Organisational Substrate

We use the term “substrate” a lot in our work with organisations. I’m conscious that this might be a new term for many people. I (Tom) have a background in ecology, and tend to scatter ecological terms around!

In ecology, a substrate is the surface or material on which a organisms live and grow. Its physical and chemical properties, such as nutrient levels, texture, composition, and stability shape which species can thrive in that environment.

This use of the term “substrate” helps us frame organisations as living, complex systems, just like ecosystems.

It’s not possible to predict the effects of changes to an ecosystem, and it’s the same with organisations. But you can make small changes, nudges in (what we believe to be) a good direction – that’s what we mean by the substrate. Akin to Schein’s underlying beliefs – the substrate goes even deeper: it’s the very foundation of the system that relies on a healthy substrate in order to thrive.