Symbols, Stories, Rituals...it is all over the place.

Throughout these last two weeks, every time I see a television commercial, a billboard advertisement, a magazine advertisement, store symbols and school mascots, I think about what is their desired message to us?  Is it meeting their company's mission or vision, is there a common understanding of the intent of the message it is presenting to the intended audience.....?  My brain tries to analyze not only the culture of the organization that is in front of me at the moment, but I start thinking about the Organizational Diagnosis. 

Does anyone in that organization think there is a gap between what is and what ought to be?  I think of my father's business (he is now retired), because there was an owner and a manager, one person could not make the necessary changes without both of them agreeing that change needing to occur. It would take both of them to make those changes.   

Who will take the ownership to begin the discussion?  If change begins, what will be the interventions and who will employ them and who will strike against them in the beginning? There are boundaries to consider, and environmental issues to consider.  So many elements when looking at organizational diagnosis as well as continuing a positive structural culture.  Balancing those balls and not dropping them looks challenging! 

The Culture of Organizations

The place in which I work is an educational setting.  It is in the business of educating students to their fullest potential. It is also to employ educators with the most effective education abilities.  But that is not all.  All businesses, including the educational organization has various cultures within the organization. There are many assumptions that are made in organizations, so having clear shared meaning is critical. One may not completely agree but there will be a clear understanding of expectations.  In the larger oganization, the entire district, has an overall culture. 

As I think about that culture, I ponder, how can I productively begin to change the culture to make "greater", more productive and move it forward? So with that I will focus on 4 critical areas and state one idea I can do to contribute to the area. I have condensed the elements but hopefully you will see where I am going. 1. I think of the technical element; what is the extent and degree of technology used by the staff and by the students?  I can assist staff by utilizing and modeling technology through professional development, staff meetings and one to one conversations. For students, I can attempt to gain more access to iPads so they can use them in the classrooms as a tool for learning and motivate them with exploration. 2. What are the espoused values within our work place?  We have many manuals, handbooks and policies. I hope to consolidate those manuals and then make them more useful; not something that gathers dust on a shelf.  In fact these manuals, and procedures will be available digitally. These procedures need to be understood by all staff and there must be a shared understanding and meaning across the district. 3.  Another element of organizational culture is, behavior.  How do we interact among each other including the behaviors at the district office, at the site and in the classroom.  These behaviors change, depending upon the audience.   I believe all staff ought to be able to access me at all times, however, a recent administrator's seminar we attended, had a different philosophy.  That philosophy is to assist administrators to become more efficient by having specific appointments for staff to access me, so that I am able to work less than 60 hours per week and be able to be in classrooms coaching staff, 2 days per week.  I need to find that balance.  4. The last part of the organization culture is beliefs and values. 

What is important for the organization?  Clearly it is improving student acheivement, however, is there a clear meaning to all staff about what that really means?  In Richard DuFour’s four essential questions for student achievement,the educational systems must remain focused on these questions and be able to systematically implement and measure each student's strength and growth need. 1. What is it we want all students to learn?, 2. How will we know when each student has acquired the intended knowledge and skills?, 3. How will we respond when students experience difficulties in their learning?, and 4. What will we do when students acquire the intended knowledge and skills?   So with this, I leave this blog and look for ways I can make a difference and bring on change.





Adapted from Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership (2010)

A New Beginning of Oganizational Development

As I reflect upon the first class of this quarter, "Organizational Development", I am inspired by the passion and knowledge that Dr. Faverty presents at the beginning of this 2011 year. He's real, he sees it, feels it, gets it.  Now how can we help him to change it, our thinking, our paths, our ways.... for the betterment of our students, at all ages?  Tonight, I begin the readings suggested and begin with Schein's Cutlure and Leadership research.  I find it very real, common sense and I start to think, "it sounds so easy , we know this, and why can't we make our organizations better?" If only we, in our own organization have a shared meaning, a shared outcome, we could move forward to greater accomplishments for all of us, not only the students.  One of Schein's bullets shouted in my head so loud... like it was being written to ME,  "Leaders should be conscious of culture otherwise it will manage them". Stay tuned for more it is going to get deep!