I find myself sitting in McDonalds after one of the worst night’s sleep I can remember for a long time. Noisy kids (who go to bed later than their parents), barking dogs (own own), cats on the roof (our own) and the insomnia inducing restless thinking about the problems associated with running a small business, punctuated with dreaming about our first excursion in our new caravan (which I affectionately call our ”yurt’).

One of the little problems to be resolved today is associated with our partnership with Deakin University’s Org. Psych. Department. We are exploring a psychometrically valid instrument to assess the “generativity” of an organisation. This has emerged from our work over many years now to understand the phenomena which we have described as a generative organisation, and in particular, generative business. The problem we’ve got is that the established categories don’t fit. There are established models for “organisational health’, wellbeing in the workplace’, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), sustainability, ethics, and more. But when we talk about generativity we are talking about a combination of these and more …. not more broad, but more deep.

How do we not reinvent the wheel, yet do the nuances of our thesis justice? We want to assess the nature of organisations that enliven people, that energise people to produce the best they can from their core strengths in an environment in which they can be thoroughly themselves. In parallel with this generative organisations generate positive change in the community, society, market in which they operate.

Will let you know how we go.

I am anticipating a great event this weekend. Three amazing people (Steve, Pat and Mel) who have all worked with us at some stage, are running an event in Donkey Wheel House. (Donkey Wheel is an organisation, of which I am Chair, that is developing a social enterprise hub in the heart of Melbourne.)

Trampoline (www.trampolinemelb.com ) will bring together 100 energetic, intelligent people for an ‘unconference’. Check it out. I look forward to reporting on that too.