Context, Context, Context

How Our Blindness to Context Cripples Even the Smartest Organizations

Barry Oshry

• Publisher: Triarchy Press
• ISBN:
  9781911193296
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Organisational Development
• Index: Business

Barry Oshry explains the problem with organizational structures in this dialogue between two consultants about a change initiative. A guide to Systems Thinking for organizations, it's as engaging and helpful as any business book you've ever read. Give it to team leaders, trainers, HR people, managers and chief execs and transform your organization.

Chapter 1: THE PLAN

SHE:

Dynamics Unlimited had been a successful company since its founding 15+ years ago. In the last couple of years, however, the company has experienced a severe downturn resulting from a variety of events and conditions: disruptive competition, new technology, changing workforce demographics, globalization, and unpredictable patterns of governmental regulations.

HE:

A familiar story.

SHE:

Yes, and a recent organizational survey revealed what everyone already knew: low employee engagement, distrust of management, insecurity, rapid employee turnover, low morale, and widespread customer dissatisfaction.

HE:

And your assignment was to turn this ship around?

SHE:

Actually, no, not at first anyway.

HE:

Please explain.

SHE:

Well, the Tops had an emergency meeting.

HE:

With everyone?

SHE:

No, just Tops. Enough is enough. We need to restore our excellence. That was the message.

HE:

And the next question was How?

Enter THE PLAN

SHE:

The Tops interviewed several consulting firms. One offered what the Tops felt was an intriguing possibility – called THE PLAN. They assured the Tops that THE PLAN was the key to achieving DU’s goal: Renewed Excellence! DU was in dismal shape; THE PLAN promised hope, so a desperate Top team gave it a try.

HE:

I’ve never heard of THE PLAN.

SHE:

Allow me to describe it.

THE PLAN for total system empowerment

SHE:

According to THE PLAN, all organizations, in fact all human systems, are organic entities engaging with ever-changing environments. In these environments, there are dangers to be avoided and opportunities to be taken advantage of. The fundamental business of all such systems is to survive in their environments and, if possible, thrive by successfully coping with dangers and prospecting among opportunities.

A system in an environment of dangers and opportunities

HE:

Surviving and thriving. Coping and prospecting. Sounds like lyrics for a country song.

SHE:

With too many unhappy outcomes.

HE:

Tell me more.

SHE:

THE PLAN is based on the idea that each part of a system – Top,

Middle, Bottom, and Customer – because of its position, has a unique contribution it can make to the system’s ability to survive and thrive.

Shapers, Producers, Integrators, Validators

SHE:

According to THE PLAN, the system needs Tops to function as SYSTEM SHAPERS, Workers as SYSTEM PRODUCERS, Middles as SYSTEM INTEGRATORS, and Customers as SYSTEM VALIDATORS.

When all this is happening, excellence is sure to follow.

HE:

When all of this is happening.

SHE:

That is the point.

Tops as System SHAPERS

SHE:

According to THE PLAN, Tops are uniquely positioned to function as the SHAPERS of the system. They do this by looking outward, scanning DU’s environment: What are the dangers out there, present and emerging? And what are the possibilities, the opportunities, to be taken advantage of? And the Tops shape the system by looking inward, seeing that the system has the structure, processes, and resources for coping with the dangers and prospecting among possible opportunities.

HE:

So, as I understand it, this isn’t necessarily what Tops do; it’s what they can do.

SHE:

Exactly. Given their unique position, this is the contribution Tops can make to DU’s ability to survive and thrive: Be the system’s SHAPERS.

HE:

A reasonable goal.

SHE:

We’ll see.

Workers as System PRODUCERS

SHE:

Workers are uniquely positioned to function as system PRODUCERS. As PRODUCERS, Workers are the expert resources regarding work, applying their creative energies to the work of the system, being responsible for the quality of work, finding ways of improving work, working closely with DU’s customers. This is the unique contribution Workers can make to DU’s ability to survive and thrive.

HE:

So this is more than simply showing up for work and doing your job.

SHE:

Exactly. This is about being the expert responsible force for how work is done in the o...