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)...

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...

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...

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
practice episodes
mindscapes
intentions
action platforms
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”...

those recurring and frustrating
“glitches” and “snafus” impeding
smooth organizational functioning
…that hinder the process of
achieving the organization’s
goals
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”
Analogies...
problems
: solutions
: symptoms
as
issue
: resolution :
disease
solutions
: techniques : expertise
as
resolution
:
virtue
: character
Managing and leading...

involves “working”...
problems
as
issue
solutions
as
resolution
...not “reframing” (Bolman & Deal, 1997)

by possessing an over-riding
concern for...
virtue
not
technique
character
not
expertise

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...
 - 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
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
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
To put
theory and
policy into
action
convert
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
To co-create
ideas and
images that
reflect values
persuade
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
facilitate
To put an
idea into
practice
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, 2132.
 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.