscillate between routine and crisis-driven cultures, with some thriving on routine and others on adrenaline-pumped crises. Crisis lovers, often senior leaders, find meaning in emergencies, while process advocates push for structured operations. This tension can lead to cultural clashes, talent burnout, and inefficiencies. Addressing emotional needs through open dialogue may harmonize these conflicting dynamics, fostering sustainable organizational change.
#management, #organizationalculture, #leadership, #crisismanagement, #emotionalintelligence, #sustainablechange, #talentburnout
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Coleg Experience podcast. In today's episode, we're diving into bold insights,
(00:10):
experimentation and groundbreaking leadership strategies that redefine how we approach everyday
challenges. We'll explore the delicate balance between routine and exceptional events in both
personal and organizational settings and how leaders can harmonize these dynamics for success.
Get ready for an exciting journey into creating a more cohesive and thriving work environment.
(00:35):
Let's dive in. Every few months, we find ourselves entering a series of holidays or breaks that
pull us out of our routine until that long-awaited first day back in September arrives, or whatever
day marks the return to normal life. Whether returning to routine is a joyful event for you
or quite the opposite, silla vie. There's routine, then there's departure from routine,
(01:02):
and then we return. We should note with some sensitivity that the concept of routine in
recent years has been, how shall we put it, not exactly routine, let's talk about routines.
The holidays in the Hebrew calendar are generally based on the seasons and the state of celestial
bodies. Passover must be in spring, Sukkot in autumn, and new months when the moon reveals itself anew.
(01:28):
Against this backdrop, the choice of the seventh day as a day of rest stands out particularly.
The point isn't the choice of the number seven itself. In many ancient cultures, seven was
considered a special number used in mythological stories and worship. The point is that the week,
the most basic unit of time in practical life, is not based on external factors like the movement
(01:52):
of stars in the sky or seasons of the year, but on a different cycle that doesn't align or synchronize
with them. This means we maintain two parallel time cycles. A weekly cycle of workdays and rest
that is fixed and never changes. An annual cycle of holidays and festivals that can occur on different
(02:14):
days of the week and depend, as mentioned, on celestial bodies and seasons. This raises thoughts
about the relationship between routine and special events. Our lives are composed of routine and peak
moments, both high and low. If we look at the organizational world for which we gather once
(02:35):
a week, here's another routine. There are the routines that serve the system in its regular flow.
And there are the exceptional situations and special events like crises,
various milestones, and so forth that affect routine and change it. What's the relationship
between routine and exceptional situations? This obviously varies from organization to
(02:59):
organization, but it wouldn't surprise anyone if we said that in many organizations, they would
much prefer more routine and fewer dramas. Why do they want more routine? Because exceptional
situations and special events are energy thieves. Routine costs us much less. The natural tendency
(03:19):
of most of us is to prefer routine activity with moderate intensity over jumping from drama to
drama that requires a lot of energy. Against this tendency, there are two prominent character types.
There are the crisis lovers. There's a managerial genre that lives from crisis to crisis. These are
the types who thrive on dealing with crises, who flourish when the situation is difficult.
(03:44):
They fill up with adrenaline when a deadline approaches and mobilize totally when there's
a whiff of drama in the air. There are quite a few organizations, at least in our experience,
that put these figures on a pedestal. In such organizations, you often hear military,
masculine, forceful imagery, knife between the teeth, dying for the mission, and other gems
(04:07):
from this jargon. We've worked with several organizations that asked for our help in building
process routines so they wouldn't operate from drama to drama. In most cases, it turned out that
the problem wasn't the missing process or defining routines. Honestly, you don't need a long study
day to build effective management routines, and most organizations are completely capable of doing
(04:32):
this on their own. What we learned in those organizations is that alongside the yearning
for order and routine, there's an addiction to crises in the organization. We call it an addiction,
because for these types, the dramas and crises are an emotional need. The experience of overcoming
another crisis floods them with intoxicating feelings of power and omnipotence. They need this
(04:58):
to feel meaningful, it's their source of power, and without these crises, they don't feel alive.
