The Dark Side of the Moon

The Dark Side of the Moon has to be one of my all-time favourite albums (shows my age) and when looking back over the past year, depicts all that has gone on in the world of change, business transformation and leadership. My three great passions.

Brain Damage by Pink Floyd

The lunatic is on the grass

The lunatic is on the grass

Remembering games

And daisy chains and laughs

Got to keep the loonies on the path

The lunatic is in the hall

The lunatics are in my hall

The paper holds their folded faces to the floor

And every day the paper boy brings more

Well, you would be forgiven for thinking that the world has gone mad and the mad (lunatics) are in control or should I say, out-of-control.

Our current religion is clearly money, power and disruption at all cost.  Failure no matter how spectacular, is now a paid commodity.  I have experience over the last twenty or so years of senior leaders making a living and a small fortune from failing and being bought out of their contracts for large sums of money.  Not a bad job if you can write your contract well in your favour, win or lose!

Those that have and those that haven’t; a greater demarcation and there is an even more intoxicating culture to make it at all costs, regardless of people.

On the other hand, as has been demonstrated to me many times this year a malaise to recognise and understand toxicity within the culture and the hidden costs associated.  Even when team members individually and collectively are proven to be underperforming, little is done.  More relentless pressure and a lack of awareness from many leaders that we are what we believe (human beings) and that can and should be worked on, out with conventional training methods.  I thought torture in the western world had been abolished, clearly not, or is it we are just too busy to understand or even care?

Well, here’s to the lunatics.  We believe in you, as we also believe that we have little opportunity to make the changes that are so long overdue.  We’re too busy running. Not sure where or what we are running towards but at least we are on the move, regardless of direction or purpose.

Maybe 2025 will be the beginning of the corporate revolution where people are properly developed from the inside out (no pun intended) and the lunatics are called out for what they do to teams, companies and the world at large.

Reminds me of another oldie composed and sung by Don Williams and Jim Rushing from 1974, “When will I ever learn”.

Face to face but never eye to eye

All this vision but we’re going blind

Always running, we can never hide

For all the emptiness we feel inside

Merry Christmas to one and all.  Let’s hope Santa fills our stockings with lots of “change” for 2025.

If you’re  interested in finding out more, then please reach out.