Human Systems
Everybody knows we live in dynamic, constantly
changing society. Every entrepreneur knows in the end static, passive
organizations won't thrive, possibly even won't survive. How do we make
these organizations dynamic, flexible and agile again? That depends on
your point of view. According to the Taylorian mind it is a scientific
issue. Organizations are rational constructs. So, let us draw the right
model. We define everything in measurable parameters, including
employees. We monitor the numbers. If necessary we adjust specific
numbers. And everything will be fine. To Taylor an organization is a
craftable, managerial system.
From a different point of view an
organization is just an empty, meaningless system, until you start
talking about the people of the organization. Without human beings no
organization, no business.
Maybe because of these different
mindsets there is a confusing misconception of leadership and of
management. Leadership seems to focus on the people, while management
seems to prefer focussing on the system (organization), wherein people
collaborate.
Self Directing 3.3
Writing this post, I
realise that creating Keridwen's Self Directing 3.3 was my response
(more or less rebellious) to the still dominant Taylorian discourse in
Organizational Science. In our complex, fast-moving society we need both
approaches guaranteeing thriving, sustainable organizations.
It's
vital for good governance to approach organizations from the outside,
too. Look at them as rational systems, for making the understanding of
interdependencies inside and outside possible, and making necessary
adjusting successful.
Maybe it's even more vital "getting your
feet wet", focussing on the people keeping the organization alive. There
is far more than meets the eye in the first place. Do System Thinkers
really acknowledge the people? Do Human Thinkers really acknowledge the
system? Everybody has got a blind spot! Professional know organizations
have got there own undercurrents, "things" we don't see, but we do
perceive on a subconscious level. In those organizational undercurrents
the most imminent forces dwell, both threatening and empowering forces.
We can ignore them and stay on the outside, or we can get our feet wet
and make good use of them. It is up to us.
So, no living
organization without people. No sustainable successful organization
without a collaboration between people and system. That's not a new
concept. Since the Fifties of the 20th century most Organizational
Scientists explore diverse perspectives and differing paradigms aiming
for good collaborations. For instance, look at the Agile concept. Quite
a business hype nowadays.
Agile
Agile representatives
stress that Agile is not so much as a fixed set of rules or a fixed
working method, but rather as a way (or style) of thinking, working and
perhaps even a way of living. Agile's Values tell is, that Individuals
and interactions are more important than processes and tools. Working
software more important than comprehensive documentation. Customer
collaboration more important than contract negotiation. Responding to
change more important over following a plan. Sounds great isn't it?
Despite
the great focus on human aspects, the Agile concept is very much a
system and a model. Lots and lots of diagrams, graphs, tables and
flowcharts are used to clarify the Agile philosophy and process.
Naturally the system oriented mindset needs the diagram and flowchart
language to appreciate the beauty of the human approach of Agile. Still,
to me Agile looks like a human oriented concept caught in a system. Too
much system kills the human contribution. The end of creativity and
innovation. What we need is a good collaboration between people and
system.
Organization Jester
Indeed, for sustainable
business successes we have to go back to the people máking the business.
We need to explore the organizational undercurrent. We don't just go
for mainstream knowledge and skills. We look for the minority's wisdom,
too. In the old days the kings kept Jesters at their courts. Jesters
could say anything to their rulers. They saved them from serious
misjudgments and grave mistakes. They told them what they didn't know,
but should know. They shared with them the varied wisdom of all
factions. They preserved them from too much ignorance and arrogance.
Jesters did do that with a smile and a joke, so their rulers didn't take
him too seriously. And they themselves didn't get in to too much
trouble.
For me the organizational Jester stands for the
organizational rebel: different, provocative, confrontational,
abrasive, unsettling, not afraid, creative funny, in short: disruptive.
The Jester helps the boss to cross no man's land between system en
people. He supports the ruler to let human en system collaborate
optimally.
Who is afraid of the Jester?
I hope and wish
that contemporary rulers (ceo's, boards of directors, leaders and
managers, etc., etc.) cherish their organizational Jesters. It helps you
to become a better ruler, a better leading manager (or what so ever).
In my opinion the Jester position should arise organically and
spontaneously. If not, then create a Jester position close by. Even if
the Jesters' remarks are abrasive, embrace them, listen to them, take
them seriously.
Dynamic Human System Collaboration 3.3
Dynamic
Human System Collaboration 3.3 (DHSC 3.3) keeps a prominent position
free for this Jester. Alongside more systemic concepts as Agile and
Lean. In stead of challenging the system, DHSC 3.3 looks for
collaboration. The Jester represents all humans in an organization. De
name Jester has been chosen to stress the potential rebellious,
disruptive and creative input humans are capable of.
Paradoxically
DHSC 3.3 needed to be system model, too. We do need a model to convince
the system thinkers to collaborate, don't we? We need also transcend
the model, in order to convince the people thinkers to collaborate. So I
invented a dynamic tetrahedron.
Both Agile and Lean are part of
the model, because they already try to combine system and people (in
system and in philosophy). Lean focusses on manufacturing and
environment. Agile focusses on product development. Lean goes for
functional sobriety, for as less as redundancy and waste as possible.
Agile supports an effective innovative organization.
From
Keridwen's Self Directing 3.3 derive Jester and Director as part of DHSC
3.3. Keep in mind that Jester refers to all the people inside and
around an organization. Director, is a word I like very much, for its
divergent implications. For example, in "Managing Director" it refers to
organizational leadership and management. On the other hand, "Director"
in "Stage Director" has e very different meaning. As both a business
consultant and stage director myself, I like helping managing directors
to improve their professional performance by using stage director's
insights and skills. The first steps are teaching managing directors to
enlarge their frame of mind adequately by learning how to change
perspectives and how to shift paradigms.
DHSC 3.3 guarantees a
smooth balance between autonomy and customization, between scenario
thinking and improvisation, between scientific designing and human
nature and culture. DHSC 3.3 brings different, agile frames of minds
into organizational systems. DHSC 3.3 stands for collaboration and
co-operation between two worlds, two different professional discourses,
two apparently excluding paradigms.
Straying on new ways
Since
2002 I follow this road myself. Being a guest lecturer on Change
Management and Organizational Development in Higher Education, I started
to shake up a little the world of management and business
administration by lecturing on enlarging the professional frame of
mind. The lecture titles I used, derived from the Self Directing 3.3
concept: The Dance of the Hero, Sentry & Lamppost and The Gordian
Egg. Intending to do as a preached I applied DHSC 3.3 in coaching and
consulting. Often I found that only then the road ahead became visible,
when I started walking. I still do this walking... who dares to stray
will find new ways, isn't it?
Do you want to know more? I would
be happy to accompany you on new professional adventures. Maybe as a
fellow traveller or even as your travelling guide. At least I can tell
you lots of stories and meaningful parables to enlarge your frame of
mind. For stories follow me also "down the rabbit hole": soon a new
story, "Who is afraid of the Jester?", will be told.
Marcel van der Pol
Keridwen