It won't surprise you if we say that it's enough for this addiction to be the domain of a few very
senior functions in the organization, for it to dictate a culture that sanctifies sacrifice and
total mobilization in the face of crises, and sometimes even manufactures them.
(05:22):
It's important to note that we're not talking about any specific organization or personality.
These are insights composed of experience and observation of many managers in quite a few
organizations. Opposite these, there are the types of the reverse kind, those who believe that
everything lies in the process, and if the organization just takes care to work according
(05:46):
to procedure or process, all problems will be solved and there will be much fewer crises,
and consequently less need for heroic confrontation with them. From their perspective, methodology
is everything. We find that these people are in a difficult position in the organization,
which usually doesn't rush to commit to ideas about order and discipline. For some, this develops
(06:10):
into growing frustration. If only they would listen to me, we wouldn't be dealing with all these
crises. This position sits on some fantasy that an organization is like a machine, that if you
build it right, then it can function with minimum intervention. If the organization is a machine,
then its processes and routines are the machine's program. If the program is good,
(06:34):
the machine will work for many years with minimal maintenance. Between the addiction of the first
type and the fantasy of the second type are life itself. Organizations are not machines.
You can't program them and plan them too much. And not every project that doesn't meet its plans
is necessarily a battle day. The problem is that these opposing positions and perceptions become a
(06:58):
conflict about how to properly manage the organization, which suffers from an ongoing
struggle for hegemony and control over organizational culture. One side is frustrated that
processes aren't followed. And the other side is frustrated that people don't mobilize for
concrises. Let me share two examples from our consulting work that illustrate this dynamic
(07:21):
perfectly. We worked with a biotech startup where the CEO was a classic crisis lover.
Every product milestone became a life or death situation, with all hands meetings at midnight
and dramatic proclamations about the company's survival. Meanwhile, the head of quality assurance
(07:42):
kept pushing for systematic validation processes and regulatory compliance routines.
The tension was palpable. The CEO saw the QA director as bureaucratic and slow,
while the QA director saw the CEO as reckless and unsustainable. The company was burning through
talent because people couldn't handle the constant emergency mode. Yet when we tried to
(08:06):
implement more structured development processes, the CEO would override them the moment any competitive
pressure appeared. Similarly, we encountered this pattern at a pharmaceutical company where the VP
of manufacturing was obsessed with crisis management, treating every supply chain hiccup as a heroic
(08:27):
challenge to overcome through sheer willpower and weekend warrior mentality. The operations director,
on the other hand, had designed elaborate forecasting and inventory management systems
that could prevent most of these crises. But the manufacturing VP consistently ignored these systems,
because frankly, he seemed to need the adrenaline rush of last minute problem solving.
(08:52):
The operations director became increasingly bitter, watching preventable crises unfold week after
week while his carefully designed processes gathered dust. How do you get out of this loop?
First, let's say this isn't about another organizational change or an offsite to define
processes and methods, and also not a motivation workshop for those who aren't mobilized enough
(09:17):
during times of crisis, real or imagined. As we've said, usually this conflict sits on deep
emotional needs. When that's the case, the only way to create harmony is to create connections to
these emotional areas. How do you do this? The truth is, it's a simple process. You just need
(09:38):
to talk about these emotional needs. Simple, yes, easy, not at all. Because usually,
talking about emotional needs is not part of the organization's managerial routine.
But maybe this is the next routine you should adopt in your management, a regular meeting where you
talk about exactly these things, about what's difficult for you in the management's conduct.
(10:02):
We call this management talks about itself. Management's that dare, yes, it takes courage,
at least at the beginning, to talk about these things with openness and authenticity,
succeed in making very interesting changes in organizational culture. You're welcome to try
this at home. And that wraps up today's podcast, where we explored the balance between routine
(10:31):
and exceptional events in both personal and organizational settings, emphasizing the importance
of open discussions to harmonize work environments. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this
episode with your friends and colleagues, so they can also stay updated on the latest news,
and gain powerful insights. Stay tuned for more updates.
