Business "in the flow."

Business "in the flow."

The term "flow" was introduced to the vocabulary of the top managers of corporations with a psychologist trudnoproiznosimym name. He never wanted to become a business guru, but his theory of achieving the status of "flow" - increased concentration, creativity, productivity and happiness - has caused a real boom in the business world. A new philosophy Flow Business, read the abstract of article Fast Company.

Summary article Ann Marsh "The Art of Work", Fast Company.

The best moments of your life can happen to you at work. Do not believe it? Then connect with a new philosophy of Flow Business, founder of which, not wanting to himself, was an American of Hungarian origin psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. To describe the state of the highest creative recovery and true inspiration in the work he used the term - "flow", which can be translated as "flow". His theory is presented in the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper & Row Publishers Inc., 1990), which is now worshiped many businessmen and politicians.

Imagine the feelings of the artist, a brush on canvas which comes alive and turns into a priceless work of art. Chiksentmihay results are compared to describe the condition of "flow" - the state of heightened focus, productivity and happiness, to which all people intuitively seek.

Ironically, his theory, we study the condition of the individual, the most glory earned in a business environment where individuality was often ugnetaema. In the past 5 years it is implemented in practice by such companies as Microsoft, Ericsson, Patagonia, and Toyota. After all, control over the condition of "flow" and management - an invaluable treasure for any manager, looking for ways to achieve higher productivity of their employees.

Being enthusiastic climbing, Chiksentmihay drew attention to the peculiar feeling that he learned when he was a difficult mountain route. Then the researcher asked: Why, in fact, psychologists focused exclusively on the study of various pathologies and dysfunctions? Why so little attention is paid to the positive condition where a person is in the best state of mental recovery?

Chiksentmihay engaged in research work, which interviewed and observed a very creative and enthusiastic people simply. Study participants wore a pagers, which were published during the day 8 tones in random order. People are writing that they have done and felt that the current time. Thus Chiksentmihay able to determine in what situations, people were most happy and productive.

It turned out that the passive forms of recreation, such as watching TV, evaluated the lowest. And the best estimates were obtained in situations where people were engaged in complex forms of activity - working or engaged in hobbies.

The researcher found that in a state of "flow", people were so passionate about the process of that lost sense of time, all the other feelings of retreat. At this time they managed to expand its own consciousness and to develop new skills. Chiksentmihay noted that every time people came back from the "flow", acquired a new and unique experience - they become more self-confidence, more talented, more receptive. Activities became in itself a reward. A control of the state of "flow" allows people to avoid despair, depression, despondency.

Chiksentmihay withstood many attempts to simplify his theory and turn it into a popular commercial product. He never tires of repeating that "flow" is not a magic pill, not a panacea for all the troubles and without complying with the necessary conditions for "flow" will not work.

He also pointed out that the "flow" there and back, a dark side. Some individuals come to the "flow" at the time of the destructive action and under the influence of harmful habits. The man who inspired and enthusiastic, able not only to build but to destroy it. This rule is true for business. For example, a company Enron CFO Andrew Fastou probably also in a state of "flow", creating a complex fraudulent scheme.

However, this did not stop those who saw in the theory of "flow" the opportunity to improve the functioning of companies. In 2002, the vice president for strategic business innovation companies Ericsson and a former consultant McKinsey & Co. Stefan Falk received a task to merge two large business units. Part of the staff be reduced, and the Falcam was no easy task - to make the remaining workers more productive. Then something Falk and his colleagues, and got one of the books Chiksentmihay Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (HarperCollins, 1996). According to Falk, he was literally her зачарован.

He was able to meet with Chiksentmihaiem, who told him about the most essential conditions without which the state of "flow" is impossible to achieve. Among them - clear, realistic goals, reasonable expectations, the opportunity to fully concentrate on work, regular feedback. And, of course, a prerequisite is the existence of the rights of the abilities, depending on the type of work.

The result was the new system of management, which Falk introduced in Ericsson. He ordered the officials to give time to each of their subordinates. Managers must be in conjunction with each of the employees to develop a performance contract - a document that includes identification of strengths and weaknesses, and individual well-defined plan of action to improve skills. Also, managers should meet with each of the subordinates 6 times a year for an individual meeting lasting 1.5 hours. To express dissatisfaction replica managers Falk objected: "Your subordinates - this is the only resource that you actually manage". This fall, Ericsson plans to introduce a new management system based on the theory of "flow", in all the offices of the company. From Ericsson Falk moved to a Scandinavian company Green Cargo, which in 2003 went further, requiring managers to organize monthly meetings with subordinates.

It should specify that it is not boring and unproductive meetings, but rather - on the management of intensive coaching sessions. Implementing the new system, Falk was confronted with skepticism to his ideas, but doubts dissipated when the first 120-year history of the state Green Cargo has managed to increase profits.

CEO of Patagonia, Michael Crook is also a supporter of ideas Chiksentmihaiya. Research Laboratory Crooke - his own company. It publishes an annual review, which aims to assess how meaningful is the work of its employees and whether they were satisfied with their work. It contains a lot of probing questions. As far as employees are free to make their own decisions? Do they feel that management is fully open to financial matters? Does the value of the company with the personal values of employees? Kruk was also trying to figure out how to staff such an important goal of protecting the environment. He considers this a crucial time, as Chiksentmihaiya according to the theory, the state of "flow" is the highest point where goal of becoming a public good.

Despite the fact that people around Chiksentmihaiya of the business environment started this excitement, he does not seek to obtain the status of business gurus. When he created the theory of "flow", he did not think about the business. In his works you will not find a direct link between the concepts of "happiness", and "the increase in profit". Yet his theories have found their place in the world of business and have demonstrated their viability.

Terms of companies advocating Flow Business.

Carefully refer to the emotional state of staff. CEO Gallup Organization, Jim Clifton, in an effort to control the state of "flow", sends a letter every day for more than 1 thousand of its employees and asked to assess the extent of their positive status, on a scale of 1 to 5. He always has a chance to see the first signs of negative change, and quickly take action.

Provide feedback to staff. Chiksentmihaiya Studies show that to achieve the status of "flow" people need feedback. The best way to do this - to take care of colleagues and subordinates. For Jim Clifton best way to measure the state of "flow" - this is to ask staff if they have a manager, who loves them.

Set clear expectations. According to Chiksentmihaiya, one of the important conditions for "flow" - setting for the staff of clear and realistic goals. At Green Cargo with each employee works manager, who helped draw up a performance contract, and then meets with him once a month to discuss the details and correct plans.

Do not stop the staff, immersed in work. For those whose work is related to immersion in the creative process (eg, programmers or employees, writing texts), there is nothing worse than a sudden interruption. When they work, do not distract them with new fixed-term assignments, give them the opportunity to focus.

HYPNOSIS