Working with the Other
Margaret Wheatley argues that community requires a commitment to working through differences. She contrasts this with online groups where easy exit can leave only people who agree.
THE IDEA
7. WORKING WITH “THE OTHER”
The shadow side of community is clique or even cult, when people gravitate toward people like themselves and with whom they mostly agree, excluding others. For this reason, embracing diversity becomes a key guiding idea for leaders, beyond political correctness or mere sentiment.
Several years ago, Margaret Wheatley, a long-time student of living systems and organizations, was studying the then-new phenomenon of “Internet communities” and made a surprising comment. “The more I look at these, the more they seem like anticommunities,” she said. When I asked her what she meant, she observed, “On the Internet there is zero cost of exit. If people get tired of each other or turn off to what others are saying, they can simply disconnect. That’s it. The result is ‘communities’ where everyone mostly agrees with one another. It’s made me realize that real community is something that can only happen when we are stuck with one another.”
When to use it
Building diverse and resilient teams in organizations.
Designing community spaces that encourage long-term commitment and constructive conflict.
Leading groups that value inclusion and dissenting opinions.
Managing online communities to foster genuine connection despite easy exit.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Internet Anticommunities
Online forums where users easily leave when disagreements arise, leading to echo chambers and lack of genuine diversity.
Diverse Team Building
A workplace brings together people with different backgrounds and viewpoints who commit to working through disagreements. Their shared work gives them a reason to remain engaged with one another.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
In what ways do you avoid discomfort by surrounding yourself with people who agree with you?
How could your group build a commitment to working through disagreements?
What is the cost of easy exit in your own groups or communities?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- The Fifth Discipline The Art Practice of the Learning Organization (Peter M. Senge)