Transformational Thinking

1
Transformational Thinking The Organization

• Lecture VI
• SOWO 804 Organizational and Community Behavior

2
The Current Paradigm Shift

• The world approaching a turning point?
• A massive shift in the perception of reality?
• The shift is from Newtonian view of universe to
  one based on quantum mechanics
• Moving away form mechanistic thinking toward a
  holistic model ?
• What does this all have to do with organizational
  theory? (good question!)
• (Banner Gagne 1995 Capra 1982)

3
Three Assumptions of Mechanistic Thought

• 1. There exists a fundamental level of reality
  which is governed by certain immutable laws.
• 2. These laws should be applicable to larger
  structures. In fact, we believe they are
  universal.
• 3. Researchers are considered separate from
  the experiments they are conducting. They
  produce objective descriptions of what they
  observe.
• (Banner Gagne, 1995)

4
Origins of Transformational Thought

• T-Groups Introduced concept of group dynamics.
  If culture is not supportive of certain behaviors
  then those behaviors disappear.
• Human Potential Movement Being all you can be?
• Self-Help Philosophies Empire building. (Dr.
  Phil? Deepak Chopra?).
• But are these developments a sign that
• Newtonian thoughts days are numbered?

5
Setting up the Challenge

• The Contender Industrial Era Thought
• Assumption 1 Everything is separate from
  everything else. The universe is machine-like,
  its parts can be controlled.
• Assumption 2 The parts influence the whole. If
  one part breaks, the whole must fix it. Each
  part is separate from other parts.
• Assumption 3 The world is external. It simply
  exists as perceived. Our job is to manipulate
  objective reality to our advantage.

• The Challenger Transformational Thought
• Assumption 1 Everything (and they mean
  everything) is inseparable. All things influence
  each other.
• Assumption 2 The whole (life?) organizes the
  parts. There is design and control inherent in
  life itself.
• Assumption 3 We are co-creators with life. What
  we see as reality is created in our
  consciousness. We make it real through
  manifestation. Reality is consensual.

(Banner Gagne, 1995)
6
The Challenge Continues

• The Contender Industrial Era Thought
• Assumption 4 Life is hostile to humans. We must
  manipulate lifes circumstances in order to
  achieve success (in title and market based
  terms).
• Assumption 5 We are not experiencing paradigm
  shift. Self-centeredness is a natural part of the
  human condition, it will never be otherwise.
  There are problems in the world, but it is the
  advanced human mind and technology that will
  solve them.

• The Challenger Transformational Thought
• Assumption 4 By aligning ourselves with the laws
  of life we will achieve rewards that are in line
  with creation (harmony and integration).
• Assumption 5 The paradigm is shifting. We must
  abandon self-serving thought and align ourselves
  with the purposes of the whole. The problems of
  environmental degradation, racial inequality, and
  poverty will only be solved by transformation.

(Banner Gagne, 1995)
7
Implications for Organizations

• Assumption 1 Everything is inseparable. All
  things influence each other.
• Implication Adopting transformational model
  requires realization that an organization is part
  of a larger social fabric. Everything it does
  effects everything else.
• Examples
• Ben and Jerrys 15 of pretax profit to
  charity. Ecological harmony.
• Swissair Putting management in customers shoes.
• (Banner Gagne, 1995)

8
Implications Continued

• Assumption 2 The whole organizes the parts.
  There is design and control inherent in life
  itself.
• Implication Reality is a series of whole within
  wholes. Life is organized into discrete forms of
  energy, each a whole unto itself.
• Example Organizations, as part of society,
  react and conform to consumer preference,
  competition, international climate, etc.
• (Banner Gagne, 1995)

9
Implications

• Assumption 3 We are co-creators with life. What
  we see as reality is created in our
  consciousness. We make it real through
  manifestation. Reality is consensual.
• Implication Organizations are just one of many
  forms created through consensual agreement.
  Organizations might be better off if we let the
  design of life to create them?
• Example Golden Age on Earth? Evidence abounds?
• (Banner Gagne, 1995)

10
Implications

• Assumption 4 By aligning ourselves with the laws
  of life we will achieve rewards that in line with
  creation (harmony and integration).
• Implication Each organization is a smaller
  version of the larger economy and is intimately
  connected to it. A rhythmic market? Go with the
  flow?
• Example Ben and Jerrys stock options and
  commitment to charity.
• (Banner Gagne, 1995)

11
Implications

• Assumption 5 The paradigm is shifting. We must
  abandon self-serving thought and align ourselves
  with the purposes of the whole. The problems of
  environmental degradation, racial inequality, and
  poverty will only be solved by transformation.
• Implication Unanticipated paradigm shifts can
  sink an organization.
• Example Swiss watch industry.
• (Banner Gagne, 1995)

12
Banner Gagne Attempt to Explain Why
Some organizations are
centralized hierarchical formalized bureaucr
atic depersonalizing
Others are decentralized fluid flexible adap
tive empowering
13
The Explanation is That . . .
Decentralized fluid flexible adaptive empowering
ORGANIZATIONS are created by whole-centered matu
re responsible PEOPLE
Centralized hierarchical formalized bureaucratic d
epersonalizing ORGANIZATIONS are created
by ego-driven, fearful effect-oriented PEOPLE
14
Banner Gagne attempt to demonstrate that The
METAMODEL or new paradigm organizational
form originates in the beliefs, attitudes and
values of individuals therefore, to change
organizational form, there must be changes in the
beliefs, attitudes and values of individuals
15
The old paradigm focuses on STRUCTURES AND
STRATEGIES
The old paradigm includes the assumption
that change begins at the level of external
form. To improve the organization, externals
must be manipulated.
16

• What are the essential beliefs, attitudes, and
  values of mature people who are able to create
  fluid, adaptive, empowering organizations?
• Wholeness already exists. Everything is related
  to everything
• else.
• What does this say about the presupposition of
• disconnectedness and competition that permeates
• our society?
• Harmony and balance result from the willingness
  to yield to
• lifes design. Havoc is created by human
  striving and
• goal-oriented action.
• What does this imply about the strictly
  outcomes-based approach
• frequently characteristic of contemporary social
  services?

17

• What are the essential beliefs, attitudes and
  values of mature
• people
• Human mental and emotional capacities are the
  channels
• through which the design of life can be made
  manifest
• in the world of form.
• Flexible organizations are created by an
  agreement of the
• collective mind (thoughts and emotional forms
  shared by
• those who are open to the design of life).
• How may this idea be of practical help to
  create psychological
• ownership of an organizations mission by
  that organizations
• employees?

18
The promise of one nation, indivisible and the
dismantling of the social contract
The perspective of Bill Moyers
(From his speech at the Take Back America
Conference, June 4, 2003)
19
The main story within U. S. history the
struggle to determine whether we, the people is
a spiritual idea embedded in a political
realityone nation, indivisibleor merely a
charade masquerading as piety and manipulated by
the powerful and privileged to sustain their own
way of life at the expense of others.
20
The struggle against privilege and oligarchy the
progressive movement

• The Populists (1890s)
• The Social Reformers (1900-1915)
• The New Deal (1930s)
• The Great Society (1960s)

21
The past 25 years Dismantling the Social Contract
The challenge of an effective movement
to convert public concern and hostility into a
crusade to resurrect social Darwinism as a moral
philosophy, multinational corporations as a
governing class, and the theology of markets as a
transcendental belief system
. . . public services, when privatized, serve
only those who can afford them and weaken the
sense that we all rise and fall together as one
nation, indivisible.