Self-Change: The foundation for successful organizational change

1. Self-Change:The foundation for successful organizational change MPA 8002 Organization Theory Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

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

3. A theory of organizational change... • 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

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

5. 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)

6. 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)

7. The reflective practice model (Sergiovanni, 1986)... antecedents theories of practice practice episodes cultural milieu mindscapes intentions theoretical knowledge action platforms actions outcomes craft knowledge self knowledge critical knowledge

8. 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

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

10. An organizational “issue”... • 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”

11. Analogies... : : problems solutions symptoms as : : issue resolution disease

12. : : techniques solutions expertise as : : resolution virtue character

13. Managing and leading... • involves “working”... problems issue as solutions as resolution ...not “reframing” (Bolman & Deal, 1997)

14. by possessing an over-riding concern for... virtue not technique character not expertise

15. and while endeavoring to foster... management and leadership density subservient and acquiescent functionaries not

16. 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”)

17. 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

18. 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

19. Foundational concepts of organizational change...  - Organizational change begins first with self-change  - People formulate organizational problems based upon how they view the world  - Initiating change engenders conflict for which managers/leaders bear responsibility

20. For managers/leaders, change activities include...  - 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  - issue resolution: forging the basis of shared values upon which people can solve problems

21. The four views of reality... Unitary Sensory Social Mythic

22. The unitary view of reality... Unitary

23. Unitary people most enjoy... policies principles rules designs theories belief systems truths clarifications creeds assumptions

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

25. For the unitary worldview, how things happen... Form

26. How the unitary worldview looks upon change... Uncessary

27. The unitary view of reality in action... To put theory and policy into action Unitary design To mobilize energy around a new symbol or belief system To proselytize to a new view inspire convert

28. The sensory view of reality... Sensory

29. Sensory people most enjoy... actions material things behaviors resources facts events data experience objects sensuality

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

31. For the sensory worldview, how things happen... Precedence

32. How the sensory worldview looks upon change... Caused

33. The sensory view of reality in action... To use data to interpret a situation Sensory test To create an idea that brings clarity and meaning to a situation To elicit what matters in a situation induce value

34. The social view of reality... Social

35. Social people most enjoy... values wants feelings motivations preferences ethics what matters attitudes purposes appreciation

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

37. For the social worldview, how things happen... Intention

38. How the social worldview looks upon change... Responsive

39. The social view of reality in action... To change policies to reflect a group’s values To designate and assign resources and responsibilities persuade allocate To co-create ideas and images that reflect values Social evoke

40. The mythic view of reality... Mythic

41. Mythic people most enjoy... visions metaphors ideas dreams symbols inventions meanings inspirations opportunities creations

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

43. For the mythic worldview, how things happen... Creativity

44. How the mythic worldview looks upon change... Willed

45. The mythic view of reality in action... To develop policies that express a vision To put an idea into practice establish realize To get others to value an idea Mythic facilitate

46. 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”...

47. References • Gallie, W. B. (1968). Philosophy and the historical understanding. New York: Schocken Books. • McWhinney, W., Webber, J. B., Smith, D. M. , & Novokowsky, B. J. (1997). Creating paths of change: Managing issues and resolving problems in organizations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. • Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. • Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture. American Psychologist, 45(2), 109-119. • Sergiovanni, T. J. (1986). Understanding reflective practice. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 1(4), 353-359.

48. 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.