What are ‘integral solutions’ and why do they matter?
Are you trying to raise the bar on performance or address your ‘people problems’, but with limited success? Perhaps you’ve invested in a new system or process, or a new strategy or program to solve your people challenges, but it’s just not hitting the mark.
Integral Theory, developed by Ken Wilber, helps us to understand why this happens, and what we can do differently to really get the results we’re looking for.
So what does ‘integral’ mean?
“The word integral means comprehensive, inclusive, non-marginalising, embracing. Integral approaches to any field attempt to be exactly that: to include as many perspectives, styles, and methodologies as possible within a coherent view of the topic. In a certain sense, integral approaches are “meta-paradigms,” or ways to draw together an already existing number of separate paradigms into an interrelated network of approaches that are mutually enriching.”
- Ken Wilber
How do we take an integral view of our people and performance challenges?
One element of Integral Theory is the Four Quadrants, which shows that we can look at our situation or reality through an individual, a collective, a subjective and objective lens. And most importantly, that we will not have a complete view of a problem or reality unless we consider all four quadrants:
As you can see, the four quadrants are:
Upper Left - Intentional: The interior of an individual...the ‘invisible’ elements within people
Upper Right - Behaviour: The exterior of an individual….the visible elements of individuals, including their performance
Lower Left - Culture: The interior of a collective….the ‘invisible’ elements of groups
Lower Right - Systems: The exterior of a collective...the visible elements of groups.
How are the 4 quadrants relevant to organisations?
Most consulting and change approaches focus on one or some of the quadrants, but neglect others. However, since all quadrants interact and grow together, they all need to be considered simultaneously.
Integral solutions are solutions to people problems that take a holistic view, and consider challenges and reality from all four quadrants.
Most leadership programs and change strategies are often targeted at one quadrant only - either behaviour change, or psychological change, or cultural change, or systemic change - and therefore their effectiveness is only ever partial. But very few leadership programs integrate all four of those aspects into a single approach.
Similarly, when trying to improve performance (upper right), organisations often do so through processes only (lower right), such as implementing a new performance development process. This model shows that improving performance requires an integrated change strategy that creates change across all four quadrants: changing mindsets, behaviour, culture and systems simultaneously.
So, if you are trying to raise the bar on performance, or find a way to work through your people challenges, use the Four Quadrants to assess which quadrants you’re paying attention to, and which you’re neglecting.