Michael Lissack
Airbnb offers an instructive example. In spring 2020, the company faced an existential crisis as global travel collapsed. Revenue plummeted 80% in eight weeks, forcing the company to lay off 25% of its workforce. Yet Airbnb not only survived but emerged stronger, eventually completing a successful IPO in December 2020. What enabled this resilience? The causal mechanisms connecting coherence to organizational resilience can be traced through several dis- tinct pathways:
1. Identity Preservation Amid Structural Change
Coherent organizations maintain a clear sense of identity even when forced to dramatically alter their structures and operations. When Airbnb had to cut a quarter of its workforce, CEO Brian Chesky ensured these difficult decisions aligned with the company’s core value of “belonging”— providing generous severance packages, allowing departing employees to keep their laptops, and creating an alumni directory to help them find new positions. This identity preservation mechanism works by creating continuity of purpose and values even when operations are disrupted. Research by organizational theorist Mary Jo Hatch (2021) demonstrates that identity continuity serves as a stabilizing force during turbulence, reducing the psychological impact of disruption and maintaining stakeholder trust during transitions.
2. Decision Acceleration Through Value Alignment
When facing unprecedented situations, coherent organizations can make decisions more rapidly because shared values and purpose provide clear decision criteria. During the pandemic, furniture retailer IKEA had to rapidly shift from in-store to online operations across 30+ countries simultaneously. Their coherent purpose of “creating a better everyday
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