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Thanks to:
Tseday Hailu
Hannah Jones
Bailey Jordan
K’Sandra Thomas
Kennedy Wilson
Colonel Joshua Chamberlain
Chapters 15 & 16
Putting the Frames together.
What frame for the situation?
Examine one situation through all four frames.
Life as Managers Know It
Myth:
◦ Managers are rational, spent time planning, deciding and controlling
◦ Organized, in control, unruffled

Reality
◦ Management life is hectic, frantic, constantly shifting
◦ Too busy to read or even think
◦ Rely on intuition and hunches for many of the most important decisions
Organizations as Multiple
Realities
Process Structural Human Political Symbolic
Resource

Strategic Create Meeting to Arena to air Ritual to

planning strategic promote conflict reassure
direction participation audiences

Decision- Rational Open Chance to Ritual to

making process to process to gain or use build values,
get right build commit- power bonding
answer ment
Reorgani- Improve Balance Reallocate Image of
zing structure/ needs and power, form accountabili-
environment tasks new ty, respon-
fit coalitions siveness
Organizations as Multiple
Realities
Process Structural Human Political Symbolic
Resource

Evaluating Allocate Help people Chance to Occasion to

rewards, grow and exercise play roles in
control develop power organiza-
performance tional drama
Approaching Authorities Individuals Bargaining, Develop
conflict resolve confront forcing, shared
conflict conflict manipulating values,
meaning
Goal setting Keep Keep people Let people Develop
organization involved and make their symbols,
headed in informed interests shared
right direction known values
Organizations as Multiple
Realities
Process Structural Human Political Symbolic
Resource

Communica- Transmit Exchange Influence or Tell stories

tion facts, information, manipulate
information needs, others
feelings
Meetings Formal Informal Competitive Sacred
occasions to occasions to occasions to occasions to
make involve, score points celebrate,
decisions share transform
feelings culture
Motivation Economic Growth, self- Coercion, Symbols,
incentives actualization manipulation, celebrations
seduction
Matching Frames to
Situations
Choosing a Frame
◦ Commitment and motivation
◦ Technical quality
◦ Ambiguity and uncertainty
◦ Conflict and scarce resources
◦ Working from bottom up
 Table 15.2

Choosing a Frame
Question If yes: If no:

Are individual commitment and Human resource, Structural, political

motivation essential? symbolic

Is technical quality of decision Structural Human resource,

important? political, symbolic

Is there high level of ambiguity, Political, symbolic Structural, human

uncertainty? resource

Are conflict and scarce resource a Political, symbolic Structural, human

significant factor? resource

Are you working from the bottom Political, symbolic Structural, human
up? resource
Effective Managers and
Organizations
Effective Senior Managers
◦ Highly complex jobs requiring diverse skills
◦ Political dimension is critical

Effective middle managers

◦ Structural and human resource skills help performance, but
political skills help you get ahead
Manager’s Frame Preferences
Ability to use multiple frames is consistently associated with
effectiveness.
Effectiveness as manager – structural frame is key
Effectiveness as leader – political and symbolic frames are central
Conclusion
Managers’ daily reality is messier, less rational, more conflict-filled than
is often realized
Choice of frame depends on circumstances
Managers need multiple frames to survive
Cindy Marshall and Bill Howard
Structural Scenario
Clarify goals
Attend to relationships between structure and environment
Design and implement structure to fit circumstances
Focus on task, facts, logic, not personality or emotion
Human Resource Scenario
People are at the heart of organization
◦ Respond to their needs and goals, and they’ll be committed
and loyal in return
Align needs of individuals and organization, serving best
interests of both
Support and empower people
◦ Show concern, listen to their aspirations
◦ Communicate warmth and concern
Empower through participation and openness
◦ Give people resources and autonomy they need to do their
jobs
Political Scenario
Recognize political reality, deal with conflict
◦ Scarce resources produce conflict over who gets what

Know the players (individuals and interest groups) and what they
want
◦ Build ties to key players and group leaders

Build a power base and use power carefully

◦ Overplaying your hand makes you weaker

Create arenas for negotiation and compromise

Look for and emphasize common interests to unify your group
◦ Rally troops against outside enemies
Symbolic Scenario
Most important part of leader’s job is inspiration
◦ Give people something to believe in
◦ People get excited about a special place with unique identity where
their work is important
Be passionate about making organization the best of its kind,
communicate your passion
◦ Use dramatic, visible symbols to involve people, communicate the
mission
◦ Be visible, energetic
◦ Create slogans, hold rallies and celebrations, give awards, manage by
walking around
Study and use organizational culture
◦ Use heroes, stories, traditions as a base for build cohesive,
meaningful culture
Articulate a persuasive, exciting vision
Benefits and Risks of
Reframing
Frames can be used as scenarios or scripts to generate options and
guide action
◦ By choosing a new script, we can act in new ways and create new
possibilities
◦ Choose the role and drama that works for you

Each frame has distinctive advantages and risks

Frame Risks
Frame Risks

Structural Ignore non-rational elements: irrational

neglect of human, political and cultural
elements
Over-rely on authority and underrely on
alternative sources of power
Human Blinded by romantic view of human nature
Resource Too optimistic about trust and win-win in
high-conflict/high-scarcity situations
Frame Risks
Frame Risks

Political Becomes cynical, self-fulfilling prophesy that

intensifies conflict, misses opportunities for
rationality and collaboration
You may be seen as amoral, scheming, selfish
Symbolic Concepts are elusive
Effectiveness heavily dependent on user’s art
and skill
Symbols may be employed as fluff,
camouflage, manipulation
Awkward use of symbols may produce
embarrassment, ridicule
Conclusion
Mangers can use the frames as scenarios, or scripts, to generate
alternative approaches to challenging circumstances.
Reframing is a complex skill that takes time and persistence to develop