Invitation

As the CEO of Cylient I often work with people who are keenly interested in evolving the cultures of their organizations to be more flexible, collaborative, responsive and vital.  Places where people feel valued and inspired to contribute their creative energy towards achieving something that makes a difference. 

I call these people who seek to create cultural change “imaginal cells.”  Imaginal cells are the cells that begin the “rewiring” process that changes the DNA of the caterpillar to transform into a butterfly.  The first imaginal cells begin to find each other and clump together, creating a threshold for change.  See this link for a more detailed explanation of the role of the imaginal cell in the transformation process:  http://www.cadi.ph/Editorials/Editorial_Butterfly_Effect.htm

Imaginal cells can reside in many different places in organizations.  They are not necessarily the most senior people or the recognized thought leaders, although they may play those roles.  They are the people who see that how we’re working isn’t always working.  And they want to do something about it.

Imaginal cells see the possibilities lurking just under the surface of the most persistent problems – divisions that fight instead of cooperating; leaders who play politics instead of taking a stand; or people who just don’t listen to each other so they can’t hear that they’re actually saying the same thing –  to name a few.  

While others shrug their shoulders and say, “That’s just the way it is,” imaginal cells think, often to themselves, “But it doesn’t have to be that way.”   They wonder how to create change.

My intention for this blog is to create a place where imaginal cells can be in dial ogue, so that we can learn from each other and support each other in evolving the cultures of organizations.

I’d love to hear your comments . . . What’s your experience of being an imaginal cell in an  organization?

Comments

[Merrill Anderson]

Imaginal cells transform themselves before the butterfly is created, just as leaders must transform themselves before expecting the organization to be transformed.