Designing, Developing and Staffing

High Performance Organizations

Summer Term, 2006

Thomas Foard, Ph.D.

Welcome

Plan for Tonight

Introductions
Basic Assumptions
Review of Objectives
Theoretical Biases

Who Am I

Director, Centers for Professional

Development
Provide non-credit professional training

Leadership
Information Technology
Professional Engineering
Quality

Background/ Experience

Trained in clinical neuropsychology and behavioural

medicine
Transitioned to organizational psychology
Consultant Organizational Psychologist
VP Human Resources

Small High Tech Manufacture

Major Canadian Mining Company

Senior Executive In Two Training and Development

Organizations
Certified by Center for Creative Leadership to
deliver the Leadership Development Program

Class Introductions

Talk to three other people for two minutes each.

Determine as many things as possible that you
have in common
I will announce when it is time to change
After exercise is complete, each person will do
their own introduction (Instructions on next slide)
Most unusual, infrequent or exceptional list gets
a prize. (Sole judge is me no debating
allowed.)

Introduction Instructions

Name
Position
Organization
Business Sector
Experience with management
Experience with leading change
Three things you discovered you had in
common with others

Course Title

What do you need to know in order to design

develop and staff and effective organization?

What is a high performance organization?

Course Purpose
Upon completion of this course, a student should:
Understand how the actions and attitudes people exhibit
within organizations impact the organization.
Recognize different theories that describe or predict
behaviour in organizations.
Develop models to apply these theories systematically to
situations within organizations
Recognize how the systematic study of these relationships
adds value for a manager/ leader
Use course content to better understand, predict and
explain their own organizational situations and experiences

Topics Covered
Personality

Group Behaviour

Leadership

Organizational
Structure

Motivation

Teams

Power and Politics

Organizational
Culture

Decision-making

Communication

Conflict and
Negotiation

Organizational
Change

Student Expectations?

Personally I am always ready to

learn, although I do not always
like being taught.

Sir Winston Churchill

Structure of the Course

Class is opportunity to develop ideas,

experience and review
Text is a baseline and not the primary
content. You are expected to read and
understand it.
Students are welcome to ask questions about
the readings

If you become a teacher, by

your pupils youll be taught

Anna, from the King and I

(really Rogers and Hammerstein)

Structure of the Course

Adult learning principles will be followed

Use experience / natural goals

Learners must be active participants/ must be
respected/ have different learning styles
Must be able to apply what is learned.

Teaching others one of the most effective

ways to learn

Class Materials
Essentials of
Organizational
Behavior, Eight Edition,
Stephen P. Robbins,
2005, Prentice Hall

Text is accompanied by
Self-Assessment Library
3.0 Online

Class Materials (continued)

Turnaround: An
Organization Change
Simulation
Human Synergistics
2001

Harvard Business
Review Reprints
Why Hard-Nosed
Executives Should
Care About
Management Theory.
Christensen, C.M., Sept
2003
What Makes a Leader.
Goleman, D Nov/Dec
1998

Students ?

Critical learning resources for each other

Bring relevant experience about some
concepts
Provide opportunity to observe or test
theories
Why the introduction to each other?

Grading

Two types

Individual 50%

3 papers - application of a theory

1 presentation

Group Project 50%

Application of more than one theory

Both formal presentation and written paper
Some portion of the rating will be by your peers
For an individual to get full credit, must be an active
participant in the presentation.

Library Presentation

How many of you have experience using the

Cole Library and its systems?

Special Web Site

I have created a web site for this course.

It will be a source to download and print the
primary content for the course. Slides for
most of what we will talk about will be posted
at least the day before class. I will try to post
copies of the slides for download.
www.rh.edu/~tfoard

Questions?

Organizing Principles

Here you will not learn the Truth

What does that mean?

How does it impact you?
My organizing principles

Principles

All of what we will talk about are living

systems
All of what we will talk about is highly
complex
Theories provide a way to reduce the
complexity

Law of Unintended Consequences?

Examples and experiences

Review and Understand Theories of How

Organizations Work

Provide a way to compare organizations

Provide a means to explain what has
happened
Provide a method to predict what might
happen

Complexity
from Jaques
Requisite
Organization

From Jaques, Elliott (1996)

Requisite Organization. Cason Hall
& Co., Arlington, VA

Systems Theory and Organizations

Present in literature

Senge, Peter M.,(1990) The fifth discipline : the art and

practice of the learning organization. Doubleday, New York

Wheatley, Margaret J., (1992) Leadership and the new

science : learning about organization from an orderly
universe Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco

Jaques, Elliott(1996) Requisite Organization. Cason Hall &

Co., Arlington, VA

What is a System?

