Beyond Labels: Avoiding Dogma in the Teal Conversation
From time to time we write about an uncomfortable feeling that keeps popping up. This is one of those pieces. It is not a takedown of Frederic Laloux, Ken Wilber, or anyone else. It is a friendly caution about how any powerful idea can harden into dogma if we are not careful.
We admire the work, and we have a warning
When we quit our corporate jobs and went searching for the world’s most inspiring workplaces, Reinventing Organizations was one of the first books that energized us. It reinforced our belief that better ways of working are possible.
We put Frederic on our Bucket List, met him in January 2016, and learned a lot.
Since then we have heard countless references to the book and its ideas. Some organizations set out to “become teal.” Conferences celebrate the “teal paradigm.” Fans tell us they have discovered the next stage of consciousness.
Our caution is not about the book itself. It is about the risk of turning a helpful lens into a checklist or an identity.
Reality is more nuanced than a label
The book shares cases of companies that operate in radically different ways. The shorthand of “teal” points to three breakthroughs:
- evolutionary purpose,
- self‑management,
- and wholeness.
After visiting many of the featured organizations, our experience is that these breakthroughs show up on a spectrum rather than as an all‑or‑nothing package.
A few examples from our visits:
- Patagonia is strongly purpose driven. It also has a conventional hierarchy. Purpose and hierarchy can coexist.
- Morning Star embraces self‑management deeply. Its mission statement reads like many other industrial companies. That does not cancel the practices, it simply shows that not every teal‑adjacent organization looks the same on paper.
Frederic himself cautions against simplification. “No organization is ever a pure breed.” Our caution echoes that message. Treat the cases as inspiration, not as a blueprint to copy.
About Integral Theory and status games
The conversation around teal often draws on Integral Theory and Spiral Dynamics. For many people these frameworks are useful ways to make sense of complexity. For others they do not resonate.
Both reactions are fine.
What concerns us is the unintended status games that labels can invite. When language suggests later stages, higher levels, or more evolved types, it becomes easy to imply that some people or companies are better than others.
That does not help real change.
Every framework is a lens, including ours
Every theory is shaped by its author’s worldview. That is not a flaw, it is human. Frederic’s perspective is visible in his book. Our perspective is visible in our work.
Even our Bucket List reflects what we personally hope the world of work can become. Readers should keep this in mind with any business book, including this blog.
How to use teal ideas without the dogma
If you are exploring teal or adjacent practices, here are principles that have helped the companies we visit:
- Start from problems worth solving in your context. Do not start from a label.
- Treat the three breakthroughs as independent threads. You can develop one without the others.
- Pilot and learn. Prefer small experiments over large rollouts.
- Mind the language. Use labels lightly and avoid status signals.
- Look for principles behind the practices. Copying rituals without intent rarely works.
- Keep the bar for evidence high. Celebrate wins, but also study trade‑offs.
The bottom line
Use theories, models, cases, and best practices as sources of inspiration. Question them. Adapt them.
There is no perfectly teal organization, and there does not need to be.
The goal is not to become more teal than real.
The goal is to build a workplace that works, for your people and your purpose.
