Crossing The Invisible Bridge: From Resource Dependency to Resourcefulness

A common complaint we hear from the various organisations we work with is that there are insufficient resources to achieve their objectives. Very often, people find themselves with diminishing resources to accomplish even more. 

We have also observed organisations where there is little correlation between their level of resources and their ability to support their people and customers, as well as to achieve strategic objectives. 

Often, exceptionally well-resourced organisations lack a genuine mandate for change, making them less likely to change than organisations that are less well-resourced and facing greater challenges. 

Having ample resources without corresponding resourcefulness in the organisation often leads to duplication. We have observed organisations where functional units “couldn’t get along,” resulting in duplicated roles and processes. This situation also occurs in functions where trust is lacking. Not only is this highly wasteful, but it also reinforces silos and allows people to get away with not doing the work of collaboration and change. 

One organisation we worked closely with utilised several personal development diagnostics for different teams across various functional units. While the teams valued the development, the reality was that it led to confusion in language and a lack of coherence, which hindered the realisation of benefits to the culture. 

The antidote is both clear and challenging: building an organisation’s resourcefulness. Resourcefulness means discovering solutions where none seem apparent. It involves learning and adapting while enhancing focus and capability in collaboration, innovation, and creativity. 

When we work with organisations that have crossed the invisible bridge and become truly resourceful, they think and respond to challenges in a very different way. They begin to consider much broader system considerations and how their organisations can make optimal use of every resource. They often subscribe to the idea that “necessity is the mother of invention. " Yet a deeply resourceful organisation goes beyond being resourceful through necessity to applying resourcefulness as a strategic advantage. 

One organisation we’ve collaborated with excels at freeing up financial resources to invest in new markets by enhancing efficiencies in existing markets. A not for profit organisation we’ve partnered with is wholly committed to achieving high profitability in its commercial services, allowing it to reinvest those profits into community services. 

The following are examples of practices or ways of thinking we have experienced in resourceful organisations 

• Imagine you have no choice regarding a specific requirement. If this were true, what would you need to learn and develop in order to succeed? 

• Imagine loosening the existing constraints in an underperforming area; what could become possible? Could a small investment of resources make a significant difference? 

• Expand the mindsets of humans in the organisation by adopting a deliberately developmental approach to foster the growth of both individual and collective wisdom. 

• Identify other areas within the organisation where pockets of excellence exist and leverage these across the organisation. 

• Establish partnerships with external providers to exchange knowledge and insights. Reflect on how to leverage customers, supply chains, and value chains. 

• Identify various applications for a single resource – for instance, a school that rents its classrooms to businesses conducting evening workshops and activities. 

• Discourage duplication while encouraging collaboration and innovation. 

• Intentionally establish cross-functional teams to examine systemic issues and opportunities, including enterprise solutions. 

The one asset that has a forever increasing capacity to learn and grow and go beyond its current boundaries is the human being.  

Published 16/5/17 / Updated 15/4/25