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Leaders in organisations find it commonplace to talk about ‘goals’. Generally they mean a quantifiable outcome that can be measured. A simple example might be 15% profit growth for the next year. This classic approach to organisation planning is a conscious, rational method that is focused on what we can see, that which is external. It directs us to look at behaviour and performance.
However this approach fails to examine the inner and often unconscious ‘intentions’ of the people that make up the organisation. So what do we mean by ‘intention’? We are using the word ‘intention’ to mean a combination of our values, beliefs, needs and fears that become core drivers inside of us. Most people are not aware of their own intentions. For example, we all are driven to some degree by the need for approval, to be loved by another. While many people would agree with this statement in principle, most do not see how this intention shows up in how they act in relation to others, especially those in a position of power.
In our practice we have seen that if a leader’s inner intention matches their stated outer goals they achieve outstanding strategic outcomes. However, when intentions are misaligned with goals the potential to perform is drastically reduced. And because of the nature of leadership, this underperformance can extend to the whole of the organisation if the misalignment is occurring in the directors or senior executives.
Consider this real example. A leader is given a goal that he doesn’t believe he can achieve but he is concerned that if he expresses his doubts, he will be seen as incompetent. So he agrees to the goal, surrendering his opinions to his boss, but keeping his misgivings to himself. As he begins to implement what needs to be done and runs into obstacles he believes his doubts confirmed. However he refrains from reopening conversation about how he is handling the project and instead offers reasons (excuses) about why things are not happening in an effort to avoid criticism and appease his boss. His attention is on what is wrong with others involved in the project; he seeks to move his attention to the external factors getting in his way, as opposed to taking responsibility for what he is doing. He is afraid that he cannot keep the good regard of his boss and be authentic about how he is performing. He is unaware that his inner intention is to get approval and that he does not believe he can renegotiate a new goal that he can achieve. His boss is unhappy with the result and does not know why he did not come to him earlier. He feels anxious that his boss now thinks badly of him. His inner intention has gotten in the way of the organisation’s strategic outcome.
When we multiply this all too common example of a self-fulfilling and disempowering belief by hundreds of people in an organisation the product is an exponentially magnified potential misalignment. No wonder so many organisations fall short of their stated goals when the classic approach only focuses on external factors.
To achieve exceptional strategic outcomes, a transformational approach is required:
- Conscious awareness must be brought to unconscious intentions
- It is essential to minimise limiting intentions and expand those that lift us
If leaders truly want to operate in an effective way they must fully commit to their own transformation process and become aware of their inner intentions. It is not for the fainthearted and many retreat into known behaviour. One might ask: “what is their inner intention when they do this?” It could be simply to keep them safe from criticism or perhaps some kind of fear of facing their ‘demons’. However that reticence will not support alignment with strategic organisational outcomes.
In the end our intentions are our results. Intentions are more powerful drivers than conscious personal or organisational goals. Just think about how many New Years’ resolutions have remained unfulfilled in your own life. The unconscious intentions we have will determine our behaviour precisely because we are not aware they are there and so we have no ability to influence them.
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