“... the focus of [an organization's] value system must be the legitimation of [its primary] goal in terms of the functional significance of its attainment for the superordinate system, and secondly the legitimation of the primacy of this goal over other possible interests and values of the organization and its members.” - Talcott Parsons, SRCO
COMMENT:
The set of values governing an org's direction must be linked to the overall goal of the system if either are to be successful in uniting constituents within the type of community that remains sound and cohesive.
Further, *both* must find so...me purchase within the context of the larger system within which they operate to be ultimately successful, else the larger system will have no cause to incorporate the org (nor its values and goals) into the grander pattern necessary to sustain it.
At odds with this necessity are the more unique necessities of org members: even if their ultimate values are legitimated by the group, if other individual values, needs, and goals are not met then the group will suffer from high turnover and the malaise of disinterested and dissatisfied members.
The Org Leader recognizes that connecting as many needs as possible to System Values and Goals is a step in the direction of true community. Further, it is imperative that the Org Leader learn to adapt to and account for those needs that *aren't* being met, in order to allow for their healthy and functional expression elsewhere.
No one wants to sacrifice their time, needs, and even wants more often than not: asking constituents to forego their own goals in the name of those of the larger Group will too often send them in search of another org more in line with their value system, and leave the Org weaker.
“It is reasonable to postulate an inherent centrifugal tendency of subunits of the organization [to drift from the pull of their org]. The organization must... be ready to take measures [to counteract this pull using] any 1 or a combination of 3 fundamental forms: 1) coercion... 2) inducement... and 3) therapy.” - Talcott Parsons, SRCO
COMMENT:
It is indeed, as Parsons suggests, generally the case that individual interests will sooner or later pull a constituent away from their organization: this is to be expected, and even celebrated by those Org Leaders who recognize that the la...rger system of human contact and cooperation is driven by these impulses rather than marred by them.
The best and only means by which to attempt to preserve organizational cohesion is, as stated below, that approach which incorporates as many individual interests into the larger organizational context as possible while remaining true to org goals and values.
To this end, we tend to eschew Parsons' first measure above, "coercion," as a perversion of what is and should be the intent of all gatherings: to commune. That said, it can be a useful tactic for those neither concerned with Community or with Conflict Resolution.
His second suggestion, "inducement," comes closer to the kind of approach that we at The Institute would embrace, given that it seeks to "sweeten the deal," to encourage and elicit organizational devotion by dangling desires before the constituent: more power, more money, greater responsibilities or title, etc.
It is his third suggestion, however, that we find to be the most fruitful approach. His use of the word "therapy" appears to be his generation's expression of the idea of what we would describe as "genuine dialogue." While "inducement" can go a long way in preserving org constituency, it often misses the mark because it fails to accurately ascertain what it is that any org member *really wants* - at best, if offers an approximation.
By engaging in, encouraging, and consistently making room and time for ongoing, authentic explorations of org member wishes and hopes, the Org Leader can discover what truly drives org members, and so can determine the heart of their Org Identity. In doing so, the Org finds itself more *real* and so more capable of being "in reality," more effective and cohesive.
Indeed, as org members continue to discover *themselves* within the organization, the organization continues to find success and growth.
A Sociological Reader on Complex Organizations
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment