The word “Organization” is an assembly name for a number of people working together for a common purpose. Families, companies, churches, associations, sport clubs, political parties, governments, banks, armies, factories, hospitals all fall under the heading organization.
Organizations come into existence in stages. First there is a gathering of people. They come together with a common purpose. In the second stage leaders will be recognized and accepted.
Leaders come about through recognition first. They come up with plans they think will be supported by the group. From the moment people start planning a group is formed. When leaders get their followers to start executing their plans we call it an organization in which leaders are recognized as such. So, there is a gradient scale. Take a look.
• Gathering
• Group
• Organization
Planning is the heart of every organization. Through careful planning an organizational structure can come about. Without it nothing will become of it.
You can see examples of this in your own life and that of others. When we want to accomplish something we need to plan for it. When we run into barriers we need to work out plans to overcome these barriers. Every goal or purpose you set out to reach starts with planning. A leader is as good as the plans he developed and his ability to get them executed.
If you want to be successful in running an organization even as small as a family you, first of all, have to become a good planner. Secondly you have to be able to gain recognition for your plans. Thirdly you have to be able to motivate your group to execute your plans.
There are people that lead the way and people that follow the plans of the leader. Too many people still have a tendency to follow their leader without much concern for what the execution of his plans will bring about. They don’t seem to be willing to look at the overall picture.
The same could be said about leaders but it is the follower that executes his plans. When the results from planning become apparent and are considered negative the follower usually points to the leader as if the leader is the one solely responsible for it.
This, of course, is a very narrow way of thinking. Let’s make this more clear with an example:
An army general orders his troupes to attack an urban community containing about 5000 civilians. All are to be murdered and their houses have to be burned to the ground. The soldiers do as they are told. They burn down the houses and kill the entire community.
Who is responsible for this tragedy? Is it the general? Of course it is the general but who did the killing? Are the soldiers responsible for this crime against humanity. You bet they are. They did it!!! They are as much guilty as their general. The general couldn’t have done it all by himself could he?
Planning determines the course of every organization. It is not only the planner that needs to think of the consequences of his planning. Those executing it need to do this as much as their leader. Don’t you think so?
We all are responsable for our actions. Following destructive orders is as insane as issuing them.