Working the issue:Working the issue:A six-tier game of A six-tier game of organizational changeorganizational change

MPA 8002

The Structure and Theory of Human Organization

Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

McWhinney McWhinney et alet al. (1997) maintain . (1997) maintain that...that...

Successful management/leadership involves dealing with the values embedded in practice episodes...…and requires envisioning a pathway

through a minefield of competing and conflicting values.

This pathway necessitates self change as managers and leaders confront the antecedents to their intentions and actions.

Envision a six-tier Envision a six-tier game of chess...game of chess...

where...…each board represents a

different game being played

…any move by an individual on a superordinate board impacts any further moves on subordinate boards

“high leverage” (Senge, 1990) moves occur on superordinate boards...…meaning that change involves engaging

in a new game on a superordinate board

…a game that redefines goals, how to play the game, and the activities that are part of the new game

…as these will be played out on subordinate board(s)

action where problems arise

the foundational game...

structural problems

human resources problems

political problems

symbolic/cultural problems (Bolman & Deal, 1997)

Board #1: The game of action

The goals of the game

Playing the game

Winning the game

The mode of change

To be the most competent player within the framework of the established rules

To make expert moves that earn the most points

To exercise control of the rules through skill, expertise, or a combination of both

Analytic: designing or testing reality

power how problems are dealt with

overshadowing this foundation at a superordinate level...

coercive

remunerative

normative (Simon, 1947)

Board #2: The game of power

The goals of the game

Playing the game

Winning the game

The mode of change

To create advantage for exercise on Board #1

To take charge of rule making by setting policy and maintaining order

To create new rules by shifting the players’ logics through the exercise of power, persuasion, or influence

Assertive: establishing or inspiring

action

power This dynamic depicts how hierarchical superordinates deal with most organizational problems and conflict on the part of subordinates.

The action-power interaction...The action-power interaction...

values how problems are defined

exerting influence upon the exercise of power and action at a superordinate level...

antecedents

theories of practice

organizational culture

Board #3: The game of values

The goals of the game

Playing the game

Winning the game

The mode of change

To set the values defining play on Boards #1 & #2

To work on the ethical and human relations issues involved in problems

To create a value base that will become implicit in organizational policy

Influential: persuading or converting

actionpower

This interaction expands the exercise of power beyond a person or office by referencing authoritative guidelines. It provides insight into the normative dimensions of politics in organizations.

values

Values exert authority...Values exert authority...

environment externally-driven defining perspectives

implicit in and exerting influence upon value-based authority is an...

competition for scarce resources

number of competitors

turbulence caused by change (Emery & Trist, 1965; Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967; Pfeffer & Salancik, 1978)

Board #4: The game of the environment

The goals of the game

Playing the game

Winning the game

The mode of change

To clarify the change forces that players on Boards #1 - #3 must contend with

To motivate personnel to change values and behavior in light of new factors

To communicate, bargain, and allocate scarce organizational resources

Evaluative: valuing and allocating

actionpowervalues

environment

The environment frames the agenda...The environment frames the agenda...

The environment dictates what the organization must contend with, that is, if the organization is to cope effectively with and survive the turbulence caused by change forces erupting in the environment.

worldview milieu defining perspectives

operative behind the environment is a...

educational background

social background

religious background

economic background

historical background

Board #5: The game of the worldview

The goals of the game

Playing the game

Winning the game

The mode of change

To explore opportunities and heretofore unthought of possibilities

To create innovative designs and novel approaches that unleash new potentials

To “play effectively” with “playing around”

Inventive: inducing and realizing

action where problems arise

power how problems are dealt with

values guidelines for action

worldview milieu defining perspectives

environment externally-driven defining perspectives

truth a substantive vision

framing how people interpret reality...

provides meaning and purpose

rooted in culture and perdures beyond individuals

abstract, needing to be made concrete in human experience

Board #6: The game of truth

The goals of the game

Playing the game

Winning the game

The mode of change

To enhance the depth of meaning experienced within the human spirit

To create opportunities for others to expand beyond their reality

To create an organizational culture that is comfortable with the “play”of alternative ideas and insights

Emergent: facilitating and evoking

action where problems arise

power how problems are dealt with

values guidelines for action

truth ideas about the good

environment externally-driven defining perspectives

worldview milieu defining perspectives

actionpowervalues

environmentworldview

What is implicit in an individual’s What is implicit in an individual’s “point of view”...“point of view”...

This dynamic exemplifies the intransigent position people in organizations oftentimes adopt. It also highlights the nature of substantive organizational change, namely, the courage to engage in self-change through reflective practice.

truth

power

values

environment

worldview

truthOrganizational Organizational change involves...change involves...

self-change...…confronting one’s antecedents

action

…considering alternative views of reality

…pushing beyond one’s comfortable status quo

…engaging others in self-change

power

values

environment

worldview

truth

in order that...

action

The challenge for managers and The challenge for managers and leaders…leaders…

to probe one’s experience to discern what’s transpiring within oneself as well as within the organization…in order to be able to lead others to

engage themselves in the self-change that is the precursor to organizational change

Some implications: “games playing” Some implications: “games playing” for managers and leaders…for managers and leaders…

play on a lower game board is restricted to play on the higher boards

conflicts on lower game boards can be dissolved by plays on higher boards

play on one game board gives little guidance about how to play on other game boards

some people sense that, for them, play on some boards is taboo

few people enjoy playing on more than one game board at a time

switching game boards without announcing the change to other players produces conflict

This module has focused on...This module has focused on...

Envisioning organization change as “Working “Working the issue”the issue” provides managers/leaders a conceptual understanding about where organization change can originate in a way that solves organizational issues, builds leadership density throughout the organization, and allows followers to “work the problems” they encounter in organizational functioning...

ReferencesReferences

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.