LC 502 SOBs:

This lesson provides an insight into the interaction of the leader and the organization. It consists of 4 readings drawn from various sources.

A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.

David Drennan's book, ( Transforming Company Culture)--defines as "how things get done around here." Includes the same concepts as Schein's definition. First, the group develops ways of handling routine functions or work by experience. Over time, the group learns what works given a set of circumstances and what does not. This way of operating becomes "acceptable" or "the standard practice" and leads to a sense of safety or comfort when facing a situation with similar conditions. Continued use of these methods lead to habits. Over time these habits transform into a groups basic assumptions. The group projects these values and assumptions on new members.

Schein introduces three levels of organizational culture. These three levels are (1) observable artifacts, (2) values and beliefs and (3) basic assumptions.

When entering an organization, the first things one encounters are its artifacts. Represent the top level or most visible aspects of organizational culture. Artifacts are those things we can see, hear, or "feel" about an organization. They include the physical environment, language, and "air" about the group. Processes or behavior of the groups people, how they address each other and interact, and group ceremonies or rituals are also considered artifacts of an organization.. To gain a greater understanding of the organization, one must take a deeper look and analyze the organizations values.

A group's values, often referred to as espoused values, are those principles or ideas the group articulates or announces publicly as what they stand for or what they are trying to achieve. Conflict arises when an organizations espoused values are in conflict with or are not supported by the actual actions. This occurs when people say they would do given a set of circumstances as opposed to what they actually do under those same circumstances. In essence, this conflict is when one "talks the talk" but fails to "walk the walk."

At the deepest level of organizational culture are the groups shared assumptions. These tend to be those ideas, concepts, or beliefs the group does not question or debate, therefore they tend to be extremely difficult to change. Assumptions are the result of continually validated and reinforce values, they guide group behavior, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings about a situation. They can deal with basic aspects of life--the correct way for the individual and group to relate to each other; relative importance of work, family, and self-development; the proper role of men and women; and the nature of the family.

At the very top are the most visible components of organizational culture, the artifacts. Next are the organizations values and beliefs. At the third level of the Bounds, model are the underlying assumptions.

The three levels of culture are dynamically interrelated; each level influences the others. Many attempts to change culture focus on surface-level artifacts without changing deeper level values or assumptions. Such changes are doomed to be temporary.

Simply stated, leadership sets the tone. When an organization is established or in its infancy, the founder chooses the basic mission and sets the environment in which the group will work. Over time, the founder slips away from the organization and new leaders step up to carry the organization toward their vision of the future. What leaders pay attention to is one of six of Schein's "primary embedding mechanisms" (Figure in SOB 502-22). These leadership actions create the "climate" of an organization. This climate reflects the basic values and beliefs of the founder in young organizations and tends to shift to reflect the basic assumptions of the organization as it matures.

As the organization matures and stabilizes, Schein says design, structure, architecture, rituals, stories, and formal statements emerge as a second set of potential culture embedding mechanisms. He calls the items secondary articulation and reinforcement mechanisms. They become culture imbedding mechanisms only if they are consistent the primary mechanisms. If there is inconsistency, the secondary mechanisms will be ignored or they will be the source of conflict within the organization.

Leadership actions create the "climate" of an organization. This climate reflects the basic values and beliefs of the founder in young organizations and tends to shift to reflect the basic assumptions of the organization as it matures.

Leaders must be prepared to successfully guide their groups and organizations through change to survive and prosper. Leaders should also understand they are the most important player in the organizational change process. Using culture creating or imbedding mechanisms, especially what they pay attention to sets the tone for the organization. To be most effective, leaders must consistently act in ways that reinforce their values and the desired end state.

In assessing their organization and considering the impacts of change, leaders should look at their organization through a series of perspectives or frames. The structural frame will look at organizational goals and how the group is organized to achieve their goals. Through a human perspective, leaders can look at how to best match peoples needs and skills with organizational goals. Power and competition for scare resources give a view from the political frame of reference. Finally, a symbolic frame of reference sheds light on portions of a groups culture including symbols, rituals, ceremonies, legends, heroes, and myths.

Mechanism	Notes and Comments
What leaders pay attention to, measure, and control on a regular basis	- One of the most powerful embedding mechanisms - Can be anything leaders notice or question - May include casual comments - Consistency is important, not intensity
How leaders react to critical incidents and organizational crises	- Creates new organizational norms, values, and working procedures - Reveals important underlying assumptions - Heightened emotions increases the intensity of learning - Also consider what leadership considers a crisis
Observed criteria by which leaders allocate scarce resources	- Best described as "putting your money where your mouth is" - Includes the actual resource allocation process--top down versus bottom up
Deliberate role modeling, teaching, and coaching	- A Leaders visible behavior communicates values and assumptions - Accomplished formally or informally - Informal messages are the more powerful teaching and coaching mechanism
Observed criteria by which leaders allocated rewards and status	- Includes promotions, appraisal ratings, and punishments - What really happens is important, not what is espoused or preached - Promotion and reward system must be consistent with underlying assumptions - Judged over the long term
Observed criteria by which leaders recruit, select, promote, retire, and excommunicate organizational members	- Subtle yet potent method to embed and perpetuate cultural assumptions - Often operates unconsciously in organizations - Founders and leaders hire those who resemble their desired style, assumptions, values, and beliefs - Includes who is isolated from the group and who gets retired early

It will take continued leadership effort and attention at all levels to complete the job. Leaders must be completely committed to creating the QAF environment of trust, teamwork, and continuous improvement. It is only then that the Air Force will be "an outfit which allows each of its members to achieve their full, God given potential."

