Implementing a strategy with 250% effectiveness? Research shows that this is possible when we focus on experiences that…
It might sound like a quote from a fortune cookie.
Yet, without realising it, we are already moving in this direction.
Organisations are changing: we manage by objectives, fostering a culture of accountability where autonomy, initiative and self-determination are essential requirements for every professional.
Today, people enter the workplace with clearer purposes, vivid dreams, and a determination not to surrender to “monotonous or routine” tasks.
The ground already shows clear signs of this transformation: on the one hand, record-high education levels, leading young professionals to specialise ever more deeply in their fields of interest; on the other hand, an unprecedented surge in resignations across the country’s most productive regions, signalling widespread fatigue and a collective decision to reshape career journeys around what people truly want to achieve.
How does an organisation navigate this context?
One concept we have heard and truly embrace is the organisation as a “FLOW PROVIDER”.
Put simply, we are talking about an organisation that holds a broad, systemic vision and knows how to assign the right role to the right person—so that their day-to-day work is engaging, challenging, aligned with their personal talents and with what each individual wants to offer to the world.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the father of positive psychology, defined “FLOW” as a state of deep absorption.
We experience this whenever we are completely absorbed in an activity we love, in which we feel competent, and which is challenging enough to command our full attention.
“Flow” implies a current, because people experiencing it describe the feeling as akin to the powerful rush of a surging river—of ideas, energy and projects.
Athletes often describe experiencing flow during sports events; their minds are razor-sharp, focused entirely on the performance, leaving behind every other thought or worry. Artists describe the same state when painting their vision of reality and conveying meaning.
Strategy: those who experience flow have:
- clear goals
- intense, focused concentration on an activity
- a healthy balance between their skills and the difficulty of the challenge
- a sense of complete control over their actions
- freedom from other distractions, creating a clear space where both the destination and the journey are fully in focus.
A state of “FLOW” channels our attention until we are completely absorbed, fuels concentration, sparks creativity and exponentially boosts commitment—all because: IT MAKES US FEEL GOOD. In fact, when we are “in the flow”, doing what we do is its own reward.
We are immersed in running water; our energy continuously renews itself.
- This helps us stay deeply in tune with our emotions,
- Feel deeply fulfilled by what we do,
- Maintain an abundant reservoir of ideas to draw from,
- Feel confident in our ability to achieve the goals we have set.
This is why studies suggest that people in a state of “flow” are 200% to 250% more productive.
What does it mean for an organisation to be a “FLOW PROVIDER”?
Today, the sense of belonging to a physical workplace is eroding, and we must operate remotely far more often.
This means that where physical ties fade, the connection needed to unite people within organisations must take root in something deeper. Belonging to an organisation today is essentially built on shared values and the daily fulfilment of doing work that genuinely inspires passion.
People drive evolution. Keeping them united within an organism—which is what an organisation truly is—means creating the conditions for each person to perform the activities they excel at, where they feel able to express themselves and unlock their potential.
Today, it means giving them enough autonomy to see projects through from start to finish, so they can clearly witness their impact and receive proper recognition.
It is about viewing the organisation as a jigsaw puzzle: understanding the whole by looking closely at the individual pieces.
We begin with a deep, attentive look at the social fabric that brings an organisation to life.
