Over time people lose themselves, and the game becomes increasingly insidious and complex making true transformation more difficult than necessary. These blind executives broke hearts, ruined careers, destroyed relationships, wasted millions of dollars, and threatened the sustainability of the enterprise in their efforts on behalf of the organization. They continue on mindlessly, unaware of the impact of their actions on the lives of others and on the performance of the organization. Author Walker Percy said that a fish does not reflect on the nature of water. Unable to imagine the absence of water, the fish cannot consider the presence of water.
Paternalism is the water of organizations.
Paternalism is a system of belief based on control, consistency, and predictability suggestive of a parent-child relationship. In paternalistic organizations the leaders are responsible for the success of the organization and the well-being of its members. The reality of many organizations reflects the desire to preserve the old forms of power and control by those invested in them even as they speak of change. Paternalism drives conformity, compliance, competition, and is a game played against the players. Those who deviate from the rules are a threat to past winners of the game and are neutralized and often expelled from the enterprise.