What Kind of Energy Does your Organizational Identity Have?
In the world of physics, there is ‘potential’ and ‘kinetic’ energies. Kinetic is the one that is easily observed. It’s force and motion – it’s seeing things happen. Potential is a bit more challenging. It’s the amount of energy held in suspension that is waiting for its moment to become Kinetic. Think of a ball at the top of a hill yet to start rolling – it’s feeling the anticipation of what will happen. What is most critical is to understand that there is no kinetic energy (movement) without a source of potential energy (motivation) So what does this have to do with organizations and their identity artifacts… Whoa, wait – rewind Justin – what is an organizational identity artifact? An organizational identity artifact is any articulated component of who we are as an organization – think values statements, visions (what we call community aspirations), missions (what we call approach), outcomes, guiding principles, theories of change, beliefs, and assumptions. Add to this, strate