How Organizational Integration Drives Inclusive Workplace Culture

Most of us have been schooled in using “and” instead of “but” when speaking to others about our concerns: “I am glad we are neighbors, AND your dog is keeping me up at night”; “You did your last project well AND you are behind on two others”; “I like helping you out by driving you to work AND I need you to be ready when I arrive so I can be on time for my job”.  

For some, this language style has become one more way to sugar-coat unpleasant realities and humor ourselves and others. However, the practice highlights that “but” is a potential threat to integrating the existing positive factors into a situation that involves an issue we need to address. 

I chose “ReMind” as the name of my consulting business because of my respect for the proverb that “there’s nothing new under the sun”. While adding to our learning is often valuable, actually bringing to mind what we need when we need it is vital for success. Here, I’d like to remind us of the need to recognize and protect ourselves from dismissive thinking habits.

Why does this distinction between “but” and “and” matter, and how does it help to switch this language?

Why the Distinction Between “But” and “And” Matters

“BUT” suggests that a statement is rendered untrue or less significant by the existence of other factors. When faced with two opposing facts, values, needs, or sets of data, a tendency to dismiss one “side” and/or elevate another is a way to deal with cognitive dissonance. Other reasons for this hyperattention on one set of facts versus another are a sense of urgency to reach a resolution, often yielding outcomes that are less than ideal.

Organizational integration and systems thinking in business are at the top of many leaders’ minds today. I believe transformation begins at the level of the individual: integrative thinking on your part spreads to teams and shifts culture. Skillfully holding the disparate parts of a situation simultaneously is a critical building block for establishing organizational integration, leading to a cohesive system and supporting organizational development strategies that work across different teams.

(Sometimes, “BUT” is appropriate, as when the objection points to a clear choice or decision: “You have great ideas, BUT you have not completed any of your ten assigned projects this year, so we can’t award your completed project bonus”; “I know you love ice cream, BUT you already had a root beer float tonight, so I’m not serving you more due to your high blood sugar”.)

Using “AND” (or the spirit of “AND” as described) lends to an appreciable increase in collaborative leadership. This practice keeps all interests at the table, leading to higher engagement by those who identify with the other side of your “BUT”. Intentionality and precision in communication are key organizational development strategies required for cross-functional collaboration, and they strengthen collaborative leadership at every level.

Understanding “And” in Cognitive Science and Systems Thinking in Business

The reason for using “AND” is to highlight that one idea may not outweigh the other as clearly as we assume. Cognitive science says we are not as prone to challenge our own ideas as we’d like to think. When we are hurried, pressured, or tired of a subject, we are more apt to go with the “easiest” conclusion—the most obvious or the one that requires the least thought. (And don’t forget how our brains get stuck on negative information; hearing one downside to a person or situation is an absolute magnet for the decision-making parts of our minds.)

For example, “Jake has great relationships with customers BUT he takes a long time to complete tech-related tasks” might rob a leader of an accurate assessment of Jake’s value if the statement is not weighed in a mindful fashion. We are drawn to fixate on the deficit or gap, losing touch with the strength of positive information. “AND” encourages analysis, which is equally critical for effective business systems integration.

The difficulty of maintaining dual realities was proven again for me in yoga today when the instructor reminded us to be present with 100% effort AND 100% ease. I have a lot more to say about nonduality, but for now, let’s just appreciate that it is not our natural way to truly accommodate opposing ideas and facts.

The Illusion of Fair Assessment Created by “But”

We all know we’re “supposed to” stop before making knee-jerk judgments; “BUT” creates the illusion that we’ve already entertained both sides, giving credit where it’s due. What we often do is gravitate to the other side of the “but”, thinking we’ve been through an analysis that we haven’t. After a nod to Jake’s great relationship with customers, which matters A LOT, his director might be convinced he’s internalized it properly. Our minds do a lot of “yeah, yeah, I heard that part about his strengths, now tell me about the juicy (or dangerous) part about this technology problem Jake has….”

