Intrinsic Tensions in Organizations

Two Different but Related Frameworks

The fundamental relationship dynamic is the organization versus the person, but we should replace that here with the present focus: management v employees.

Management is bounded by the organization: it represents the organization, and necessarily views employees impersonally as another essential resource, the «human» resource.

You, the employee, are a person with a life outside the organization. Your interests and management's cannot perfectly coincide—even if you are management! That is why we need two Tree frameworks: 

► one to help management handle employmentfor the organization, &
► one to help you handle employmentby the organization.

We might imagine that, ideally, these frameworks should complement and reinforce each other. Let's see if they do.

Two Polarizing Tensions

THEE Theory: To create a Tree framework from a THEE hierarchy, it is necessary to identify the polarizing tension (called a dynamic duality) that sparks a need for balance amongst the various relevant factors defined by each of the levels.

For management, the polarizing tension in handling employment is between differentiating or discriminating staff and their duties, and viewing staff and their duties as uniform and undifferentiated. Detail:►

Employees are all equal in their role as staff members, and in their underlying duty to serve the organization to the best of their ability. So they can be seen as uniform, homogeneous and requiring a standardized undifferentiated response.

Employees can and should also be differentiated. It is evident that every member of staff is (and deserves to be viewed as) a unique individual. Each has different duties drawing on particular talents and distinct interests. Each also has varying personal ambitions, idiosyncratic weaknesses and specific domestic situations.

► This dynamic duality is labelled: Uniformity v Differentiation.

For employees, the polarizing tension in handling employment is between concerns and responsibility for yourself (currently and going forward), and duties towards and concerns for the employing organization. Detail:► 

Duties to yourself include your professional development, your career development, managing a life-work balance, duties to your family, and even protecting your idiosyncratic quirks and personal preferences.

Duties to the organization include the responsibilities that go with the post, as well as things like: obligations to co-workers and to subordinates, adherence to company policies and rules, confidentiality on internal matters, and letting your aspirations be channeled by organizational needs.

► This dynamic duality is labelled: Self v Organization

These polarities will manifest differently for management and for an employee at each level of expectation in an organization, There is a well-established THEE principle that the two polar opposites will exist as distinct forms at some levels (L3, 5 & 6), while in others the polarity must be fused to produce a balanced form (L1, 2 & 4).

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Either get a clear focus now on:

• the divergence of management and employee interests;  
  OR:
• start now to build the framework for either management or the employee.;
  OR:
• first see the end result for both frameworks.

Originally posted: 30-Nov-2011