A better understanding of the dynamics of sensemaking interactions between directors in the board room, between directors and managers, and between managers and staff, is likely to improve your nonprofit’s governance and organisational effectiveness. Schemas everywhere Insights regarding ‘schemas’ (sometimes called ‘frames’) from the fields of Psychology and Sociology can help us in this undertaking.… Continue reading Sensemaking Schemas, Frames, & Mental Models
Tag: organisational culture
Differentiation and Integration in your Deliberations
Differentiation (analysis) and integration (synthesis) are the two main thinking modes we use in all situations where deliberation is involved. Non-profit leaders who wish to improve their deliberative processes may benefit from reflection on how effectively they are using both modes. Whether we are differentiating facts from fiction, signal from noise, salient from irrelevant, logical… Continue reading Differentiation and Integration in your Deliberations
The argument ‘rabbit hole’: debate, discussion, or dialogue
This particular excursion down the rabbit hole started aimlessly enough, browsing a table of new releases on the way out the door of the (increasingly rare) bookstore. Good arguments Bo Seo’s new book Good Arguments: What the art of debating can teach us about listening better and disagreeing well caught my eye. Perhaps my high… Continue reading The argument ‘rabbit hole’: debate, discussion, or dialogue
Interdependency, Mutual Dependency, and Co-dependency in your NFP
While the terms interdependency, mutual dependency, and co-dependency sound similar, it is important to distinguish between them if a healthy culture is to be nurtured in your non-profit. Beware co-dependency A co-dependent relationship has been described as a shared psychological condition (meaning pathology) in which ‘one party needs the other party, who in turn, needs… Continue reading Interdependency, Mutual Dependency, and Co-dependency in your NFP
Foolosophy in the boardroom
Archetype lenses In systems thinking, we often use mental models, of which the archetype is one variety, to provide us with a lens that helps to simplify the ‘story’ of what’s happening in our work and social environment. Archetypes come in many shapes and sizes. At the macro level, system archetypes decompose the elements and… Continue reading Foolosophy in the boardroom
“Am I thinking what you’re thinking?” – Perspective taking Vs perspective sharing
The conversational query “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” may have become a cliche, but rephrased (as in the heading above), it may help us to think a little more deeply about how we try to understand each other. We have been urged not to judge another until we’ve walked a mile in their shoes.… Continue reading “Am I thinking what you’re thinking?” – Perspective taking Vs perspective sharing
Integrity – greater than the sum of its aspects
Integrity – Part 1 Integrity can be thought of as a ‘cluster’ concept, which, when taking into account all its subtle variations, is greater than the sum of its aspects. It is not so much a ‘slippery’ concept as one which reveals its many facets through the words it is paired with. Some common pairings… Continue reading Integrity – greater than the sum of its aspects
With ‘respect’ …
Organisational Culture – Part 7 Respect is a value espoused by many non-profit organisations – as one would expect. I suggested reflection on how respect is expressed within your organisation in a recent blog post, partly because it is so often at the core of workplace conflicts. Under different circumstances and at different times, we… Continue reading With ‘respect’ …
Organisational ‘Health & Wellbeing’
Organisational Culture – Part 6 Organisational dis-eases and mood disorders In recent posts, various metaphors for organisational culture have been noted, with the ‘garden ecosystem’ and ‘human personality’ being relied upon to reflect the nature of the organisation as a complex adaptive system. The human metaphor for an organisation can be extended to think about… Continue reading Organisational ‘Health & Wellbeing’
Ways of knowing and being in organisational culture
Organisation culture – Part 5 When we hold directors and managers accountable for a problem with organisational culture, we affirm that culture is a product of choices made and actions taken (or neglected). Consequently, it cannot be fixed and immutable. While it may be consistent (and sometimes even seems ossified), it is amenable to reshaping.… Continue reading Ways of knowing and being in organisational culture