Welcome to the Coleg Experience podcast. In today's episode, we're diving into bold insights,
(00:10):
experimentation and groundbreaking leadership strategies that redefine how we approach everyday
challenges. We'll explore the delicate balance between routine and exceptional events in both
personal and organizational settings and how leaders can harmonize these dynamics for success.
Get ready for an exciting journey into creating a more cohesive and thriving work environment.
(00:35):
Let's dive in. Every few months, we find ourselves entering a series of holidays or breaks that
pull us out of our routine until that long-awaited first day back in September arrives, or whatever
day marks the return to normal life. Whether returning to routine is a joyful event for you
or quite the opposite, silla vie. There's routine, then there's departure from routine,
(01:02):
and then we return. We should note with some sensitivity that the concept of routine in
recent years has been, how shall we put it, not exactly routine, let's talk about routines.
The holidays in the Hebrew calendar are generally based on the seasons and the state of celestial
bodies. Passover must be in spring, Sukkot in autumn, and new months when the moon reveals itself anew.
(01:28):
Against this backdrop, the choice of the seventh day as a day of rest stands out particularly.
The point isn't the choice of the number seven itself. In many ancient cultures, seven was
considered a special number used in mythological stories and worship. The point is that the week,
the most basic unit of time in practical life, is not based on external factors like the movement
(01:52):
of stars in the sky or seasons of the year, but on a different cycle that doesn't align or synchronize
with them. This means we maintain two parallel time cycles. A weekly cycle of workdays and rest
that is fixed and never changes. An annual cycle of holidays and festivals that can occur on different
(02:14):
days of the week and depend, as mentioned, on celestial bodies and seasons. This raises thoughts
about the relationship between routine and special events. Our lives are composed of routine and peak
moments, both high and low. If we look at the organizational world for which we gather once
(02:35):
a week, here's another routine. There are the routines that serve the system in its regular flow.
And there are the exceptional situations and special events like crises,
various milestones, and so forth that affect routine and change it. What's the relationship
between routine and exceptional situations? This obviously varies from organization to
(02:59):
organization, but it wouldn't surprise anyone if we said that in many organizations, they would
much prefer more routine and fewer dramas. Why do they want more routine? Because exceptional
situations and special events are energy thieves. Routine costs us much less. The natural tendency
(03:19):
of most of us is to prefer routine activity with moderate intensity over jumping from drama to
drama that requires a lot of energy. Against this tendency, there are two prominent character types.
There are the crisis lovers. There's a managerial genre that lives from crisis to crisis. These are
the types who thrive on dealing with crises, who flourish when the situation is difficult.
(03:44):
They fill up with adrenaline when a deadline approaches and mobilize totally when there's
a whiff of drama in the air. There are quite a few organizations, at least in our experience,
that put these figures on a pedestal. In such organizations, you often hear military,
masculine, forceful imagery, knife between the teeth, dying for the mission, and other gems
(04:07):
from this jargon. We've worked with several organizations that asked for our help in building
process routines so they wouldn't operate from drama to drama. In most cases, it turned out that
the problem wasn't the missing process or defining routines. Honestly, you don't need a long study
day to build effective management routines, and most organizations are completely capable of doing
(04:32):
this on their own. What we learned in those organizations is that alongside the yearning
for order and routine, there's an addiction to crises in the organization. We call it an addiction,
because for these types, the dramas and crises are an emotional need. The experience of overcoming
another crisis floods them with intoxicating feelings of power and omnipotence. They need this
(04:58):
to feel meaningful, it's their source of power, and without these crises, they don't feel alive.
