Tour Groups are Like Organisations

If there is an activity that represents how organisations work, it must be group tours.

There is a "leader" given power and authority by the umbrella or the flag pole they hold, which we all must follow. Imagine a flag (title) makes them control where you go, what you look at, where you eat, when you take a break, and what information you hear. That is actually crazy!

There is no pleasure in group tours. All you have to do is follow the flag. You don't get to wonder about or have a coffee or drink in a place you like because then you fall behind, or in corporations, we would say, "You are not a team player", and will be told off.

So you continue the tour listening to information about the city, buildings, etc., that you never needed or wanted to know (training or meeting). Your mood changes and your facial expressions for the day become like the one in the picture. However, occasionally, the group gets together to take a "happy" picture where we all "smile" and can post it on social media to show how great our journey is.

Organisations are pretty much set up like that. Don't worry; we think for you, we tell you what you need to know, when to eat, where you need to go (career plan), what you need to hear and see, and most importantly, what time you need to do all that.

We kill the curiosity, interest, and the need to try and fail (get lost), which are integral parts of human needs.

And then we wonder why people are playing it safe, uninterested, or not trying new things. Systems are not set up to accommodate any of these.

A small minority enjoys tour groups because they don't have to think, plan, or make any decisions, only to go with the flow. They are the ones who like others to take charge and tell them what to do.

But the question is: Is it the type of people we want in organisations?

The majority of people want to explore, try things, make decisions, and exercise autonomy. They are the ones who will disappear from the group and go on their way for the day and meet you back at the hotel (that's me lol). They are ok not to eat the pre-paid 3-course dinner at a place you chose for them. They would rather pay one more time and eat somewhere they just came across and wanted to experience.

These are the so-called "rebels" in companies. They will not go for after-work drinks, play silly games under the name of team-building or do things the way they are told because they found a better way of doing them. They are the ones who don't fall in line, but they are also the ones who can show us new paths, help us discover things that were not even considered before and take us to places that previous groups never got to experience.

Let's not operate companies as tour groups because ...................... just look at the faces of those people in the picture.......