A collection of components organized to accomplish

a specific function or set of functions. [IEEE STD
610.12]
www.ichnet.org/glossary.htm
1. A group of interacting, interrelated, or
interdependent parts made up of matter and energy
that form a complex whole. 2. Anything that uses
matter and energy to organize, maintain, or change
itself (e.g., the sun, a glass of water, a frog, a city).
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/keep/Mod1/Unitall/definitio
ns.htm

What is Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking is a conceptual

framework, a body of knowledge and
tools that has been developed over
the past fifty years, to make the full
patterns clearer and to help us see
how to change them effectively

Peter Senge, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The
Learning Organization, New York, 1990

Living Systems

Originally developed by James Grier Miller

(1978)
Living Systems are different from non-living
systems
One critical difference is the processing of
information as well as matter-energy.

Levels of Living Systems

Cell
Organ
Organism (Individual)
Group
Organization
Community
Society
Supranational System

Millers 19 Subsystems
1. Reproduce - the subsystem which cames out the instructions in the genetic

information or charter of a system and mobilizes matter, energy, and

information to produce one or more similar systems.
2. Boundary - the subsystem at the perimeter of a system that holds together the
components which make up the system, protects them from environmental
stresses, and excludes or permits entry to various sorts of matter-energy and
information
3. Ingestor - the subsystem which brings matter-energy across the system boundary
from the environment.
4. Distributor - the subsystem which carries inputs from outside the system or outputs
from its subsystems around the system to each component.
5. Converter- the subsystem which changes certain inputs to the system into forms
more useful for the special processes of that particular system.
6. Produce - the subsystem which forms stable associations that endure for significant
periods among matter-energy inputs to the system or outputs form its
converter, the materials synthesized being for growth, damage repair, or
replacement of components of the system, or for providing energy for moving
or constituting the system's outputs of products or information markers to its
suprasystem.
7. Matter - energy storage, the subsystem which places matter or energy at some
location in the system, retains it over time, and retrieves it.
8. Extruder - the subsystem which transmits matter-energy out of the system in the
forms of products or wastes
9. Motor - the subsystems which moves the system pr parts of it in relation to part or all
of its environment or moves components of its environment in relation to
each other.
10. Supporter - the subsystem which maintains the proper spatial relationships among
components of the system, so that they can interact without weighting each
other down or crowding each other.
11. Input transducer - the sensory sybsystem which brings markers bearing
information into the system, changing them to other matter-energy forms
suitable fro transmission within it.

12. Internal transducer - the sensory subsystem which receives, from

subsystems or components within she system markers bearing information

about significant alterations in those subsystems or components, changing them
to other matter-energy forms of a sort which can be transmitted within it.

13. Channel and net - the subsystem composed of a single route in physical
space,or multiple into interconnected routes, over which markers bearing
information are transmitted to all parts of the system.

14. Timer - the subsystem which transits to the decider information about time-

related states of the environment or of components of the system. This

information signals the decider of the system or deciders of subsystems to start,
stop, alter the rate, or advance or delay the phase of one or more of the
system's processes, thus coordinating them in time.

15. Decoder -

the subsystem which alters the code of information input to it

through the input transducer or internal transducer into a "private" code that can
be used internally by the system.

16. Associator - the subsystem which carries out the first stage of the learning
process, forming enduring associations among items of information in the
system.

17. Memory - the subsystem which carries out the second stage of the learning

process, storing information in the system for different periods of time, and then
retrieving it.

18. Decider - the executive subsystem which receives information inputs form all
other subsystems and transmits to them information outputs for guidance,
coordination, and control of the system.

19. Encoder - the subsystem which alters the code of information input to it from

other information processing subsytems, fro a "private" code used internally by

the system into a "public" code which can be interpreted by other systems in its
environment.

20. Output transducer - the subsystem which puts out markers bearing

information from the system, changing markers within the system into other
matter-energy forms which can be transmitted over channels in the system's
environment

From Miller, J.G., Living Systems, New York, 1978

Processes repeat at different levels

The same or similar processes occur at all

levels in a living system
When applying theory to one level, consider
how it applies to the next level

Fractals
from
Wheatley
Leadership and
the new science

From Wheatley, Margaret J., (1992)

Leadership and the new science :
learning about organization from an
orderly universe. Berrett-Koehler
Publishers, San Francisco

Levels focused on in this course

Organism (Individual)
Group (Team/ Work Unit)
Organization (Company)

Examples?
Form groups of 3 or 4
Task - to identify a process or theory
that from your observation applies
across all three levels
Report on what theory or process is, and
how it applies to each level individual,
group and organization

One Model

Information Overload present at all levels

Each level has developed means to gate out
information considered unimportant
At the three levels chosen here
Level

Process

Individual

Preferences and Personality

Group

Group Norms

Organization Culture

Impact of Information Overload

Today
High Potentials

Managerial
Information Demands

Technical
Managerial
Future
High Potentials

Information
Demands
Technical

Management Theory
Huczynski (1996) described four periods for
management gurus

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Rational-Economic (1890-1920)
Social (1920-1950)
Psychological (1950-1980)
Entrepreneurial (1980-present)
What about pre-1890?

