Dilemma:
Leaders in politics, science and business are expected to shape society by providing direction, making plans and delivering results. In short, they are expected to make organisations manageable and predictable.
But therein lies the problem. Something can only be fully controllable and predictable if it is dead. Only then do we have maximum control. Everything that lives — people, nature and organisations — eludes complete control.
The Living Nature of Organisations
Everything that lives has its own purpose: people, animals and plants, as well as organisations. Those who ignore this fact may build a perfectly oiled machine, but it will go nowhere. Those who fail to recognise the force of life also deny its unique vital and creative power — the creative power of life itself — without which we would never achieve our goals.
Beyond Strategy
Leadership therefore requires more than plans, structures and CPIs. It requires an understanding of the living nature of organisations, including their origins, purpose, and stage of development.
In this essay, I further explore what the different stages of life can teach us about organisations, from their formation to their maturity and even their demise. The central question is this: how can leaders guide organisations through their life cycle rather than forcing them into a form that is not theirs?
Life Lives Us.
We often think that we create our organisations. The reality is often more complex. As the phenomenological philosopher and constellator Wilfried Nelles says about life, ‘I do not live my life, but life lives me’.
The same applies to organisations. Of course, we design strategies and structures, but leaders often experience an organisation taking its own direction, as if there is something inherent in it that wants to unfold. This raises the question: do we shape our organisations, or do they shape us?
Incidentally, it is almost impossible to talk about living things. This is because talking about living things presupposes that we ourselves are part of them. They cannot be studied as if they were objects on a table; as soon as we talk about them, we resonate with them ourselves.
For leaders, this is not abstract philosophy, but a practical invitation: control less and listen more. Sometimes, leading organisations means responding to what is already alive rather than shaping it.
So let’s start at the very beginning: conception and the unborn child.
Conception and the Unborn Child — Origin and Destiny.
An unborn child is already alive, even though it has not yet seen the world. It is created through an encounter, but parents are not the creators — at most, they are the conduit. As the Persian poet Khalil Gibran wrote, ‘They come through you, but not from you.’
The same applies to organisations. Often, a new concept is born from a sudden encounter of ideas, energy or passion. It can also arise from a crisis. Historians can then reconstruct where the idea came from and why it arose. However, every movement in life is preceded by another. If we are honest, we cannot say exactly where this idea comes from because it is a movement of life itself.
The vital essence and vision at the moment of creation are crucial. These determine the organisation’s destiny and inspiration.
Examples demonstrate the power of origins. Leiden University, for example, was founded in 1575 by William of Orange as a reward to the city of Leiden for its resistance to the Spanish. It still bears the motto Praesidium Libertatis, meaning ‘bulwark of freedom’. This connection to its origins strengthens its position as one of the top one hundred universities in the world.
Organisations that deny or forget their origins will sooner or later encounter problems. I see this time and again in my work as a consultant.
Conclusion: An organisation is not created by strategy alone, but by inspiration. Leaders would do well to ask themselves repeatedly: Where do we come from, and what from that origin still lives in us? This connection is not romanticism, but a source of direction and legitimacy.
Childhood – Structure and Stability.
For a child, the world gets a little bigger every day. Yet for years, it remains dependent on their parents or carers. It needs structure, order and stability to survive and develop. Even their place in the family – whether it is an only child, the youngest, the middle child or the oldest – helps determine how they feel. Above all, though, a child needs to know that it belongs.
The same pattern can be seen in organisations. In the early stages, it’s all about clear structure, a recognisable identity, and strong bonds. Examples include the army and the Catholic Church, which are systems in which hierarchy and rules are central.
This is not about old-fashioned versus modern. It’s about what an organisation needs to fulfil its purpose at a given stage. In some contexts, a strict structure is indispensable, while in others, it can be restrictive.
Many leaders recognise this tension. Should you lead by rule or allow for self-management? How should formal and informal hierarchies be dealt with? Who belongs, and who is left out? From the perspective of those involved, the key question is: what do they really desire at this stage?
Conclusion: Organisations in their ‘childhood’ need clarity and protection. Providing frameworks, creating security and ensuring that people feel seen and included is what leadership means here. Structure is not a limitation, but the foundation on which growth can flourish.
Youth – Growth, Competition and Transition.
During this period, individuality and self-awareness flourish. It becomes increasingly important to break away from one’s parents and find one’s own path. Self-development and experimentation become central. However, adolescents are often less independent than they realise, which can lead to tension.
Organisations go through similar phases. During their ‘adolescence’, they seek autonomy, identity and success. Consider, for example, the universities that have evolved into neoliberal study conglomerates in recent decades, with a strong focus on performance, competition and market forces. There is energy and ambition, but the maturity required to consider the bigger picture is often lacking.
Adolescence is an intense, uncertain and sometimes chaotic transitional phase. In organisations, we call this a ‘transition’. As the German writer Hermann Hesse wrote in his poem ‘Stufen’: ‘Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.’ Organisational consultant William Bridges adds to this, stating that a transition does not start with something new, but with the recognition of an end. This is followed by an uncertain interim period — the ‘neutral zone’ — in which the old has dissolved and the new is not yet visible.
Many organisations make a mistake here, treating change as if it were only about structures and procedures. However, a transition in a living system requires more than this: it requires guidance for people through their uncertainty and help to let go of the old.
Conclusion: In the ‘youth’ of an organisation, ambition and experimentation prevail. Here, leadership requires providing space, but also maintaining direction. Guide people through the uncertainty of the transition. Always ask: What does this organisation want to achieve, and how can we ensure that our origins are preserved?
Adulthood – Maturity and Purpose.
We grew up with a traditional image of adulthood: the man in a suit and the well-groomed woman, both conforming to fixed patterns. But true adulthood looks different. It means recognising what we have been given, acknowledging what we have missed, and understanding that living our own lives is enough. From that basis, we can connect fully with others without becoming dependent on them.
The same applies to organisations. A mature organisation is firmly rooted in its origins and moves in harmony with its surroundings. It has confidence in its role and exudes the attitude that it is the right organisation to fulfil its destiny.
Practical examples illustrate this. A family business that maintains its values through the generations can innovate successfully without losing its identity. Similarly, a tech company that stabilises after a period of chaotic growth can find peace by reconnecting with its core mission. A hospital that has struggled with bureaucracy can rediscover its purpose by refocusing on its original calling of caring for people.
In the mature phase, growth and competition are no longer the priorities; instead, the focus is on contributing from a position of strength and uniqueness.
Conclusion: Mature organisations have learned that their destiny gives them direction. Leadership in this phase means acting with trust, connection and clarity. Not everything needs to be controlled or proven anymore. The question is: how can we serve the greater whole with what we are?
Death – End and a New Beginning.
We rarely talk about the death of organisations. Yet it is also part of every life cycle: products disappear, companies merge or close, and institutions lose their meaning. We often experience this as failure when it is simply part of life.
The Dutch priest Henri Nouwen wrote a parable called Is There Life After Birth?, in which two unborn twins discuss this question. One of the twins doubts that there is life after birth, while the other trusts that something greater awaits them, even if they cannot imagine what it is. We can also view the end of organisations in this way, not just as a loss, but as a transition to something new that has yet to emerge.
This requires courage on the part of leaders. It is tempting to keep an organisation alive artificially out of fear of change or loss. However, sometimes it is wiser to allow for an end, to make room for new beginnings.
Conclusion: Dare to say goodbye. Being a leader also means recognising the right moment to let go of an organisation, product or department. This creates space for renewal. The end is not just a loss; it is also the gateway to a new beginning.