Over Christmas I read A Peacock in the Land of Penguins, which tells the story of Perry the Peacock hired into an organisation staffed mostly by penguins. Essentially, it's a corporate fable about creating a culture of creativity and courage inside an institutionalised organisation.
Perry grew up in the Land of Learning where you first imagine something, then you try it, you prove it, and finally you actually do it. With the buzz of competition and hustle you have to work hard, learn fast, and live by your wits and creativity to achieve success. Constructive disagreement is valued because everyone believes that's how new ideas get tested, change is introduced and progress made.
Perry was lured away by the penguins to the Land of the Penguins. But it became increasingly evident that he didn't fit in. He saw bureaucracy everywhere. Penguins were organised by hierarchy and teams were divided by roles and responsibilities. Everyone was expected to work within the standard process. Despite being hired for his unique talent and flair, Perry was constantly under pressure to act and dress like a penguin. He resisted, firm in his conviction that he should be valued for his results. Rather than conform and let the culture change him, Perry tried to change the culture, but all his strategies met with resistance and red tape. All his ideas were dismissed and his efforts came to nothing. Whenever he asked "Why?", he got the standard response "That's they way we've always done things around here". He learned through painful experience that the culture was deeply entrenched.
Perry knew there must be at least one land in the vast Sea of Organisations where he could be a peacock and be valued for his uniqueness. And so he left for the Land of Opportunity where individuality was welcomed and nurtured, knowledge was shared, and everyone had confidence in their leaders because they had risen to their positions through talent, skill, and ability. Here, everyone recognised the importance of acceptance and trust because they make it possible for each bird to sing its own song, confident that even those who sing with a different voice will hear it. Perry came to realise that the Land of Opportunity is more than a place - it's a state of mind.
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