Rational Economic

Frederick Taylor Principles of Scientific

Management
Max Weber Bureaucratic model of
Organization
Henri Fayol Principles of Management

Social Period
1.

2.

Mayo, Roethlisberber & Dickson The

Hawthorne Effect
Myers & Briggs The Myers Briggs Type
Indicator

Psychological Period
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

Abraham Maslow Hierarchy of Needs

David McClelland The Achievement Motive
Walker & Guest Total Job Situation
Frederick Herzberg Motivation-Hygiene
Theory
French & Raven Bases of Social Power
Douglas McGregor Theory X Theory Y

Psychological Period
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Rensis Likert System 4 Theory of Management

Trist & Bamforth Sociotechnical Systems
Burns & Stalker Mechanistic Organic Systems
Edward Deci Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation
Hackman & Oldham Job Characteristics Model
Will Schutz FIRO-B

Entrepreneurial Period
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

W. Edward Deming 14 Points for Management

Peters and Waterman In Search of Excellence
Hershey & Blanchard Situational Leadership
Richard Walton Control vs Commitment
Edward Lawler Employee Involvement
Peter Senge Learning Organization
Daniel Denison Organizational Culture
Elliot Jaques Hierarchy
James Grier Miller Living Systems

Request for Assistance

Working on a multi-rater coaching tool.

Initial step is to get people to do a special coaches
rating
Go through 70 items 3 times

First for self

Second for worst coach
Third for best coach

Survey online at:

http://survey.talentmap.com/Coaching/coaching.htm
Process should take about 20 minutes
Link on website.

History and Theory

Behavioral Science
Cont ribution

Unit of Analysis

Output

Toward an OB Discipline
Psychology
Psychology

Learning
Learning
Motivation
Motivation
Personality
Personality
Emotions
Emotions
Training
Training
Individual
Individual
decision
decisionmaking
making
Leadership
Leadership
effectiveness
effectiveness
Job
Jobsatisfaction
satisfaction
Performance
Performance
appraisal
appraisal
Attitude
Attitude
measurement
measurement
Job
Jobdesign
design
Work
Workstress
stress

Individual
Individual

Social
Social
Psychology
Psychology

Sociology
Sociology

Group
Groupdynamics
dynamics
Work
Workteams
teams
Communication
Communication
Status
Status
Power
Power
Conflict
Conflict

Formal
Formal
organization
organization
theory
theory
Organizational
Organizational
technology
technology
Organizational
Organizational
change
change
Organizational
Organizational
culture
culture

Behavioral
Behavioral
change
change
Attitude
Attitude
change
change
Communication
Communication
Group
Group
decision
decisionmaking
making
Group
Groupprocesses
processes

Anthropology
Anthropology

Comparative
Comparative
values
values
Comparative
Comparative
attitudes
attitudes
Cross-cultural
Cross
Cross-cultural
analysis
analysis

Group
Group

Study
Study of
of
Organizational
Organizational
Behavior
Behavior

Organizational
Organizational
culture
culture
Organizational
Organizational
environment
environment

Organization
Organization
System
System

Political
Political
Science
Science

Conflict
Conflict
Intraorganizational
Intraorganizational
politics
politics
Power
Power

Major Psychological Contributions of OB

Values
Attitudes
Perception
Learning

Examples: Terminal and Instrumental Values

in Rokeach Value Survey
Terminal Values

A comfortable life (a prosperous life)

A sense of accomplishment (lasting
contribution)
A world of peace (free of war and conflict)
A world of beauty (beauty of nature and
the arts)
Equality (brotherhood and equal
opportunity for all)
Family security (taking care of loved ones)
Freedom (independence, free choice)
Happiness (contentedness)
Inner harmony (freedom from inner
conflict)
Pleasure (an enjoyable, leisurely life)
Salvation (saved, eternal life)
Social recognition (respect, admiration)
True friendship (close companionship)

Instrumental Values

Ambitious (hardworking, aspiring)

Capable (competent, effective)
Cheerful (lighthearted, joyful)
Clean (neat, tidy)
Courageous (standing up for your
beliefs)
Helpful (working for the welfare of
others)
Honest (sincere, truthful)
Imaginative (daring, creative)
Logical (consistent, rational)
Loving (affectionate, tender)
Obedient (dutiful, respectful)
Polite (courteous, well mannered)
Responsible (dependable, reliable)

Source: Adapted from M. Rokeach, The Nature of Human Values (New York: The Free Press, 1973).

What are we working with

From your experience make a list of

generalizations of how people behave at
work.
Try to be as broad as possible

e.g., People are always after more money

e.g., People are always trying to cut corners
e.g., People always give their all

What does this imply about your theory of

people?

Next Class

Read Chapters 2 & 3 in Robbins

Read Why Hard Nosed Executives Should
Care About Management Theory
Complete the Jungian Self Assessment and
bring the 4 letter code to the next class.