1. Initiating a path of change: Courage and organizational co-evolution MPA 8002 The Structure and Theory of Human Organization Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

2. Creating Paths of Change (McWhinney, Webber, Smith, & Novokowsky, 1997) Effective management/leadership concerns “working the issue”... …that exhibits itself in the many organizational problems engendered by conflict on the action board of play.

3. Discerning what issue to work in the midst of multiple problems... …is the fundamental challenge confronting managers/leaders.

4. This challenge is one that eludes ineffective managers/leaders... …yet serves as the defining agenda for effective managers/leaders.

5. Identifying the issue requires... Intrapersonal knowledge …to know how one views reality …to understand how one’s view impacts the definition of issues and problems.

6. Interpersonal knowledge... …to know how others view reality …to understand how these views impacts how others define organizational issues and problems.

7. Intra- and inter- personal knowledge coalesce... …in a “comprehensive understanding” of the organizational reality …that provides managers/leaders guidance for selecting appropriate tools to include in the organizational change strategy.

8. Accurately reading the organizational reality enables managers/leaders... to examine the organization’s purpose, goals, and values to relate the organization’s purpose, goals, and values to the problems emerging in inter-organizational conflicts to develop a “larger agenda”---the “issue”---that subsumes the problems emerging on the action board

9. Once the issue is identified, successful managers/leaders... use the organizational reality to identify the best paths, modes, and tools of change... …that will “work the issue” …as people learn to “work the problems,” that is, to resolve organizational problems in conflict situations emerging on the action board

10. Elements of a pathway of change... a manager/leader who “works the issue” the people who “work the problems” adequate resources to achieve organizational goals and objectives a “presenting problem” that, as it is worked, will clarify the issue for people so that they can resolve problems for themselves

11. “Working the issue” from four different views...

12. “Working the issue”... …begins with identifying the organizational reality …working that issue to a successful solution …by seizing upon the presenting problem to initiate a pathway of change.

13. Or, conversely... …engaging in self-change so as to define the issue from an alternate reality …to work that issue to a successful solution from that reality …and, then, to seize upon the presenting problem to initiate a pathway of change.

14. Each approach utilizes four different “games” and “boards of play”... Board #1Board #2 Board #5Board #3 power values worldview action

15. …while choosing to neglect two “boards of play”... Board #1Board #2 Board #5Board #3 power values environment worldview truth action

16. 1. The “design” approach... Board #1Board #2 power action

17. …uses the analytic mode of change and its directions... designtest To put theory and policy into action To use data to interpret a situation

18. …in order to get people to “work the problems”... Leadership role and focus: To exercise power in a logical way to achieve established goals Organizing style: Tasks arranged in a meritocratic hierarchy Planning Style: Explicit responsibilities, time, and resource assignments Conflict management: Referee disputes, solve problems, and move forward

19. the manager/leader... …identifies the task …selects the team

20. the team members... …conduct research and collect data …write position paper for manager/leader

21. the manager/leader... …responds to position paper:  approves policy directions  modifies policy directions  rejects policy directions

22. Three tools for designing... design To put theory and policy into action action plan causing effects extracting the qualities

23. The tools of designing... …place a theory, principle, or strategy into practice …to the degree that the theory, principle, or strategy accounts for the context and, to the degree that accurate measurements exist, action steps can foster success

24. test To use data to interpret a situation affinity diagrams reconciling dilemmas SWOTS test Three tools for testing...

25. The tools of testing... …enable contextual theory development …as principles, truths, or theories that fit the context are discovered and insights into organizational functioning arise …allowing for interpretations and prediction about organizational functioning

26. 2. The “conversation” approach... Board #2 Board #3 power values

27. …uses the influential mode of change and its directions... convert persuade To convert group to an establishedtruth To change policies to reflect a group’svalues

28. …in order to get people to “work the problems”... Leadership role and focus: To work politically to effect policies that enable the organization to attain its goals Organizing style: Patriarchal or oligarchic with an emphasis upon committees Planning Style: Protects the power-value status quo by maintaining or radically reforming the game Conflict management: Mediate disputes to solidify the power base around established and valued positions

29. management/leadership... …holds principles and strong views …formulates a strategic plan that translates principles and views into concrete policies

30. management/leadership and organizational members... …hold large-scale meeting …to identify non-negotiables, to highlight differences, and to clarify conflicts

31. management/leadership revises plan...  that reflects sensitivity to the matters discussed at large-scale meeting  while upholding organizational principles

32. Two tools for converting... convert To convert group to an establishedtruth getting the message scenario

33. The tools of converting... …attempt to get other people to accept an established worldview including its fundamental truths, values, beliefs, and assumptions …by transforming preferences and values into principles, beliefs, and truths

