Download What is a frame?

UNITAR – Afghan Fellowship Program
Hiroshima, November 2009
Properties of Organizations
Organizations
Organizations
‡ Organizations
‡ Organizations
‡
‡
What is a frame?
‡
‡
‡
‡
complex
surprising
deceptive
ambiguous
Structural and Human Resource Frames
Mental map to read and negotiate a
“territory”
The better the map, the easier it is to know
where you are and get around (a map of
Khabul won’t help in Peshwar)
Frame as window: enables you to see some
things, but not others
Frame as tool: effectiveness depends on
choosing the right tool and knowing how to
use it
Political and Symbolic Frames
Frame
Structural
Human Resource
Metaphor for
organization
Factory or Machine
Family
Central concepts Rules, roles, goals,
policies, technology,
environment
Needs, skills,
relationships
Image of
Leadership
Empowerment
Structural Assumptions
Frame
Political
Symbolic
‡
Metaphor for
organization
Jungle
Carnival, temple, theater
‡
Central
concepts
Power, conflict,
Culture, meaning,
competition,
metaphor, ritual,
organizational politics ceremony, stories,
heroes
Image of
Leadership
Advocacy
Inspiration
Social architecture
Basic leadership Align structure to task,
Align organization and
challenge:
technology, environment human needs
‡
Basic leadership Develop agenda and
challenge:
power base
are
are
are
are
‡
‡
‡
‡
Organizations need to be organized
Achieve established goals and objectives
Increase efficiency and performance via
specialization and division of labor
Appropriate forms of coordination and control
Organizations work best when rationality
prevails
Structure must align with circumstances
Problems arise from structural deficiencies
Create faith, beauty,
meaning
1
Assumptions of the Human Resource
Frame
Assumptions of the Political Frame
Organizations are coalitions
Enduring differences among coalition
members
‡ Allocation of scarce resources
‡ Conflict is central process and power most
important resource
‡ Goals and decisions arise from bargaining,
negotiation and jockeying for position
Organizations exist to serve human needs
‡ People and organizations need each other
‡ When the fit between individual and
system is poor, one or both suffer
‡ A good fit benefits both
‡
Assumptions of the Symbolic Frame
The multiple frame leader…
Most important – not what happens, but
what it means
‡ Activity and meaning are loosely coupled
‡ People create symbols to resolve
confusion, find direction, anchor hope and
belief
‡ Events and processes more important for
what is expressed than what is produced
‡ Culture provides basic organizational glue
1.
Individually, analyze a leader of
your choice, using the “4-frame
process handout”. Highlight those
squares/ approaches you have seen
her/him use.
2.
In Pairs, pick one of the 4 frames
and articulate the required
leadership skills
Structural Leadership
Effective structural leaders…
‡
‡
Effective
Ineffective
Leader
Analyst, architect
Petty tyrant
Leadership
process
Analysis, design
Management by
detail and fiat
‡
Do their homework
Rethink relationship of strategy, structure,
environment
‡ Focus on implementation
‡ Experiment, evaluate, adapt
‡
‡
2
Human Resource Leadership
Effective
Ineffective
Leader
Catalyst, servant
Weakling,
pushover
Leadership
process
Support,
empowerment
Abdication,
indulgence
Political Leadership
Effective
‡ Believe
in people and
communicate that belief
‡ Are visible and accessible
‡ Empower others
Effective political leaders…
Ineffective
Leader
Advocate, negotiator Con artist, thug
Leadership
process
Advocacy, coalitionbuilding
Are clear about what they want and what
they can get
‡ Assess distribution of power and interests
‡ Build linkages to key stakeholders
‡ Persuade first, negotiate second, and
coerce only if necessary
‡
Manipulation,
fraud
Symbolic Leadership
Effective
Effective human resource leaders…
Effective symbolic leaders…
Ineffective
Lead by example
Use symbols to capture attention
‡ Frame experience
‡ Communicate a vision
‡ Tell stories
‡ Study and use history
‡
‡
Leader
Prophet, poet
Fanatic, fool
Leadership
process
Inspiration, framing
experience
Mirage, smoke
and mirrors
3