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A defensive routine is an institutionalized, ongoing, long-term, mixed message about which discussion is taboo. It is an elaborate double-bind. Its purpose is to prevent embarrassment, threat, awkward situations, maintain the status quo and avoid unwanted change. How do we create defensive routines? Four things must happen:

• Give a message that is inconsistent.

• Act as if the message is not inconsistent.

• Make the inconsistency undiscussable.

• Make the pretense that there is no inconsistency undiscussable.

Organizational defensive routines include Band-Aid and cosmetic solutions such as a company that professes to be a Total Quality company or a Learning Organization when, in fact, nothing has changed. They are doing business in the low-productivity way they have for many years. Equal opportunity organizations often still have a glass ceiling firmly in place.

Defensive routines happen not only in large organizations; they develop in departments and small work groups also. It matters because they block learning and slow productivity.

To avoid developing such routines, practice open communication and question practices freely. When defensive routines are in place, the leadership (whether of the entire organization or one of its units) must discover what they are and then devise ways to eliminate them.

Chris Argyris asked a group of executives to describe a key problem in their company. Second, to describe an imaginary meeting in which they were talking to the person of their choice about the problem and solutions. On a split page, they wrote what they would actually say and on the other side wrote ideas and feelings they would have but not communicate. Although the process became very involved, they did make some progress: they became more supportive of each other; they did come to some group-owned conclusions. In addition, they involved their staff in the process.

Dealing with defensive routines in a positive way can be done; it may be difficult and time-consuming. However the outcomes are potentially developing people, unlocking the learning process, and achieving goals more readily.