34. Three tools for persuading... persuade To change policies to reflect a group’svalues beyond disruption psuedo-quotes value synergizing

35. The tools of persuading... …introduces new rules and changes existing rules …to inculcate one group’s values into the members of the broader organization

36. 3. The “allocative” approach... Board #1 Board #3 values action

37. …uses an evaluative mode of change and its directions... allocate value To elicit what matters in a situation To designate and assign resources and responsibilities

38. …in order to get people to “work the problems”... Leadership role and focus: To allocate and align resources properly to optimize outcomes Organizing style: Functionally responsive to the participants’ desires Planning Style: Optimization through equalization the assignment of work and benefits over time Conflict management: Negotiate with participants to identify win-win values and to inculturate them

39. the manager/leader... …forms a small, cross-functional team (populated predominantly with sensory and social types) to survey people’s attitudes and to submit report

40. the team members... …devise survey …administer survey …collate data …interpret data …write report …submit report

41. The manager/leader...  publicly thanks team and applauds its work  reviews report  develops a policy scheme that is responsive to the needs and values identified in report  announces new policy scheme

42. Four tools for valuing... value To elicit what matters in a situation dialogue force field analysis stakeholder wheel story telling

43. The tools of valuing... …surfaces and clarifies the values currently driving the organizational context …by taking facts and events as “givens” and ascertaining what really matters in the situation in which people currently find themselves

44. Two tools for allocating... allocate To designate and assign resources and responsibilities moving to where it matters resource allocation

45. The tools of allocating... …enable a fair distribution of organizational resources and assignment of tasks …and through shared involvement, ensures group commitment to action

46. 4. The “evocative” approach... Board #5Board #3 values worldview

47. …uses the emergent mode of change and its directions... facilitateevoke To get others to value an idea To co-create ideas or images that reflect values

48. …in order to get people to “work the problems”... Leadership role and focus: To co-create valued images using the participants’ energy and skills Organizing style: Functionally open and flexible as well as socially supportive Planning Style: Expansive, search-oriented efforts to seize advantages afforded by opportunities Conflict management: Explore possible solutions by creatively reframing rather than solving problems

49. the manager/leader... …forms a small, cross-functional team that balances the mythic and social views …gathers team for a weekend working session

50. the team... …formulates an image of the ideal work situation …team identifies concrete policies that apply ideal image of work situation

51. The manager/leader...  publicly thanks team and applauds its work  accepts report under advisement  reports team’s work to organization  after an appropriate interval, announces the implementation of the new policy scheme

52. Two tools for facilitating... facilitate To get others to value an idea co-generation innovation process

53. The tools of facilitating... …engender group commitment to an idea, image, or program …by affecting the motives, attitudes, and values of those involved …“power” resides in ideas and their ability to change personal values and to attract commitment

54. Three tools for evoking... evoke To co-create ideas or images that reflect values core of intent mind mapping search conference

55. The tools of evoking... …enable a group to co-create ideas and images that symbolize their values …as group members ask: “Given what matter to us, what do we wish to create?”

56. For managers/leaders, creating a pathway of change requires... courage for a journey …to create a solution to organizational issue while recognizing that there is no guarantee that any pathway will be successful and that one bears responsibility for the choice made.

57. Courage is a personal response to paradox... to see reality as it is: managers/leaders need to be conscious of the alternatives... to act: to assert one pathway as the foundation from which to move forward possibilities choice

58. action with an awareness that one’s choice of pathway engenders action...

59. actionconflict and that action along the pathway will lead to conflict...

60. Successful managers/leaders... keep their eyes on the issue as on a (moving) target …while dealing with the problems engendered by subversive individuals and groups who use conflict to destablize the organization as a system.

61. The intended outcome of greatest importance is… …the adoption of a path …and the shared awareness that this path is “our” path to resolve “our” problems and conflicts …as these arise in human interactions.

62. For McWhinney (1992) organizational change, then, isn’t really about change... co-evolution as much as it is about co-evolution between leaders and followers …as energy is transferred back and forth in conflict situations …as people in conflict clarify views, conventionalize actions, and reaffirm substantive values accord …and people engaged in conflict are brought into accord.

63. This module has focused on... Initiating a pathway of change Initiating a pathway of change, featuring the primary choices confronting organizational managers/leaders as problems emerge. The choice of the best pathway requires courage, which enables managers/leaders to “work the organizational issue” by enabling followers to “work the organizational problems.”

64. References McWhinney, W. (1992). Paths of change: Strategic choices for organizations and society. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. McWhinney, W., Webber, J. B., Smith, D. M., & Novokowsky, B. J. (1997). Creating paths of change: Managing issues and resolving problems in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.