# Organizational Rhythm By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-08-21 Rhythm is underrated in organizations. I'm not necessarily talking about production rhythm for those familiar with lean and related assembly line principles. Instead, I'm talking about the rhythm you might see when a groovy song starts to play. When the music begins to play, and the rhythm gets going, people spontaneously get into sync physically via dancing or mentally by following along with the groove. It's interesting that we can get into sync so easily yet still express ourselves as individuals. More interesting still is that this stimulus has a powerful effect on our emotions and mental state. Music can depress or lift us, and it is nearly universal. So, why have organizations yet to attempt to capture and incorporate this effect? A lot of this is driven by the modern perspective that humans are thought of as robots at work and not humans. Robots perform a task precisely without any need for motivation and collaboration. Humans are hardly robots but are amazingly agile. So, when all organizations adopted the scientific management norm, humans quickly got in line to survive - even when it goes against one's nature. If organizations thought of humans as humans, perhaps much more time would be spent on finding the rhythm and joy of work whenever possible. One can't continuously dance as life gets in the way, but there is solidarity in the music and rhythm worth pursuing. As one explores this, do not be constrained by the idea of music. Instead, look for the rhythms of life that result in something greater, emergent, and decidedly dividualistic (i.e., individuals seeing themselves as the product of the connections around them). What is the rhythm of one's organization? Does it have one at all? How does one create a groovy beat that makes a difference in how the game is played? The right kind of beat should make one bob their head in agreement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMAIsqvTh7g <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OMAIsqvTh7g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> #### Related Items [[Organization]] [[Music]] [[Rhythm]] [[Progress]] [[Dance]] [[Work]]