To continue my present effort, reviewing three strategy types
of social change – mostly organizational change – I want to add to what has
been described as normative-re-educative strategies. To date, I have, in terms of this type, offered
some ideas that John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Sigmund Freud contributed and that have
been incorporated by change theorists.[1] In this posting, I want to go back to the
Deweyean spirit of active learning and further develop the notion of the problem-solving
focus option one can operationalize in implementing a normative-re-educative
strategy.
When focusing on problem-solving, there are two tracks one
can embark upon: human problem(s) or
technical problem(s). Actually, there is
a third track in which both tracks are combined, known as sociotechnical
problems. In modern society, one is hard
pressed to encounter a purely human or technical problem – technology has
become so ingrained in the course of our daily living. Overall, after such a problem or set of problems
is identified, the general idea is to convert that awareness into a set of
questions or processes: data collection,
planning, invention, tryout solutions (testing), evaluation, and feedback. This is a very general overview of what kinds
of activities follow. As emphasized in
previous postings, the aim is to work through these processes armed with
institutional support and in a collaborative mode.
Kurt Lewin’s work capitalizes on these foundational elements
and, through what the change pioneer calls action-research, provides a bit more
meat to this general overview. One, he
recommends data collection concerning organizational functioning and
feedback. This entails processes of
interpretation as planned corrections are performed by managers in collaboration
with data collectors – usually change agents.
Two, he calls for training of managers and other organizational staff
members who are dealing with the identified and researched difficulties. Three, he advises developing methods by which
affected parties accept feedback. This can
prove difficult and time consuming as honest feedback will often challenge
internalized norms, values, and beliefs about the organization or, more
important, life itself. Four, Lewin
advocates the training of internal change agents for which I can add several
reasons. Internal staff members are
known, potentially trusted, and seen as “one of us.” These qualities can ease collaboration
efforts. They are also knowledgeable
about the organization in ways external agents cannot be. Whoever conducts the necessary research of
the organization, their aim is to scan operations to detect problems,
diagnosing them to identify changeable factors – not all factors are changeable
– and move toward collaborative solutions.
To focus on the human angle a bit more, there is an overall
aim to build up the persons involved. To
do so, there is a genuine assumption that people are or potentially are
creative and life affirming and that this aspect of them, if not detectable, is
being thwarted by existing conditions.
The work of change agents includes eliminating or, at least,
ameliorating those conditions. Here, the
work of Abraham Maslow can be useful.[2] By attempting to encourage the subjects (the
planned-for) to seek higher levels of motivations, one can address these
thwarting conditions. This calls on
agents to identify where on the hierarchy of needs each of those individuals is
and being knowledgeable about how to move them along to higher levels. The processes involved with such work usually
demand some sort of intervention and can take the form of personal counseling,
group training, laboratory work, or two-person or small group setups. Success includes the persons achieving greater
self-clarity over task demands and personal challenges which thwart moving
toward self-actualization. If an
addressed condition is truly dysfunctional yet established, change will likely combat
defenses because the condition is supported by an equilibrium or equilibria
among those involved. By stressing some “moral”
set of goals, such as those emanating from federalist values, one can determine
the dysfunctional quality of the consequences resulting from continuing those established
conditions.
Added features of this type of change approach include a few
other aspects. While focusing on a group’s
problem-solving approaches, there is a reliance on creativity – there are no a priori solutions. The actual process will entail conflict
management in which changes in norms, policies, and relationships will be
targeted. This might call for forming
informal organizational structures that exist within the formal
arrangement. This is done to satisfy
personal and interpersonal needs which are not accepted by the formal
structure. This type of strategic move
needs to be done advisedly and sensitively.
Such moves can be easily misinterpreted honestly or mischievously by threatened
parties. The rationale of such a move –
and this should be communicated to all involved – is to attempt to be more
productive by not wasting energies on accommodating the unattended needs which
the informal structure is addressing.
Overall, normative-re-educative strategies can be sold as an
attempt to re-new the efforts of the organization. They are not an easy option, but to meet
profound needs, “easy” simply does not exist.
[1]
As reported in Chin, R. and Benne, K. D. (1985).
General strategies for effecting changes in human systems. In W. G. Bennis, K. D. Benne, and R. Chin (Eds.),
The Planning of Change (pp.
22-45). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, Winston.
[2]
If you happen to be unfamiliar with Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs, he theorized that a person advances through different
levels of needs. Advancement is
dependent on satisfying lower levels before advancing to higher levels. One does not do this consciously; we are “wired”
to proceed in this fashion. The list of
needs are, in order of advancement, physiological needs, safety needs, social
needs, esteem needs, self-actualization needs.
Most people are seen as being held up at some level before reaching and
satisfying the self-actualization need level.
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