Can We Love Theories TOO Much?
Dr L Mee-Yan Cheung-Judge
Technology & Tools | Change & Agility | Diversity & Culture Greetings from Oxford, England
1 #ODN14 OVERVIEW
One Two Three Four • What is theory? • Practical • Your • Steps to build • Range of examples of theory/thinking our mastery of theories how theories map theories and • What would support and transfer our theories give impact our knowledge to me? practice our clients • Case of diagnosis and intervention
2 #ODN14 What is Theory? In behavioural science • Cognitive mapping of complex and interlocking variables and the nature of their relationship. • Some are normative and some are descriptive. • Tend to provide a framework to understand and analyse complex phenomenon. • Lends itself to applicability for real life situation.
3 #ODN14 Lewin 1943-44:169
4 #ODN14 5 #ODN14 6 #ODN14 7 #ODN14 Social OD Practices Constructionism Theory Complexity & Chaos Theory •Berger • Stacey •Luckmann •Mead • Wheatley •Vygotsky • Black •Fisk • Morgan • Snowdon Appreciative Inquiry •Watkins •Cooperrider Psychoanalytical Theory • Eric Trist Change Theories • Fred Emery • Lippit Group Dynamics • Bion Psychodynamic Theory • Likert • How groups form • Horney • Tavistock Work • Ackerman and function • Fromm • Family Therapy • Bales System Theory • Freud • Ludwig von • Schutz Action Research Bertalanffy • Tannenbaum • Lewin • Katz & Kahn • Argyris • Bennis
8 #ODN14 Theories shape the way we navigate through this map Action Research
Core Theories Systems Theory Change Theory Supplementary Theories Values Ethics Practice Theories
‘Big I’ Intervention (Consultant-Client System Interaction) What? Where? When? Who? How?
OD Phases Entry/Contacting Data Collection Data Analysis Feedback Action Planning Action Taking Evaluation Termination Initial Contract Prepare for Analyze Data Plan Feedback Assess Problems/Gaps/ Carry out Action Review Goals Assess Need to Consultation Data Collection Opportunities Plan(s) Continue Tasks Define Prepare Report/ Produce Feedback Assess Progress Problem/Need/Client Collect Data Summary Materials Prioritize Opportunities INTERVENTIONS Decide to End I.D New Learnings (SMALL “I”) Explore Readiness for Do Feedback Plan Actions Phase Out Individual Redirect (as needed) Change Provide Frameworks Interpersonal Stay Open to be Agree on Contract Group Called0 Diagnosis and Planning Outcomes Intergroup Organization Who, What, Organization-Env When, Where Global Competencies Communicate Constructing Knowing Giving and Using Theory Managing Conflict Understanding Bringing Questions Concepts Receiving and concepts Managing Diversity Evaluation Closure Listen & Theories Feedback Managing Resistance Methods Interviewing Identifying Negotiate •Group Dynamics Training Observation •Systems Theory System Managing Transitions Connecting •Change Theory Leverage Points Learning Theory Outcomes and Objectives Identifying Themes Knowing Small Use of Self I Interventions Summarizing Diagnosing Organisations with impact © NTL Institute, 2007 Self as Ethics Self as Integration of Empathic Values Authentic Commitment Self Learning Awareness Rational/Intuitive Environment Mind/Body Evocative Insight Nonreactive Presence Risk Instrument Provocative Multiple Frames #ODN14 Pauline Frederick Hicks, Mikki Ritvo, Ted Tschudy, Leroy Wells (1993, rev 5/96, rev 2/98 and 1/04 by Ted Tschudy) Theoretical lens for DIAGNOSIS
The word “diagnosis”, usually associated with medical practice, means “to understand or know the underlying reasons or causes” for something.
The diagnostic process is also an intervention process, hence the robustness of both data and design of intervention would depend on the integration of the various theoretical lens.
10 #ODN14 Intervention Design Principles
11 #ODN14 12 #ODN14 What’s the point? That group has all the say. This is a phoney and a fake exercise!
