complexity theory: coaching in a complex environment
DESCRIPTION
Coaching is an effective practice, which can be used to influence many things in the modern organizations – ranging from individual’s performance to the functioning of teams and larger parts of the organizations. However, the concept of coaching itself is quite abstract and can include wide range of approaches. The way the social organizations are seen has many implications of how to think about the practice of organizational development and coaching. In this session, the different teleological assumptions, G.H.Mead’s philosophy and the modern approach of social constructionism to process consultation are used as sense-makers to build understanding of how coaches, process consultants and organizational developers could approach the complex organizations. Theoretical background of the presentation is based on the work of authors such as G.H.Mead, Norbert Elias, Ralph C. Stacey, Douglas Griffin, Patricia Shaw, Tom Andersen and John Shotter. The presentation seeks to form a dialogue between the different viewpoints that are used to make sense of the complex organizations by utilizing practical experiences coming from large-scale organizational transformation projects. Session is intended to all the people interested in complexity & coaching – especially for coaches, process consultants and people responsible for the organizational development activities.TRANSCRIPT
Organizational Development in Complex Environment – Causality Assumptions
Ari-Pekka Skarp www.skarpconsulting.fi/LESS2011.html
Purpose of the presentation
© 2011 Ari-Pekka Skarp | www.skarpconsulting.fi 2
Causality Assumptions
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Is the movement
towards the future that is
known or unknown?
Is there outside observer
controlling the phenomenon?
Efficient Causality
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The movement towards the
future is stable and predictable without any
notion of self-organization.
Interaction of the parts in a phenomenon
isn’t considered to be
significant.
Rationalist Causality
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Movement towards the
future is towards a known state,
chosen by rational human
being.
The rational theory exists before the
chosen action. As all the
changes are due to human choice, there
isn’t any notion of self-organization.
“Motivating” staff with Efficient & Rationalist Causality
© 2011 Ari-Pekka Skarp | www.skarpconsulting.fi
Introvert
Likes money
Extrovert
Public recognition
Neurotic Shame
Challenges
Feelings
Carrot & stick
Discipline
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Formative Causality
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The movement is produced by self-organizing interaction of
the parts towards that
pre-given form.
The system “as a whole” is
moving towards a known, pre-determined
final form or more mature form of itself.
“Growing” teams with Formative & Rationalist Causality
© 2011 Ari-Pekka Skarp | www.skarpconsulting.fi
Setting boundaries: Job roles, trainings, company values, location, goals & roadmaps, leaders, incentive targets, metrics & measurements, purpose of the team…
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“Growing” teams with Formative & Rationalist Causality
© 2011 Ari-Pekka Skarp | www.skarpconsulting.fi
Diversity: Different job roles, projects, competence areas, work tasks, ethnicity, education, experiences, cross-functionality…
ScrumMaster
Project Mgr Product Owner
Test Eng
UX Designer Epic Owner
Test Lead
Quality Eng
Line Mgr
Coach
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Transformative Causality
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The movement is towards an
unknown state. There is a
possibility for continuity and transformation
of the identities.
Logic: “either…or”, “both…and”
à “at the same
time”
Gesture is at the same time
constraining and enabling
different possibilities for the responses.
Emergence of a team in Transformative Causality
© 2011 Ari-Pekka Skarp | www.skarpconsulting.fi
Inclusion
Responses
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Turn-taking
Analogies from the Complexity Sciences
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End of the presentation … or is it ?
© 2011 Ari-Pekka Skarp | www.skarpconsulting.fi
“Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind.” -Morpheus, “The Matrix”
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www.skarpconsulting.fi/LESS2011.html