The in-between-ness of organizational dynamics

I once accepted an invitation to give a brief, after-dinner talk on informal coalitions to a group of senior managers in the oil industry. As it turned out, the intention was to punctuate the dinner with a number of mini-inputs, including my guest contribution. My task was to fill the gap between the main course and pudding!  

On reflection, it seemed to me that speaking in between courses was highly appropriate. And I used this as an opportunity to get people to focus on what I called the ‘in-between-ness’ of organizational dynamics. That is, on the things that don’t appear on the ‘printed menu’, so to speak, but which have a major impact on whether or not the organization is successful.