RESONANT MESSAGING: PATTERNS OF INTERACTING AND MYTHOLOGIES OF CHANGE Howard A. Thompson B.A.Sc., University of Ottawa, 1984 PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION EMBA Program in the Faculty Business Administration O Howard A. Thompson 2003 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY December 2003 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. Name: Howard A. Thompson Degree: Master of Business Administration Title of Project: RESONANT MESSAGING: Patterns of Interacting and Mythologies of Change Supervisory Committee: Dr. Mark Wexler Professor Faculty of Business Administration br%arolyn Smart Associate Professor Faculty of Business Administration Date Approved: Executive MBA Program Partial Copyright License I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of Thesis/Project/Extended Essay Resonant Messaging: Patterns of Interacting and Mythologies of Change Author: / Howard Thompson Date / This paper examines the relationships between an organization's patterns-of-interacting and the under-structure of heroic message-making in times of momentous organizational transition. Also explored are five sub-themes: The nature of crisis and trauma as an impetus and core organizing principle; The relationship of complexity theory to organizational systems; The notions of message-making and leadership as an anxiety reducing and sense- making mechanism; Use of message-making to reinforce the psychological contracts, and the intrinsic group identity; and How message-making reinforces and mobilizes group identities. A multi-facetted methodology was employed to access the understructure of historic resonant speeches and aphorism made during periods of significant change. The primary cognitive framework employed was the Four Faces Of Capitalism, as defined by the Wexler- Wheel organizational analysis paradigm. A vital layer of analysis and inquiry utilized the psychotherapeutic foundations of Carl Jung related to root Trauma and Archetypes. Also engaged was Jung's cognitive framework of Psychic Functions. Mythology, its relationship to trauma and patterns of interaction, was the final filter governing this methodology. Key findings: Single sector messages can have powerful impacts on their constituents provided messages are short a ld embody the deepest values and highest ideas of that sector; Messages that employ communitarian sector attributes for framing the reality leaders wish to define are successful in making difficult future prospects easier to be accepted since actions taken are perceived to be in service of community's identity; Compelling message-making utilizes attributes of all the sectors in appropriate proportions to the direction sought by the leadership; Small amounts of well placed attributes to contrast or accent the primary message theme, and primary sector traits, can elevate the impact of the resonance achieved; Messages with the most impact and resonance possess conjoined sectors. The inherent tension, and power lies within the attributes of diametrically opposed sectors; Lastly, a skillful blending of resonant forces underlies the ability to connect with a core constituency in a manner that can create enthusiasm and energy for change. This work indicates that the principles of resonant messaging are best employed in times of difficult transition - such as mergers acquisitions - or momentous changes - such as challenges to tribal or group unity, identity, or existence. The resonant message-making concepts uncovered in this work are contra-indicated for times of ordinary day-to-day engagement between leader and their constituency. To Carole, whose wisdom, persistence of vision, clarity of thought and ability to see beyond the words in ways that illuminated my own thinking has made this work both more compelling and enjoyable for myself. Thank you for your patient, wise and gentle heart. To Jennifer, for equipping me with the ability and desire to uncover the answers that lay beyond the ordinary, and for showing me how to trust the process and follow it where it leads. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, life and trusting nature. My heartfelt gratitude to Carole. Her patience in guiding me through the intricacies of therapeutic language, and its core principles was invaluable and continues to inform my thoughts in new and unexpected ways. Her assistance aided the insights expressed in this document. My grateful thanks to Mark Wexler, whose energy and enthusiasm for this project has greatly aided, and quickened its completion. His ability to recognize, at an early stage the core intent of this work and its relationship to his model, has tremendously helped to shape this work's form, and to validate its substance. APPROVAL ......................................................................................................................................I1 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... Ill DEDICATION................................................................................................................................. V ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................................. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................VII LIST OF FIGURES ..........................................................................................................................X QUOTATION .................................................................................................................................. XI 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... I 1. 1 PATTERNS& KNOWING................................................................................................... I 1.2 ORGANIZATIONALFOOTPRINT .......................................................................................... 2 1.3 LEADERS& MESSAGE-MAKING........................................................................................ 3 1.4 Focus ............................................................................................................................4 1.5 APPENDIXSTRUCTURE .................................................................................................... 5 2 THE WEXLER-WHEEL ............................................................................................................6 2.1 ENDOGENOUSTRAITS ..................................................................................................... 8 2.2 TRAITS& APHORISMS..................................................................................................... 9 2.3 MODELDYNAMICS - SECTORTRAITS ............................................................................. 12 2.4 MODELDYNAMICS - AXIS TRAITS............................................................................... 13 3 ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL & PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACTING .................................. 16 3.1 TRUTH& KNOWLEIGE STRUCTURES:............................................................................ 16 3.2 A CALLTO ORGANIZATIONALJOINING ............................................................................ 17 3.3 ORGANIZATIONAS ORGANISM....................................................................................... 18 3.4 ORGANIZATIONALBELIEF SYSTEM ................................................................................. 20 4 ORGANIZATIONAL COGNITION ..........................................................................................22 4.1 ORGAN~ZAT~ONAND ~ND~V~DUALMEANING ...................................................................... 22 4.2 ORGANIZATIONALCONTEXT ........................................................................................... 23 4.3 ORGANIZATIONALTRANSITION & DISSONANCE............................................................... 25 5 WEXLER-WHEEL: SECOND-ORDER EFFECTS ................................................................. 26 5.1 PSYCHO-MYTHOLOGICALINFLUENCES & INTERACTION PATTERNS .................................. 26 5.2 OVERLAYFORCES: SECOND-ORDER VIEWS ................................................................... 27 5.3 OVERLAYDYNAMICS ..................................................................................................... 31 6 QUANTUM PATTERNS OF INTERACTING.......................................................................... 33 6.1 COMPLEXSYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS ........................................................................... -34 6.2 CHAOSSTABILITY & PATTERNSOF INTERACTING............................................................ 35 6.3 COMPLEXITY&