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.
Emergence, substrate, succession, indicator species & ecotones. I started my career in ecology, as an experimentalist working in a research station’s wonderfully named “Weed Science” department – a title that sounds more like a kooky 80s film than a scientific
Rewetting Organisations by Tom Geraghty Allowing the system to self-organise by improving the substrate: creating the underlying conditions for change. When I was studying ecology at university, one of the activities we undertook in our field trips was helping to
Efficiency vs Resilience By Tom Geraghty Standardisation is often used as a way to increase organisational efficiency and scalability. Through reducing variation, we can standardise our tools, training, processes and more, enabling us to optimise systems and better achieve our desired
The Adaptive Cycle This is a great paper for the ecological and complexity geeks, like me. The adaptive cycle: More than a metaphor. Thanks to Christina Bowen for sharing. The adaptive cycle is a conceptual framework used to understand the dynamics
Welcome to the psychological safety newsletter and thanks for subscribing. You are amazing. This week discusses Ecotones and the Edge Effect, as well as polarisation at work, relational contracts and internal conferences. If you enjoy reading this newsletter, please share it via your social networks
