Preventing Disorder

In determining necessary accountability processes, the first requirement has to be to prevent the disorder that comes from having two contrasting modes of accountability within the one Level.

The two Centres at each of Levels 3, 5 and 6 require linkage if order is to be preserved and the «control» expected at that Level is to be maintained.

In general it is far easier and less effort to be responsive than to be systematic, and this shows up here.

WL6_S-Systematic Policy ↔ WL5_R-Policy Response

Policy responses-WL6_R are unavoidable, but they must be eventually incorporated or revised to fit within a systematic policy-WL6_S if an identity for the organization is to be shaped. Conversely systematic policies must take into account any existing policy responses in order to maintain coherence.

This Channel is labeled:  Identity Maintenance.

To ensure identity maintenance, regular policy reviews are essential.

What goes wrong:

If policy responses proliferate without regard to systematic policy requirements, then resources allocated to mediate the response will end up being wasted. This is common in politically-controlled public agencies.

If the need for a policy response to emergent situations is ignored in favour of existing policy, then the organization is in danger of being plunged into a financial, public relations or employee crisis.

WL5_S-Coherent Strategy ↔ WL5_R-Ad hoc Strategy

Ad hoc strategies-WL5_R are unavoidable, but they must be eventually incorporated or revised to fit within a coherent strategy-WL5_S if operations are not to become chaotic. Conversely coherent strategies must take into account existing ad hoc strategies in order to win support and introduce them effectively into operations.

This Channel is labeled:  Operations Maintenance.

To ensure operations maintenance, regular strategy reviews are essential.

What goes wrong:

If ad hoc strategies proliferate with scant regard for coherent shaping of the enterprise, managers within operations become increasingly reactive and start to lose a sense of what is wanted overall. Operations are particularly threatened where there is confusion about management structures or policies for management.

Sometimes coherent strategies are introduced without concern for previous &/or current ad hoc strategies. Top management then appears to be out of touch with operations, and initiatives may not be taken seriously.

WL3_R-Emergency Arrangement ↔ WL3_S-Rational System

Emergency arrangements-WL3_R, however essential, must take into account the existing rational systems-WL3_S to avoid even worse problems. Conversely rational systems must take into account existing emergency arrangements, either incorporating or revising them. The over-riding requirement is the use of systems to maintain operational control and implement management interventions of all sorts.

This Channel is labeled:  Systems Maintenance.

To ensure systems maintenance, regular system reviews are essential.

What goes wrong:

If emergency arrangements proliferate without regard to the need for a rational system, the situation on the ground will become chaotic. People may lose track of what the system is at any point. Conflicts and contradictions naturally develop requiring more fire-fighting and increasing work-stress. The end-result is to overwhelm staff and put operations at risk.

Another dangerous situation is one where rational systems are introduced and imposed, but staff are not empowered to generate emergency arrangements. Again, situations will get out of hand and operations will be compromised.

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These three vital Channels preserve three essentials of management: 

• what the organization is: identity maintenance via policy control at L6
• what the organization produces: operations maintenance via strategy control at L5
• what the organization does: systems maintenance via operations control at L3

• Given those requirements are met, pursuit of the mission comes into focus. This depends on interactions between Centres in immediately adjacent Levels.

Originally posted: 22-Feb-2014