Look 'Inward' Before Looking 'Outward'

Words directed 'outward' and the sense of discomfort they bring

At a morning assembly one day, I heard the phrase, 'From now on, we will look outward.'
External collaboration, outward-facing results, and achievements that garner recognition.
These are certainly important and indispensable for demonstrating an organization's reason for being.

However, I felt a slight sense of discomfort with those words.

While looking outward is not something to be denied, I wondered if there wasn't something that should be looked at first.
Questions arose: Is enough attention being paid to the inside of the organization and to one's own behavior?

Why are people prone to looking 'outward'?

Managers tend to look outward because external results are 'easy to see'.
They appear as figures and achievements, and are directly linked to evaluations.
They are easy to explain and provide a sense of accomplishment.

On the other hand, the inside of an organization is difficult to see.
Elements such as relationships, a sense of conviction, division of roles, and development take time and are hard to quantify.
Therefore, if one is not conscious of them, they are easily pushed to the back burner.

It is a natural flow for attention to turn outward, and it is even rational.

What happens when you look 'outward' without setting the 'inward' in order?

However, if you try to go outward without the inside being in order, the organization will eventually harbor distortions.

Instructions are given, but the team on the ground does not move.
Results are being produced, but exhaustion is accumulating.
Even if things seem to be going well temporarily, it will not last long.

Results directed outward accumulate as internal burdens, eventually undermining the sustainability of the organization.
You fall into a state where 'results' are being produced, but the organization is not 'functioning'.

The order that should be questioned

The proper order is from 'inward' to 'outward'.

What must be questioned first is one's own way of being, criteria for judgment, and behavior.
Based on that, you organize the relationships, roles, and ways of working within the organization.
Only then does it become possible to engage with the outside in a stable manner.

Going outward without the inside being in order is like trying to move forward without a solid footing.
Even if it looks like you are moving forward, the foundation is unstable.

That progress can even cause the organization to collapse.

What it means to look 'inward'

Looking inward is by no means an inward-looking or passive stance.
Rather, it is preparation and the foundation for producing sustainable results directed outward.
Facing the distortions and unorganized parts within can sometimes be painful.
However, if you avoid that, no matter how much you reach out to the outside, you will eventually reach a limit.

This is not to say that you should not look outward.
Before looking outward, look inward first.
Just by being conscious of that order, the way an organization moves will change significantly.

Results directed outward and setting the inside in order.
These two are not in conflict; they are continuous.
That is precisely why I want to say it:

You should look 'inward' before you look 'outward'.