Anika Ellison Savage

Life Sustaining Organizations: a Design Guide Anika Ellison Savage

Life-sustaining organizations aren't machines - they are living systems. They make life-positive choices that support vitality, innovation and responsible action, inside and outside the organization. Each life-sustaining organization arrives at its own distinct mix of five interrelated competencies: Attracting and retaining creative people who move the organization forward Embracing the whole system at the individual, organizational and global levels Expressing design integrity in every aspect of organizational life Allowing elegant solutions to emerge in complex situations Maintaining a results orientation These competencies enable the organization, its people and the natural environment to survive and thrive. This design guide is intended for anyone who care about the well-being of an organization. The organization might be a public sector agency, a foundation, a corporation, an institution, a small business, a municipality or a virtual community in education, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services or emerging technology. This is a hands-on guide for making your organization more life-sustaining. Part 1 takes the reader step-by-step through the strategic leadership process of Structural Dynamics: Exploring Facts - Grasp the interconnections of critical and uncertain events to reveal a structure of forces shaping your future. Discovering Options - Live and strategize in starkly different but equally plausible future worlds where robust and contingent strategies become apparent. Embodying Action - Individuals, teams, groups and units contribute to the success of the organization as a whole. Sustaining Results - Monitor signposts, indicators and warnings to be able to respond quickly and effectively as the future unfolds. Part 2 details a composite case taken from our experience working with organizations to become more life affirming. Michael Sales and Anika Savage are the principals of Art of the Future. Create the future you want in an uncertain world.