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In his 1997 article published in the journal 'Organizational
Dynamics', Alan Frohman describes 4 types of organizations. This article
provides a discussion of some of the points he raises.
The first type of organization is the 'Autocracy'. Autocracies are ruled by CEOs that want to control everything that happens. Staff are expected to obey the rules and conform to the policies handed down from above. Innovation and creative thinking are not prized. Workers recognise their lack of influence; a fact welcomed by those who would prefer not to take responsibility for corporate outcomes. Rules and expectations are handed down from the CEO, as are rewards and punishments aimed at producing conformity. The 'good workers' are those who give the boss what he expects.
The 'Meritocracy' is characterised by 3 'C's: calculate, control, and conform. These organizations are not controlled by one autocrat, but they are characterised by strict rules and expectations. Persistence is valued over innovation, workers' responsibilities are clearly spelled out in a variety of documents, and there are policies and procedures for everything. Meritocracies prize efficiency. Everything is analysed and reported on. The 'good workers' are efficient conformers.
The 'Social Club' values teamwork above almost everything else. Everyone is in at least one team. Every decision is discussed and there are meetings for everything. Although this may sound 'democratic', there is a compelling pressure to conform. People who display independent thought are not considered 'team players'. Organizations of this type are highly inefficient and are often characterised by too much talk and too little action.
The fourth type is the 'Balanced Organization'. There is clear vision and acceptance of common goals throughout the organization. People are encouraged to take initiative, take some risks, and take responsibility for their actions. What the individual worker does is considered important and, although teamwork is supported, achieving shared goals is more important than teamwork. One of the workers in a 'Balanced Organization' commented, "We emphasise resourcefulness, not resources here" (p. 51). Frohman describes people this organization wants to hire as, "people who have shown initiative; who are curious, sceptical, and inquisitive; and who indicate that they want to learn and grow rather than master one thing and do it well over and over again....people who are independent, with a logical yet flexible approach to situations, and with drive." (p. 51) They want to hire people with change readiness!
What does this suggest about how well these 4 types of organizations could manage change? Which type do you think would be most adaptable? Certainly, they would all have their strengths and limitations, and it all depends on the type of change they have to make. The Autocracy could really struggle if the CEO has to move too far out of his comfort (and experience) zone. The Meritocracy would struggle if it couldn't agree on appropriate policy changes and SOPs. The Social Club could easily get so bogged down in meetings and settling on a course of action they could completely miss the boat.
Arguably, the Balanced Organization is likely to handle change best, particularly change that is complex and challenging. They value innovation and initiative, not just at the top, but distributed throughout the organization. They are more interested in solutions than obedience, consensus, or conformity. You are more likely to find people with change readiness strengths working in Balanced Organizations - not only because their strengths are more valued and utilised, but also because people with change readiness are more likely to be hired in the first place.
So what kind of organization do you work in?
Steve Barlow
The first type of organization is the 'Autocracy'. Autocracies are ruled by CEOs that want to control everything that happens. Staff are expected to obey the rules and conform to the policies handed down from above. Innovation and creative thinking are not prized. Workers recognise their lack of influence; a fact welcomed by those who would prefer not to take responsibility for corporate outcomes. Rules and expectations are handed down from the CEO, as are rewards and punishments aimed at producing conformity. The 'good workers' are those who give the boss what he expects.
The 'Meritocracy' is characterised by 3 'C's: calculate, control, and conform. These organizations are not controlled by one autocrat, but they are characterised by strict rules and expectations. Persistence is valued over innovation, workers' responsibilities are clearly spelled out in a variety of documents, and there are policies and procedures for everything. Meritocracies prize efficiency. Everything is analysed and reported on. The 'good workers' are efficient conformers.
The 'Social Club' values teamwork above almost everything else. Everyone is in at least one team. Every decision is discussed and there are meetings for everything. Although this may sound 'democratic', there is a compelling pressure to conform. People who display independent thought are not considered 'team players'. Organizations of this type are highly inefficient and are often characterised by too much talk and too little action.
The fourth type is the 'Balanced Organization'. There is clear vision and acceptance of common goals throughout the organization. People are encouraged to take initiative, take some risks, and take responsibility for their actions. What the individual worker does is considered important and, although teamwork is supported, achieving shared goals is more important than teamwork. One of the workers in a 'Balanced Organization' commented, "We emphasise resourcefulness, not resources here" (p. 51). Frohman describes people this organization wants to hire as, "people who have shown initiative; who are curious, sceptical, and inquisitive; and who indicate that they want to learn and grow rather than master one thing and do it well over and over again....people who are independent, with a logical yet flexible approach to situations, and with drive." (p. 51) They want to hire people with change readiness!
What does this suggest about how well these 4 types of organizations could manage change? Which type do you think would be most adaptable? Certainly, they would all have their strengths and limitations, and it all depends on the type of change they have to make. The Autocracy could really struggle if the CEO has to move too far out of his comfort (and experience) zone. The Meritocracy would struggle if it couldn't agree on appropriate policy changes and SOPs. The Social Club could easily get so bogged down in meetings and settling on a course of action they could completely miss the boat.
Arguably, the Balanced Organization is likely to handle change best, particularly change that is complex and challenging. They value innovation and initiative, not just at the top, but distributed throughout the organization. They are more interested in solutions than obedience, consensus, or conformity. You are more likely to find people with change readiness strengths working in Balanced Organizations - not only because their strengths are more valued and utilised, but also because people with change readiness are more likely to be hired in the first place.
So what kind of organization do you work in?
Steve Barlow
Steve Barlow has a PhD in change readiness and is Director of
Redequip, an organizational change management and training company in
Australia. Article Source:
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