CONTROLLED AND UNCONTROLLED VARIABLES ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE, POLITICS AND PERSONALITY

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1 Business Continuity Week 2011 Presentation by Siebert Neethling of Bendelta March 2011 CONTROLLED AND UNCONTROLLED VARIABLES ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE, POLITICS AND PERSONALITY

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12 Images of 2011 Queensland floods Christchurch earthquake Revolution in Egypt Uprisings in Libya Other Middle East and North African unrest Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan Fukushima nuclear plant. Ten years ago

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31 145 km

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33 April 1961

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41 October 1962

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46 Groupthink Groups agree to pursue goals to which individual members don t agree Caused by Cohesiveness Strong leader Insulation from outside information Unquestioned belief in inherent morality of the group Shared stereotypes of out-group, particularly opponents Self censorship Illusion of unanimity Mindguards protecting group from negative information.

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49 This example of a group not functioning optimally, and not making the best decisions possible, is best explained in terms of culture, politics and personality Controlled and uncontrolled variables: organisational culture, politics and personality.

50 Other types of dysfunctional groups Group-think is just one typical group problem Groups where there s no commonality between individuals Groups where there are two factions Groups with an in-crowd and others Groups that are too people focused Groups that are too task focused Busy groups without direction Groups still going through the developmental stages of forming, storming and norming.

51 Because groups consist of individuals, diversity is an asset only if collaboration is hard-wired into both the formal and the informal culture of the group.

52 Diversity Obvious differences in age, gender, culture Philosophical differences related to religious persuasion, political orientation, ethics and beliefs Personality differences.

53 Meredith Belbin s team role model In a team we all have functional roles and team roles Functional roles are determined by your job description and your title, by your skills or by the job needs of the group Team roles are determined by propensity to behave and interrelate with others in a certain way.

54 Belbin s roles 1. Coordinator 2. Driver 3. Originator 4. Completer-finisher 5. Team worker 6. Monitor-evaluator 7. Implementer 8. Resource investigator.

55 Key point All roles have strengths All roles have weaknesses Differentiate between: Unallowable weaknesses Allowable weaknesses.

56 Roles (examples) Drivers Effective in achieving outcomes But sometimes impatient, irritable and hurried in decisionmaking At worst: assume more authority than the role warrants and steamroll dissenters Originators Imagination, intellect, knowledge, inventiveness But sometimes show disregard for protocol and practicality, up in the clouds At worst: could shut down if ideas not followed.

57 Monitor-evaluator Discretion, prudence and good judgment But sometimes hard-headed and unable to motivate others At worst unprepared to consider new ideas Completer-finisher Capacity for follow-through, perfectionism But sometimes reluctant to let go At worst intolerant of non-completer-finishers and lowers group morale.

58 How do we manage this level of diversity? Understand the strengths of each stakeholder. Respect those strengths. Draw on them Manage allowable weaknesses, don t correct them Do not accept unallowable weaknesses. Deal with these with the normal processes of the organization Understand your own strengths and weaknesses. Encourage others to fill your areas of weakness.

59 The other roles are also important In a team we all have functional roles and team roles Functional roles are determined by your job description and your title, by your skills or by the job needs of the group

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65 Functional conflict Jet pilots and desk pilots Brewers and procurement managers Development managers and property managers Doctors and administrators Architects and builders Accountants and operations Manufacturing and design Business continuity managers and

66 The formal and informal organisation Formal organisation Visible rules, procedures and defined roles Informal organisation Invisible control over issues and agendas Conflicting interests of individuals and groups.

67 Conflicting interests are not necessarily negative as long as the conflict is not dysfunctional Traditional view: conflict is harmful and must be avoided Interactionist view: conflict is absolutely necessary for a group to remain viable, self-critical and creative If two members of a team always agree, one of them is unnecessary Functional conflict supports the goals of the group and improves its performance Dysfunctional conflict hinders group performance.

68 Collaboration doesn t just happen It takes effort and application to generate an atmosphere of collaboration Like any worth-while human endeavour, this requires thoughtful consideration and preparation You must really want to collaborate.

69 Blake & Mouton s cooperativeness-assertiveness framework Cooperativeness Concern for other s outcomes HIGH Accommodation Collaboration Compromise Avoidance Competition LOW Assertiveness Concern for own outcomes HIGH

70 Cooperativeness Concern for other s outcomes HIGH Low importance to you High importance to other Accommodation Motivated to please High satisfaction for other LOW Assertiveness Concern for own outcomes HIGH

71 Cooperativeness Concern for other s outcomes Own high satisfaction HIGH Pre-emptive assertive Aggressive-defensive Damage future relations Not good for longterm relationships Competition LOW Assertiveness Concern for own outcomes HIGH

72 Cooperativeness Concern for other s outcomes HIGH Collaboration High self-concern by both parties High concern for other s needs by both parties Works well with the motivated and emotionally intelligent Time consuming and difficult LOW Assertiveness Concern for own outcomes HIGH

73 Cooperativeness Concern for other s outcomes HIGH Moderate concern at both levels Both parties moderately satisfied Moderately efficient Compromise LOW Assertiveness Concern for own outcomes HIGH

74 Cooperativeness-assertiveness framework Cooperativeness Concern for other s outcomes DEVELOP HIGH Accommodation Collaboration Compromise Avoidance Competition LOW CULTIVATE Assertiveness Concern for own outcomes HIGH

75 Achieving successful collaboration 1. Develop and demonstrate concern for the other party s outcomes Knowledge View the situation from the perspective of the other person (empathy) Take time to build relationships (Merrill and Covey s Quadrant 2) 2. Cultivate concern for your own outcomes Generate positive observer bias Prepare Disconfirm negative expectancy 3. Model the right behaviour Be inclusive Act in support of the genuine interests of the business 4. Be resilient Sustain motivation for eventual understanding.

76 Culture change Culture change happens in three ways (Alvesson 2002): Grand technocratic project Intentional large-scale transformation Top-down Well resourced, high symbolism and public communication Organic social movement Not centrally driven Groups revise thinking spontaneously Gradual change, usually following societal change Everyday reframing More relevant for vast majority of situations Influence through re-shaping of ideas, values and meaning Related to material work situations: action-implications Incremental.

77 Controlled and uncontrolled variables: organisational culture, politics and personality You have a role to play in controlling (influencing) the many variables. Be an agent of culture change: Develop and demonstrate concern for the other party s outcomes Cultivate concern for your own outcomes Model the right behaviour Be resilient.

78 Final thought about resilience and perseverance

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80 THANK YOU Siebert Neethling Principal Consultant Bendelta