Zones in the TET

Degrees of Relating and Contributing

Relating: Y-Axis

Given the importance of handling people in organizations, especially at the present time when creativity and commitment have become so vital, it is useful to divide up the Y-axis into zones indicating the quality of relating.

In the Empiricist—Dynamic zone,
decision-making is impersonal.

In the Structuralist—Opportunist zone,
decision-making is instrumental in its focus on individuals.

Zones in the Personal and Task Axes that explain key distinguishing features of the decision methods.

In the Dialectic—Rationalist zone,
decision-making is social and attention is given to groups.

In the Imaginist—Systemicist zone,
decision-making is personal and the ethical dimension is relevant.

If any of these allocations are puzzling,Closed re-visit the summary table.

Contributing: X-Axis

We can do something very similar for the X-axis. Again it is impossible for any approach to have no orientation to the need for outputs. However, in the lowest zone, that orientation can be rather indirect.

In the Empiricist—Imaginist zone,
decision-making provides assistance for outputs generated via other decision methods.

In the Structuralist—Dialectic zone,
decision-making provides for the efficient production of outputs.

Decision-making in the Rationalist—Opportunist zone,
decision-making enables achievement of desired outputs.

Decision-making in the Systemicist—Dynamic Pragmatic zone , decision-making enables transformation of the organization and its outputs.

If any of these allocations are puzzling,Closed re-visit the summary table.

Forms of Effectiveness

The TET was initially plotted in terms of the more extreme approaches and the rest. It is possible to draw two concentric circles to emphasize this phenomenon.

Centrifugal tendencies of the central decison methods. The more extreme are viewed as more sophisticated.

The inner circle traces out different ways of getting control over actions:

Pragmatic—by making something happen.

Structuralist—by making someone responsible for doing something.

Dialectic—by forging a compromise that persuades groups to do something.

Rationalist—by aligning doing things with the values and goals shared by all.

The outer circle traces out different ways of increasing effectiveness of activities:

Empiricist—by providing the factual basis for taking action.

Imaginist—by enabling people to find their actions meaningful and so commit themselves.

Systemicist—by harnessing actions to evolutionary and interactional forces.

There is a 4-level modal hierarchy emerging here. It is examined in detail in another section. At this point, note that the external circle is not just about different forms of decision and action, it also defines different styles of inquiry and knowing.

Empiricist inquiry deals with facts and figures retrieved from objective reality (empirical reality). Results provide a degree of conviction and energy for actions.

Imaginist inquiry deals with feelings and aspirations retrieved from inner reality (psychic reality). Results provide a degree of enthusiasm and commitment for actions.

Systemic inquiry deals with evolving identities and structures of interaction retrieved from deep reality (underlying reality).  Results add a flow-based dynamic to actions.

ClosedManagers differ from scientists…

Next steps

Originally posted: 21-Apr-2011