Facilitating Organization Change: Lessons From Complexity Science

✍ Scribed by Edwin E. Olson, Glenda H. Eoyang

• Publisher: Pfeiffer
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 231
• Series: Practicing organization development 5
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Looking for a highly effective alternative to traditional change models?Finally, an alternative to traditional change models-the science of complex adaptive systems (CAS). The authors explain how, rather than focusing on the macro "strategioc" level of the organization system, complexity theory suggests that the most powerful change processes occur at the micro level where relationship, interaction and simple rules shape emerging patterns. Details how the emerging paradigm of a CAS affects the role of change agents Tells how you can build the requisite skills to function in a CAS* Provides tips for thriving in that new paradigm "Olson and Eoyang do a superb job of using complexity science to develop numerous methods and tools that practitioners can immediately use to make their organizations more effective."--Kevin Dooley, Professor of Management and Industrial Engineering, Arizona State University

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 0
Facilitating Organization Change......Page 3
Contents......Page 5
List of Tables, Figures, and Exhibits......Page 9
Foreword to the Series......Page 11
The Current State of Organization Development......Page 13
A Brief History of the Genesis of the OD Series......Page 14
This Book......Page 15
Series Website......Page 16
What Is Organization Development?......Page 17
Is the OD Profession at a Crossroads?......Page 19
About the Board Members......Page 20
Foreword......Page 22
What's New?......Page 30
Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)......Page 31
Complexity Theory and Organization......Page 32
A Jazzy Metaphor......Page 33
How the Book Is Organized......Page 35
On Encountering a New Paradigm......Page 37
Acknowledgments......Page 38
Self-Diagnosis......Page 40
Organization Change Framework*......Page 41
Profile......Page 45
Interpretation......Page 46
1 An Emerging Paradigm of Organization Change......Page 47
Organization As Machine......Page 48
Changing the Machine......Page 49
Truism 1: Change Starts at the Top......Page 50
Truism 2: Efficiency Comes from Control......Page 51
Alternatives to the Machine Model......Page 52
Toward an Integrated Framework......Page 53
Change in a Complex Adaptive System......Page 55
From the Whole to the Part......Page 56
Container......Page 57
Significant Differences......Page 59
Transforming Exchanges......Page 60
The Self-Organizing Process......Page 61
No Condition Stands Alone......Page 62
CAS and the Change Agent......Page 64
Summary......Page 65
Purpose......Page 66
Application......Page 67
2 Change Through Connections (Not Top-Down Control)......Page 71
• STORY: HOSPITAL MERGER......Page 72
Entangled Connections......Page 73
No Single Source of Change......Page 75
Leadership and Influence in a CAS......Page 77
Set Containers......Page 79
Focus on Significant Differences......Page 81
Design Transforming Exchanges......Page 82
Change Agent Role......Page 83
Summary......Page 85
Preparation......Page 86
Debriefing......Page 87
Example......Page 89
Preparation......Page 91
Example......Page 92
3 Adapt to Uncertainty (Not Predictable Stages of Development)......Page 94
Nonlinear Organization Change......Page 96
• STORY: UNPREDICABILITY VS. NEED FOR CONTROL......Page 97
Lesson of the Story......Page 98
Identify Areas for Rational Approaches......Page 99
No Sequence of Events......Page 100
Speed of Adaptation......Page 101
Exchange Management......Page 102
Managing Significant Differences......Page 103
The “Right” Speed for Change......Page 104
Change Agent Role......Page 105
Notes on Intervening for Change Agents......Page 106
Summary......Page 107
Purpose......Page 108
Five Categories of Decisions......Page 109
Example......Page 111
Other Uses of the Model......Page 112
4 Emerging Goals, Plans, and Structures (Not Clear, Detailed Plans or Goals)......Page 113
• CASE: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FIRMS......Page 115
Planning in a CAS......Page 116
Vision in a CAS......Page 117
Structures in a CAS......Page 119
Spider Plant Metaphor......Page 120
Guiding Principles at VISA......Page 122
Structuring by Chunking......Page 123
Change Agent Role......Page 124
Process......Page 125
Applications......Page 126
Planning for a Change......Page 127
5 Amplify Difference (Not Build Consensus)......Page 129
• STORY: THE HIDDEN DIFFERENCE......Page 130
Unbraiding Differences......Page 132
Differences in a CAS......Page 133
Differences and Organization Resilience......Page 134
Amplifying Communication......Page 135
Working for Inclusion......Page 136
Change Agent Role......Page 137
Summary......Page 138
Preparation......Page 139
Process......Page 140
Application......Page 141
6 Self-Similarity (Not Differences Between Levels)......Page 144
• STORY: THE HIDDEN DIFFERENCE (CONTINUED)......Page 145
Self-Similarity in Organizations......Page 146
Scaling in Organizations......Page 147
Simple Rules......Page 149
Change Agent Role......Page 150
Fractals......Page 151
Process......Page 154
Application: Large Membership Organization......Page 156
7 Success As Fit with the Environment (Not Closing the Gap with an Ideal)......Page 158
• STORY: FOCUSING ON FIT......Page 159
Point of the Story......Page 160
Fitness Landscape......Page 161
Organizational Fitness......Page 162
Importance of History......Page 163
Performance Feedback......Page 164
Competition and Cooperation......Page 165
Tit for Tat......Page 166
Change Agent Role......Page 167
Summary......Page 168
Process......Page 169
Debriefing......Page 172
8 Self-Organization and the Change Agent: Tips for Thriving in the New Paradigm......Page 174
• STORY: JUST DO IT!......Page 175
Lesson of the Story......Page 176
Self-Organization and Traditional Change Methods......Page 177
Change Agent Responsibilities......Page 178
Entering the System......Page 181
Assessment......Page 182
Dealing with Hostility......Page 184
Developing a Container......Page 185
Transforming Exchanges......Page 186
Evaluation......Page 187
What to Measure......Page 188
Skills for a Complexity Approach......Page 189
Perception......Page 190
Summary......Page 191
Process......Page 192
Reflection Process Instructions......Page 194
Debriefing......Page 196
9 Making Self-Organization a Reality: Evolution in Organizations......Page 197
1. Change Through Connections (Not Top-Down Control)......Page 199
2. Adapt to Uncertainty (Not Predictable Stages Of Development)......Page 200
3. Emerging Goals, Plans, and Structures (Not Clear, Detailed Plans or Goals)......Page 202
4. Amplify Difference (Not Build Consensus)......Page 203
5. Self-Similarity (Not Difference Between Levels)......Page 204
6. Success As Fit with the Environment (Not Closing the Gap with an Ideal)......Page 205
Conclusion......Page 206
Continuing the Co-Evolution......Page 207
References......Page 209
About the Authors......Page 214
About the Editors......Page 216
A......Page 219
C......Page 220
D......Page 222
E......Page 223
G......Page 224
K......Page 225
N......Page 226
P......Page 227
S......Page 228
T......Page 230
Z......Page 231