An illustration of how Anya’s manager made use of “AND” to optimize their work relationship follows. See if you can think of a parallel situation to insert and apply in a way that is helpful to you.

Anya is a hard worker with great ideas, BUT she needs lots of direction.

Anya is a hard worker with great ideas, AND she needs lots of direction.

Stating these descriptions of Anya with an AND helped her manager untangle the judgment from her need for direction, a skill often sharpened through facilitated corporate workshops, and invites more questions. 

Core Integrative Questions That Encourage Systems Thinking

I rely on 3 Core Questions when faced with facts: “What Else?”; “So What?”, and “What Next?”, which address facts, values, and actions.

What Else is true or happening alongside the stated facts? 

“What Else” Anya’s manager asked:

What else could be contributing to this situation? Is it possible that many things I say could be understood in multiple ways?

What else is feeding Anya’s understanding of her role and projects? Is she getting conflicting information from other sources?

What do we gain from asking “What Else?”

>  ASSURANCE that competing facts have EQUAL attention 

> A more COMPLETE grasp of issues in CONTEXT

In this case, Anya’s manager is reminded that he greatly values an associate who wants to clearly understand the desired outcome, constraints, and nuances of a project instead of acting on assumptions that might waste resources, and that factors besides Anya’s behavior might be at play. This type of reflection can promote an inclusive workplace culture that appreciates inquiry and support, and reinforces organizational integration. By encouraging this kind of exchange, leaders can further strengthen collaborative leadership and build environments where growth is a shared goal.

So What? What is the real issue at hand, and how are my/the organization’s values represented?

So What questions that helped Anya’s manager:

So What if Anya needs lots of direction? What dictates the things I value in an employee? Where did I get my ideas about how much input she would need?

So What if I don’t finish my own projects ahead of schedule? Is managing Anya an equally important job responsibility?

What I gain through asking “So What?” 

> CLARITY around competing VALUES

Underlying motives, fears, hopes, and needs can be examined and addressed. With this question, Anya’s manager unearthed a fear of appearing unproductive when Anya “slows him down” with her requests for guidance.

>PRIORITIZATION of what really MATTERS

Why do we care if someone needs a lot of direction? How much do we care? Does it matter a lot more or less than other qualities?

Asking, “So What?” led Anya’s boss to see that “wasting” his time now by answering Anya’s questions might be preventing a lot of unseen wasted time and other resources later! We never know what disasters are prevented by those who ask good questions. (Those who never ask for clarification are not known for making the best decisions.)

What Next? Give the problem attention and appreciation, and don’t forget solution-oriented questions that will lead toward action. 

Examples from Anya’s manager when he asked What Next:

What can I do Next: Have I provided what Anya needs for success? Are there supplementary resources that will give her valuable guidance about the expectations for her project?

What can Anya do Next: Is there a conversation to have with Anya about what acceptable versus perfect looks like for her assignments? Can she start submitting drafts a few weeks before a deadline so that the pressure is off to have a flawless product?

What do I gain from this question?

> DIRECTION and MOMENTUM instead of a perpetual loop of overthinking

> CONFIDENCE that we don’t have to know all the answers in order to start taking action

Moving Beyond Semantics to Inclusive Awareness

Using these Core Questions or a similar exploratory tool to challenge ourselves is the priority over whether we actually use the word “AND” or “BUT”, a mindset shift that aligns closely with the goals of corporate wellness. Dwelling on semantics is not helpful; however, being on constant guard for our propensity for drawing easy and/or negative conclusions is vital. Making hasty judgments and decisions can lead to subpar results, which include building entire characterizations of an employee, peer, or customer that act as barriers to optimal relationships and performance.

While we’d never get anything done if we sat around looking for the other side of every fact, paying attention to how things sound different when we switch from “but” to “and” can provide interesting and useful (sometimes vital) information. Plus, it is vital to remind ourselves that we and others are not defined by one trait or behavior. “But” subtly forces a choice between two ideas; “and” shows they can co-exist. I challenge you to try this exercise with an issue in front of you today…and I invite you to share how it impacts your thinking and actions!