503.3 Comprehend effective change strategies within the organizational culture context.

Given an environment of constant change. Theories for implementing change in a group or organization includes basic change models and the concepts of unfreezing, restructuring, and refreezing an organization. Bolman and Deal's concept of organizational frames, helps leaders anticipate issues that may arise as the result of change. In addition, a model for effort and change can guide leaders in following through to implement lasting change.

According to Dr. Edgar Schein, the way in which culture can and does change depends upon the stage at which the organization finds itself. In the growth stage, leaders the development of group values and assumptions. They do this through what they pay attention to, control, and reward; how they allocate resources; how they select, promote, and "deselect" people. As the organization matures, the leaders ability to manipulate culture diminishes. Changing deeply held values and assumptions requires considerable effort and time. Schein proposes a three step model; unfreezing, restructuring, and finally refreezing, as the root for making change.

The unfreezing process begins with information or data showing negative trends or tendencies. The organization is failing to meet some of its goals or its systems are not working as efficiently as required. This negative information must then be recognized and explicitly linked to important organizational goals to produce a feeling of guilt or anxiety within the organization.

This restructuring or redefinition produces a new or adjusted set of basic assumptions and a change in behavior. This new behavior and desired set of assumptions and beliefs must be continually reinforced until their is no anxiety in the system and the organization is stabilized. This model provides the basis for organizational change in all stages of organizational development.

In the CET model, Carr breaks the change process down into four phases. Phase 1 is the kick-off phase, marked with fanfare and excitement. Typically, this phase includes speeches, handouts, and a promise of a rosy future. Carr cautions leaders to not focus all of their attention on the change launching process without a clear idea or vision of what they expect will happen when it's all over and the investment needed to get there.

The real hard work begins in Phase 2. Here, people learn new ways of doing business. It could be a new process, procedure, or piece of equipment. In this phase, organizational and personal habits, rituals, and patterns come into question. Questions such as "Why do we have to change, the old way was good enough to get us here?" arise. Morale may drop and commitment to the change can begin to waver. Even if the change is started with a high energy kick off in Phase 1, it is nearly impossible for this motivational high to carry the change through Phase 2.

Phase 3 marks turning the corner on change. This phase represents the repeated application of new methods in the workplace. Although not easy, the new process or procedure gains acceptance and familiarity. While the amount of effort needed to do it the "new way" is decreasing, it still requires more effort than doing it the "old way."

Phase 4, marks the successful end of the change initiative. The desired change is institutionalized within the organization. The new process is as easy, if not easier, to do as the old way and it is now the norm.

503.32 Describe the change implementation strategy recommended by Lt Gen Stroup.

Action, not just words, will change our culture. I suggest four actions we can use to embed our values into Army culture.

What Leaders Pay Attention to, Measure, and Control-A powerful way for us to communicate to our unit what we truly care about is to systematically pay attention to a specific concern. We set the standard in our unit by what our soldiers observe us checking, asking about and monitoring.

Leader Reactions to Critical Incidents and Organizational Crises-When our units face a crisis, our reactions reveal important underlying assumptions. During a crisis, sensitivities are heightened and soldiers are more likely to remember what happens.

Deliberate Role Modeling, Teaching, and Coaching-Occasionally, leaders can communicate assumptions and values by personally instructing, modeling, correcting, and coaching. This can be done in a formal setting such as an officer professional development session, or informally in everyday behavior. The informal settings provide the more effective environment to embed a culture.

Criteria for allocation of rewards and status-Soldiers will quickly understand unstated values and assumptions from their experiences with awards, performance evaluations, what gets praised in the unit and what gets punished. As leaders, we can preach all day about how we want candor in our soldiers. However, if we consistently discourage constructive criticism and feedback, then we really do not value candor. If integrity is one of our desired values, then we must avoid giving rise to a culture in which only perfect results are accepted.

Other techniques such as unit procedures, organizational design and formal philosophy statements are useful to formalize values and assumptions. However, if these techniques are inconsistent with our behavior, they will be ignored. Cultural assumptions will always be best reflected not by written statements or procedures, but by how we as leaders act.

Soldiers are our credentials. We must support them with a culture that allows honest mistakes, encourages initiative and values integrity. We cannot merely hope, direct, or even legislate that this culture will form. Instead, our values and assumptions must be communicated in our actions as leaders. Only then will a culture be instilled that ensures our Army remains a place where soldiers can truly be all they can be.

WARNING: Samples of Behaviors (SOB) are designed to aid students in evaluating their learning progress. They are not test questions nor are

Comprehend the capabilities required of leaders in diverse groups today and in the future.

Analyze the essence of leadership in the context of present and future challenges.

2.Restoring the Balance Between Traditional and Quality Leadership in the Air Force, Lt Col Robert F. Byrd

4.Leadership and Organizational Culture: Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Lt Gen Theodore