Blog

I was recently asked what I hoped to achieve with Stegmeier Consulting Group’s new blog. Good question. Those who know me have come to learn that there is a reason for everything I do. I don’t believe I’ve ever been called capricious, and the network of individuals with whom I work very closely understand that my goals for sharing my research findings are part of my complex plan to change the world. OK, not really the entire world, just the corporate work environment.

I began to reflect on my 10-year workplace research initiative that involved 140 organizations in 24 diverse industries throughout North America and Europe. The study initially focused on the impact of physical space on behavior in the work environment, and eventually evolved to also include the affect of the virtual workplace. My thoughts then turned to my study of the role of leadership in driving organizational change. I pondered the specific lessons I had learned from my postgraduate study of innovation and organizational change at Harvard, Duke, and Case Western Reserve Universities. As these thoughts began to converge, I came to realize that what I hope to achieve by sharing my knowledge on resistance to workplace change is best told by a story I’d like to share with you now.

In the third century BC, Greek mathematician Archimedes was asked by King Hiero of Syracuse to ensure that his gold crown, made by the local goldsmith, included every bit of the precious metal the craftsman had been supplied to create the king’s headdress. In a serendipitous visit to the public baths of Syracuse, Archimedes determined the mathematical formula to measure the volume of the king’s crown—an irregular-shaped object—as he observed water spilling over the edge of the too-full tub into which he stepped. In his excitement, he apparently forgot he was unclothed. He ran through the streets of Syracuse naked, shouting “Eureka, I found it!”

As an author, my goal for you, the reader of this blog or my book, is to discover—at minimum—one important concept that will result in an “aha!” moment as it relates to your involvement in the development of effective workplaces. That key learning may shed light on the perplexities surrounding seemingly sound workplace solutions that ultimately failed. Perhaps a new approach or an added insight will contribute to elevating your current level of success in your chosen field.

A word of warning, however: When you discover an idea that you realize will save you much frustration on your next workplace project, please don’t make the same mistake that Archimedes made. Do remain fully clothed. You know how your coworkers hate distractions in the workplace!

Diane Stegmeier
Author, Innovations in Office Design: The Critical Influence Approach to Effective Work Environments