how to beat the organization, and take the applause

How to Beat the Organization-and take the Applause

In2In Forum, 10 June 2015

Terry Leers & John Morgan

We will cover:

•Do Organizations care about You?•Why we have organizations; how they fail•You really aren’t alone•Discovering your own worth•Understand how you are measured•Making changes that ‘stick’•Planning to take that bow

Hurdles, Levers and Flags 2

You will go away with…

•Better understanding of organizations•Understand how one org’ views you•Know what you want•Gauge your fit with one that you know•Have begun a personal plan•Know that you are not alone


Three segments

1. Hurdles - Understand the problem

2. Levers - Knowing where to act

3. Flags - Plan around a specific situation


Hurdles Levers Flags

Rule 1: You are driving

•Think of us as your Sat-Nav•We look to you on how fast we move•We will suggest routes to you…•Only your choices count, including how much you share here.



1- HURDLES

What are Organizations, anyway?

Draw one you know without naming it, (2 mins)•Compare ideas (5 mins)•Why do we need organizations?

(Coase) 5 mins


Hurdles

They are made of…

•Tear a sheet of paper into 6 rectangles•Add symbols (flipchart) $ © ∆ etc

•Q: What is your organization composed of?•Vote for as many as you like (5 mins)•Where are the Leaders? (10 mins)•Have you changed your view now? (2 mins)


Hurdles

Contracts...

•Most of us have a formal relationship – Contract; Job Description; Pay etc which are written and automatic things•And an INformal relationship of expectations (Argyris) that transmit verbally and by action•While things are going OK, how does your informal contract operate? (5 mins)

Hurdles

Cultures

Cultures are informal, yet powerful:•‘A pattern of basic beliefs’ Schein•Shared values & beliefs that govern action•‘How we do things here’•Why ways restore after an imposed change•‘What we do when the Boss isn’t directing’•Implication for Projects?


Hurdles

Does the Org care?

•How can we tell? •What do Organizations care about? •Voting (5 mins)•And when things go wrong? (5 mins)•Why is this?•Can you see that it’s not personal?


Hurdles

Progress check

•We have looked at some Hurdles•Now we’ll look at where to begin change


Hurdles Levers

2- LEVERS

• “Give me a lever long enough…and I can move the World.” (Archimedes)

• Smarter than just Brute force, Kicking out, Dirty tricks, or Always Giving in - use Leverage Points (Meadows)

Why?–Can use a much shorter lever–Accurate targeting–Can see the effects?


Levers

Systems

•Ackoff on systems Youtube 0:00 - 6:01•What did Russ say marks a system?•Inter-dependent parts…•Interactions between parts…•Properties of the system…


Levers

Top 5 Leverage Points

1. The power to transcend paradigms2. Mindset…out of which the system, goals,

rules, culture…arises3. The goals of the system4. Distribution of power over the rules of the S.5. The rules of the system (incentives,

punishments, constraints)Q: What will you do differently? (10 mins)


Levers

Red 1$, Blue 1$

•Q: Who has experienced Bill Bellows’ Red Pen, Blue Pen exercise?•We could do it now (30 mins)


Levers

What Organizations do well:

Do wellRealistic principles • - (Hopper & Hopper)•Shared purpose•Commercial success•Prediction•Strong growth•Big spend on R&D•Quality

Do PoorlyMaking change happen•- (Projects; M&A)•Competing purposes•Survival•Historic view (Tribus)•Only coping•Reorganising•Focus on prices


Levers

History

Organizations:•Have been around for 5,000 years•Necessary, so outrageously popular!•Flawed, only as strong as the weakest link•Are here to stay – so we need to learn how to Survive, and Thrive inside•Jot in your personal plan (5 mins)


Levers

‘Great Engine’ companies

‘The Puritan Gift’ (Hopper & Hopper) describes the heyday of US management, and its spread.The Great Engine companies prized:-•Teamwork•Pragmatism•Rectitude•Leadership


Levers

Historic view (Tribus)


Levers

Remember…

•Your value does not decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth. Anon •It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.

Thomas Sowell


Levers

X marks the spot

Now that you know:•How organizations fail•Where to leverQ: Have you changed your view of Org’s?

It’s time to begin your personal road map


Levers

Progress check

•We have looked at the Hurdles•We have identified Levers•Add to the plan again (5 mins)•Next, how to make gains, and surf on success


LeversHurdles Flags

Fair play

•What constitutes ‘good work to do’?(10 mins)•What is a just reward for doing that?(10 mins)


Flags

Theory and Practice

•We need a Theory first, then•Ask a Question•Gather data (usually a small trial)•Form a Plan, before•Action -see (Scherkenbach)•-and then go round again


Flags

Management Learning Cycle


WW Scherkenbach

Flags

3- FLAGS

•What is the purpose of any Flag? (5 mins)•Why do we wave flags?•Does your org’ have flags too? (2 mins)•Are you a ‘company man’?•Do you socialise/play well?


Flags

Personal themes

•What I am good for…•I want…•You (organization) value or need…•Being a part-time Leader•I am helping you to…•Why you should help me•How to gauge benefits


Flags

Influence and Perception

Have you ever met a Superstar?•How do you know anything about them?‘There is no truth. There is only perception.’

Gustave FlaubertCan we change other’s perceptions of us?•Yes they really do matter, all the time


Flags

Wanna be a Star?

Which of these traits might help you? •Selfless giving•Ruthless self-publicist•Being a ‘railway signs’ bore•Targeting decision-makers•Whining•Highlight value from your current actions•Always Being Positive


Flags

Managing perceptions

If perceptions are real…•Who owns them?•How to change them?•Low or high-maintenance


Flags

Choosing a career…

Story of Charles Handy’s son•‘Don’t get yourself a Job, get a Customer’•The moral is:- look for people who value what you can do.


Flags

Who do you need to reach?

•The Boss, or many people?•Networks•Competitors•Family and friends•Prospective customers•Peers•Recruiters


Flags

Back to planning

•Knowing yourself comes first•Realistic reflection is needed•Maybe you ‘Can’t have it all’ at once•You might not like all your answers


Flags

In a hurry to move on?

•Do your homework –is grass really greener?•Check relationships and perceptions•Don’t burn your boats lightly


Flags

You are part of a network

•Where do you want to go? •Folks in the room will help you -just ask•Remember that In2In is global


Flags

Sharing plans -optional

•Put a page on the floor and walk away•Walk round without commenting•Swap ideas (20 mins)•Time to jot down a fresh idea (5 mins)•Recap together on what we have learnt•Tell us…for when we do this again

That’s it folks!


Flags

SOURCES -1

Archimedes (220 BC) - Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1kMHXcs Chris Argyris (1964) Integrating the Individual and the Organization Ronald Coase – Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1Gd3YLA Gustave Flaubert - http://bit.ly/1BPU90P BrainyQuoteDonella Meadows (1999) Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System http://bit.ly/1RQ9XtR Russell Ackoff https://youtu.be/p5xCS0149LY -continued-


Bill Scherkenbach (2013) http://bit.ly/1EbJfFz In2In(Tribus in) Donald Wheeler (2000) ‘Understanding Variation’W Hopper & K Hopper (2009 ) ‘The Puritan Gift’ http://bit.ly/1dpbaJf Bill Bellows Red Pen, Blue Pen http://bit.ly/1G0xKlx

SOURCES -2

Contacting us

Terry Leers [email protected]

John Morgan [email protected] +44 7969 158998



how to beat the organization, and take the applause

Leadership & Management

hurdles levers flags

mins hurdles

system hurdles

specific situation hurdles

flags plan

system incentives

informal contract

automatic things