Getting Action Right

All achievement rests on necessary action (CL1), i.e. organizations have a pragmatic foundation. The higher 9 Centres are then all about one single important thing: how to ensure that this action serves the achievement goals of the organization.

By dividing the framework in two sections, primarily linked by shared values and organizational objectives (CL4), we can see three foci in the Tree diagram for delivering that «single important thing».

■ The lower section is concerned with controlling activities.
■ The upper section is concerned with ensuring effectiveness.
■ These two sections are linked so as to manage achievement tensions.

Reminder of the Formal Derivation: ► The hierarchical THEE-Tree has been derived from the Spiral modes (PH'1C) by identifying Centres that are areas of essential choices for the organization. Read more.

Controlling Activities

The lower section, CL4-CL1, is about controlling activities.

Basis: CL1. All work shows up in specific activities, so the most basic requirement for achievement is taking necessary action (CL1). Pursuing action is intrinsically controlling.

Coverage: CL2. However, unless all necessary actions are performed when and as they should be, the organization will founder. Coverage of precisely what counts as «necessary» is provided by a structure of accountabilities. The structure must cover not only actual and self-evident work, but also all potentially possible work. So it must be designed in terms of «general responsibilities» in particular areas. This level organizes action.

To repeat:  Structures should not be designed in terms of tasks because this makes it impossible to assign accountability for new tasks required under future unknown and unknowable circumstances. 

Clashes: CL3. Clashes of perspective, outlooks and interests are unavoidable. However, two different types of clash are possible: ►

► Clashes may reflect a genuine direct and unavoidable consequence of establishing requisite structures. Why? 
The organization must be structured so as to produce parts with different duties and activities. In many cases, these compartments also have different cultures, exacerbating value-based perspectives and demands.

► Clashes may reflect differing interests and the exertion of power by individuals or groups, primarily seeking their own benefit. Who?
Organizations have many staff and professionals who seek benefits in terms of status and increased budgets for their type of expertise. Labor unions may be less concerned with status than with member remuneration, improved work conditions and workload control.

If such clashes persist, they can paralyze action. Accountable managers must find resolutions that harmonize action within the organization.

Rationale: CL4. All activity needs to be controlled by the values and objectives of the organization.  Values and goals direct action. To the degree that activity delivers on goals in accord with values, the organization can claim achievement.

● Errors in choice of value or goal (CL4) mean «doing the wrong thing». 
● Errors at lower levels (CL1-3) mean «doing things wrongly».

Control is Not Enough

The upper section, CL7-CL4, is about increasing effectiveness and this primarily involves bringing reality into the picture for the organization. There are three relevant realities to be determined by inquiry: empirical (CL5), imaginative (CL6) and social (CL7).

The diagram shows that choice of values and goals in the Rationalist Centre (CL4) is the primary link between the higher Inquiry-Centres that increase effectiveness and the lower Action-Centres that control activity.

There are two other Channels linking the two halves of the Tree via CL5 ↔ CL3. These links directly address duality-based tensions: bridging both the «inquiry v action» internal duality and the «individual v organizational» dynamic duality.

NOTE: The Pragmatic Centre (CL1) is the wild card: not only does it lack a direct link to choice of values and goals (CL4), but it can bypass accountability (CL2)—and will certainly do so if roles and reporting relationships are confused and weak.

---

► Read more about improving control.

Originally posted: 29-Sep-2011