13 #ODN14 Activity
In Pair or Trio:
1. Take turns to recall a tricky, complex, challenging client case.
2. Share how you used your theoretical insights to help you navigate through the OD cycle, especially in the diagnostic / intervention stage.
14 #ODN14 The sectors we work in, the nature of our portfolio of work, our level of system expertise,
all shape our theoretical “Lens .”
15 #ODN14 Complexity & Chaos Theory Human Relations Approach Group Dynamics Psychodynamic Social Discourse System I, II Theory Economic behaviour Appreciative Inquiry System Theory My Human Systems Classical Theories Dynamics consulting of Organization situation Power Gestalt Dynamics
Max Weber Contingency Frederick Taylor Cynefin Theories Henri Fayol Framework Psychoanalytical Sense making Theory Action Research Social Constructionism Theory 16 #ODN14 Using multiple lenses
17 #ODN14 How to build our theory base practice?
Take time out - use a mind map to take stock of what theories have influenced us -- during your early development journey?
Comb through the data that have emerged from our practices through the years and see what frameworks /patterns have emerged over time? (Sense making exercise) Ask ourselves what personal practice theories we have developed?
Continue to play with the dynamic intersection of various theoretical frameworks and observe what impact the various integrated lens may have on our diagnostic and design work + our overall consultancy styles and practice.
Take time out to learn new frameworks/emerging theories or attend workshops to remind ourselves of some of the classical work. Go beyond the field and learn new ways of thinking from disciplines that we may never have been exposed to.
Educate our clients the relevant theoretical frameworks that are relevant to their consulting situation. Help them to be willing to wear different theoretical lens to do their own action research. Clients will hold our feet to the fire.
18 #ODN14 Build theories across levels of systems
Field of Experience
Focal System
© Marshak & Katz 2001
19 #ODN14 1. Draw your theoretical map (on your own)
2. Share the ‘interconnectedness’ these theories have & how they impact your practice
20 #ODN14 Conclusion
21 #ODN14 The field of Organization Development OD is a systematic application of behavioural science principles and practices to understand how people and organisations function and how to get them to function better within a value base. • Behavioural science disciplines such as psychology, social Origin psychology, sociology, anthropology, systems theory, organisation behaviour, organisation theory, and management literature
Goal • Organisation improvement (organisation effectiveness) • Total system (alignment and interface between parts) – Focus “context is everything”
Orientation • Action, plan and emergence change intervention
Target • Human system within the social system • Translate theory into methodology to build system Application effectiveness • Shamelessly humanistic”- Affirm respect for human Values differences, racial and social justice and life-long learning
22 #ODN14 Who is an OD practitioner? OD practitioners are behavioural scientists who, through effective relationship building skills , deliver help and support to a client system with the goal of improving the health of the system.
While we can be expert in specific areas of organisation as well as being technically competent, we are primarily process- oriented practitioners with an aim to pass on the process skills to the client system, so that the client can pursue continuous development independently.
The practice diagnostic and design skills of OD practitioners are heavily influenced by our value set and theoretical groundings we have .
23 #ODN14 The development journey of OD practitioners
Level four Master Practitioner
Level three Professional
Level two Technologist
Level one Beginner
24 #ODN14 Building blocks of OD practice Masterful Practitioner
Tools & OD Theoretical OD values techniques - consultancy grounding - and ethics technician cycle theoretician
Use of Self – Self as Instrument “We need to go ‘within’ ourselves in order to be impactful ‘without’”
25 #ODN14 The Core of OD ......
• To improve organisation health and effectiveness
• Targets the human side of the enterprise
• Focuses on the total system & its interdependencies
• Offers methodological expertise
• Practices are based on clear value and theoretical base
• The critical role of the OD practitioner is to effect change with sustainability via helping relationship with leaders
26 #ODN14 “The best path to the good society, we believe, is the construction of great organisations that nurture and magnify the best in human beings”
Professor David Cooperrider
27 #ODN14 Thank you!
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