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

1. Working the issue:A six-tier game of organizational change MPA 8002 Organization Theory Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

2. McWhinney et al. (1997) maintain 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.

3. Envision a six-tier 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

4. “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)

5. the foundational game... action where problems arise structural problems human resources problems political problems symbolic/cultural problems (Bolman & Deal, 2008)

6. Board #1: The game of action To be the most competent player within the framework of the established rules The goals of the game Playing the game To make expert moves that earn the most points Winning the game To exercise control of the rules through skill, expertise, or a combination of both The mode of change Analytic: designing or testing reality

7. overshadowing this foundation at a superordinate level... power how problems are dealt with coercive remunerative normative (Simon, 1945)

8. Board #2: The game of power To create advantage for exercise on Board #1 The goals of the game Playing the game 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 Winning the game The mode of change Assertive: establishing or inspiring

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

10. exerting influence upon the exercise of power and action at a superordinate level... values how problems are defined antecedents  theories of practice  organizational culture

11. Board #3: The game of values To set the values defining play on Boards #1 & #2 The goals of the game Playing the game To work on the ethical and human relations issues involved in problems Winning the game To create a value base that will become implicit in organizational policy The mode of change Influential: persuading or converting

12. Values exert authority... 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 power action

13. implicit in and exerting influence upon value-based authority is an... environment externally-driven defining perspectives  competition for scarce resources number of competitors turbulence caused by change (Emery & Trist, 1965; Lawrence & Lorsch, 1967; Pfeffer & Salancik, 1978)

14. Board #4: The game of the environment To clarify the change forces that players on Boards #1 - #3 must contend with The goals of the game Playing the game To motivate personnel to change values and behavior in light of new factors Winning the game To communicate, bargain, and allocate scarce organizational resources The mode of change Evaluative: valuing and allocating

15. 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. environment values power action

16. operative behind the environment is a... worldview milieu defining perspectives educational background social background religious background economic background historical background

17. Board #5: The game of the worldview To explore opportunities and heretofore unthought of possibilities The goals of the game Playing the game To create innovative designs and novel approaches that unleash new potentials Winning the game To “play effectively” with “playing around” The mode of change Inventive: inducing and realizing

18. worldview milieu defining perspectives externally-driven defining perspectives environment values guidelines for action power how problems are dealt with action where problems arise

19. framing how people interpret reality... truth a substantive vision provides meaning and purpose  rooted in culture and perdures beyond individuals  abstract, needing to be made concrete in human experience

20. Board #6: The game of truth To enhance the depth of meaning experienced within the human spirit The goals of the game Playing the game 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 Winning the game The mode of change Emergent: facilitating and evoking

21. truth ideas about the good worldview milieu defining perspectives externally-driven defining perspectives environment values  principles for action power how problems are dealt with action where problems arise

22. What is implicit in an individual’s “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 worldview environment values power action

23. truth Organizational change involves... worldview • self-change... environment …confronting one’s antecedents …considering alternative views of reality values …pushing beyond one’s comfortable status quo power …engaging others in self-change action

24. truth worldview • in order that... environment values power action

25. The challenge for managers and 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

26. Some implications: “games playing” 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. This module has focused on... Envisioning organization change as“Working 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...

30. References • Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. • 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 • Lawrence, P. R., & Lorsch, J. W. (1967). Organization and environment. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

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

32. 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.