Self-Growth: The foundation for successful organizational change MPA 8002 The Structure and Theory of Human Organization Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

Since the time of Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)...

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An “organization” has been viewed as an achievement, a product of experimentation...

…as people hypothesize about what constitutes “best practice” …and managers/leaders devote themselves to improving organizational efficiency and effectiveness

A theory of organizational change...

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Organizational dysfunction represents a fundamental maladaptation...

…where the integration of people, process, and technology is neither efficient nor effective in promoting the achievement of organizational goals

As most managers/leaders know from first-hand experience...

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The primary maladaptation involves people...

…who enact differing views of reality into what they define as the organizational reality (Weick,1979, 1995) …and, thus, maladaptive behavior manifests itself in organizational dysfunction

Creating Paths of Change

(McWhinney, Webber, Smith, & Novokowsky, 1997) 

Asserts that organization change begins first with self-change...

…that is, if manager/leaders are to initiate organizational change, they first must understand how they view the world …because how individuals view reality is a critical element in how they formulate a decision (p. 3)

Organizational change involves a five-step process...

1 to identify and understand one’s view of reality and attitudes toward change …requires managers/leaders to grapple with all that is “antecedent” to a practice episode (Sergiovanni, 1986)

The reflective practice model (Sergiovanni, 1986) ...

antecedents

cultural milieu theoretical knowledge craft knowledge self knowledge critical knowledge

theories of practice

mindscapes action platforms

practice episodes

intentions actions outcomes

2 - to search for resources, people, money, and situations that match one’s image of what it will take to “work the larger issue” …necessitates differentiating between organizational “problems” and the “issue” implicit in the problems

Organizational “problems”...

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those recurring and frustrating “glitches” and “snafus” impeding smooth organizational functioning …that hinder the process of achieving the organization’s goals

An organizational “issue”...

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A fundamental conflict of values embedded in and provoking those recurring organizational problems as people attempt to define the issue …what Gallie (1968) calls “essentially contested concepts”

Analogies...

problems : solutions : symptoms as issue : resolution : disease

solutions : techniques : expertise as resolution : virtue : character

Managing and leading...

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involves “working”...

problems as issue solutions as resolution ...not “reframing” (Bolman & Deal, 1997)

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by possessing an over-riding concern for...

virtue not technique character not expertise

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and while endeavoring to foster...

management and leadership density not subservient and acquiescent functionaries

3 - to engage team members in examining one another’s views of reality as well as each member’s assets and deficits …provides the experiential base of self-reflection and understanding of alternative views that enables team members to assess the current organizational situation (“reality”)

4 - to identify the organizational problem(s) and to organize organizational resources into a coherent force …engages team members to identify the maladaptation between people, process, and technology …as these are attributed not to people but to the strengths and limitations of their differing views of reality

5 - to formulate a path of change …a path that allows managers/leaders to resolve the organizational issue by inculturating shared values (Schein, 1990, 1992) …as followers solve problems as they emerge because the changing patterns of the followers’ interactions require new solutions

Foundational concepts of organizational change...

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- Organizational change begins first with self-change

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- People formulate organizational problems based upon how they view the world

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- Initiating change engenders conflict for which managers/leaders bear responsibility

For managers/leaders, change activities include...

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- conflict management : “when people hold strikingly different fundamental assumptions about what is real, even the simplest changes can lead to conflict and prevent resolution” (McWhinney et al., 1997, p. 10) - problem solving: people in conflict are not necessarily ill-intentioned nor do they necessarily hold opposed goals

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- issue resolution: forging the basis of shared values upon which people can solve problems

The four views of reality...

The unitary view of reality...

Unitary people most enjoy...

policies rules theories truths creeds principles designs belief systems clarifications assumptions

For the unitary worldview, what best captures reality...

For the unitary worldview, how things happen...

How the unitary worldview looks upon change...

The unitary view of reality in action...

To mobilize energy around a new symbol or belief system

inspire design convert

To put theory and policy into action To proselytize to a new view

The sensory view of reality...

Sensory people most enjoy...

actions behaviors facts data objects material things resources events experience sensuality

For the sensory worldview, what best captures reality...

For the sensory worldview, how things happen...

How the sensory worldview looks upon change...

The sensory view of reality in action...

To use data to interpret a situation To create an idea that brings clarity and meaning to a situation

test induce value

To elicit what matters in a situation

The social view of reality...

Social people most enjoy...

values feelings preferences what matters purposes wants motivations ethics attitudes appreciation

For the social worldview, what best captures reality...

For the social worldview, how things happen...

How the social worldview looks upon change...

The social view of reality in action...

To change policies to reflect a group’s values

persuade

To co-create ideas and images that reflect values

evoke allocate

To designate and assign resources and responsibilities

The mythic view of reality...

Mythic people most enjoy...

visions ideas symbols meanings opportunities metaphors dreams inventions inspirations creations

For the mythic worldview, what best captures reality...

For the mythic worldview, how things happen...

How the mythic worldview looks upon change...

The mythic view of reality in action...

To develop policies that express a vision

establish realize

To put an idea into practice

facilitate

To get others to value an idea

This module has focused on...

Self-growth

as the foundation of organizational change and how, by learning about one’s views of reality, managers/leaders can then set about “working the organizational issue” by enabling followers to “work the organizational

problems

”...

References     Emery, F. E., & Trist, E. L. (1965). The causal texture of organizational environments.

Human Relations, 18

, 21 32.

Gallie, W. B. (1968).

Philosophy and the historical understanding

. New York: Schocken Books.

Lawrence, P. R., & Lorsch, J. W. (1967).

Organization and environment

. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

Pfeffer, J., & Salancik, G. R. (1978). The external control of organizations: A resource dependence perspective. New York: Harper & Row.

    Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture.

American Psychologist, 45

(2), 109-119.

Schein, E. H. (1992).

Organizational culture and leadership

(2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Sergiovanni, T. J. (1986). Understanding reflective practice.

Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 1

(4), 353-359.

Senge, P. M. (1990).

The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization

. New York: Doubleday.

   Simon, H. A. (1945/1997).

Administrative behavior: A study of decision-making processes in administrative organizations

. New York: The Free Press.

Weick, K. E. (1979).

The social psychology of organizing

(2nd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Weick, K. E. (1995).

Sensemaking in organizations

. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.