It won't surprise you if we say that it's enough for this addiction to be the domain of a few very
senior functions in the organization, for it to dictate a culture that sanctifies sacrifice and
total mobilization in the face of crises, and sometimes even manufactures them.
(05:22):
It's important to note that we're not talking about any specific organization or personality.
These are insights composed of experience and observation of many managers in quite a few
organizations. Opposite these, there are the types of the reverse kind, those who believe that
everything lies in the process, and if the organization just takes care to work according
(05:46):
to procedure or process, all problems will be solved and there will be much fewer crises,
and consequently less need for heroic confrontation with them. From their perspective, methodology
is everything. We find that these people are in a difficult position in the organization,
which usually doesn't rush to commit to ideas about order and discipline. For some, this develops
(06:10):
into growing frustration. If only they would listen to me, we wouldn't be dealing with all these
crises. This position sits on some fantasy that an organization is like a machine, that if you
build it right, then it can function with minimum intervention. If the organization is a machine,
then its processes and routines are the machine's program. If the program is good,
(06:34):
the machine will work for many years with minimal maintenance. Between the addiction of the first
type and the fantasy of the second type are life itself. Organizations are not machines.
You can't program them and plan them too much. And not every project that doesn't meet its plans
is necessarily a battle day. The problem is that these opposing positions and perceptions become a
(06:58):
conflict about how to properly manage the organization, which suffers from an ongoing
struggle for hegemony and control over organizational culture. One side is frustrated that
processes aren't followed. And the other side is frustrated that people don't mobilize for
concrises. Let me share two examples from our consulting work that illustrate this dynamic
(07:21):
perfectly. We worked with a biotech startup where the CEO was a classic crisis lover.
Every product milestone became a life or death situation, with all hands meetings at midnight
and dramatic proclamations about the company's survival. Meanwhile, the head of quality assurance
(07:42):
kept pushing for systematic validation processes and regulatory compliance routines.
The tension was palpable. The CEO saw the QA director as bureaucratic and slow,
while the QA director saw the CEO as reckless and unsustainable. The company was burning through
talent because people couldn't handle the constant emergency mode. Yet when we tried to
(08:06):
implement more structured development processes, the CEO would override them the moment any competitive
pressure appeared. Similarly, we encountered this pattern at a pharmaceutical company where the VP
of manufacturing was obsessed with crisis management, treating every supply chain hiccup as a heroic
(08:27):
challenge to overcome through sheer willpower and weekend warrior mentality. The operations director,
on the other hand, had designed elaborate forecasting and inventory management systems
that could prevent most of these crises. But the manufacturing VP consistently ignored these systems,
because frankly, he seemed to need the adrenaline rush of last minute problem solving.
(08:52):
The operations director became increasingly bitter, watching preventable crises unfold week after
week while his carefully designed processes gathered dust. How do you get out of this loop?
First, let's say this isn't about another organizational change or an offsite to define
processes and methods, and also not a motivation workshop for those who aren't mobilized enough
(09:17):
during times of crisis, real or imagined. As we've said, usually this conflict sits on deep
emotional needs. When that's the case, the only way to create harmony is to create connections to
these emotional areas. How do you do this? The truth is, it's a simple process. You just need
(09:38):
to talk about these emotional needs. Simple, yes, easy, not at all. Because usually,
talking about emotional needs is not part of the organization's managerial routine.
But maybe this is the next routine you should adopt in your management, a regular meeting where you
talk about exactly these things, about what's difficult for you in the management's conduct.
(10:02):
We call this management talks about itself. Management's that dare, yes, it takes courage,
at least at the beginning, to talk about these things with openness and authenticity,
succeed in making very interesting changes in organizational culture. You're welcome to try
this at home. And that wraps up today's podcast, where we explored the balance between routine
(10:31):
and exceptional events in both personal and organizational settings, emphasizing the importance
of open discussions to harmonize work environments. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this
episode with your friends and colleagues, so they can also stay updated on the latest news,
and gain powerful insights. Stay tuned for more updates.
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