March 26 Study Guide Part II

Book: Bolman, Lee G. and Terrence E. Deal. Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. 2003. 512 pages. $32.



Reframing Organizations proposes that managers and leaders use four “frames” or points of reference when considering an issue. This allows for multiple perspectives. The four frames are:

Structural: this frame provides the structure of an organization so that people are able to do their best work. Considerations include the allocation of work, and the coordination of work.

Human Resources: this frame works from a number of assumptions including that organizations should serve humans; organizations and people need each other; and a good fit between an organization and a person benefits both.

Political: this frame recognizes that coalitions with an organization will have different values and compete for resources. Goals, structures and policies may emerge from these ongoing negotiations.

Symbolic: this frame recognizes that meaning is based in experience and culture, and that what something means is more important than what happened.

Bolman and Deal make a number of references to other writers on leadership, including an earlier work by last month’s authors, Boyatzis and McKee (“a little squishy,” although grounded in the human resources frame. Much of Bennis’ ideas on vision, voice, integrity and adaptive capacity, play across these frames, although Bolman and Deal make a point of discussion vision as a part of the symbolic frame.

About the Author: Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal are best-selling authors, business consultants, and members of academic communities. Bolman is the Marion Bloch Chair in Leadership at the Bloch School of Business, University of Missouri-Kansas City. Deal is the Irving R. Melbo Professor of Education at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School.

Questions:

Taking Jana’s suggestion, I came up with a couple of different library issues for us to talk about.
1. Pornography on the Internet. Let us say that our library is CIPA compliant: it has minimal filtering, and we make it easy for people to request that it be turned off. Recently, a number of people have asked to have it turned off, while sitting at computers in the most public areas. The library staff had recently reorganized the computer area so that they could better supervise the area after some computer vandalism. Now, several parents have complained, and the library director has just received a letter from on a city councilperson asking about the incidents. How do you balance CIPA, library staff concerns, and community concerns?
2. Reaching a New Generation. Recently, a staff member has proposed building a video and sound studio, where people can make their own videos for posting to YouTube or for other purposes. While some of the start up costs may be donated, there will be significant ongoing costs, and no new money in the library budget for those costs. In addition, the library needs to find space for the studio. While some staff members are very excited about the studio, others are concerned about what it may mean for their long-standing programs. How do you decide whether to make this a priority? At what cost?
3. Maybe you have an issue you’d like us to use the frames to talk through?

A Very Short Webography:
Book Reviews and Summaries

This is a summary, in outline format, of an earlier version. Written by Ted Nellen, probably as a part of his college work; it seems to summarize the ideas adequately. http://www.tnellen.com/ted/tc/bolman.html

Almisbar (United Arab Emirates University) Library Newsletter had this review of the 2003 edition: http://www.libs.uaeu.ac.ae/almisbar/2005fall/review.html

About the Authors

Lee G. Bolman has his own website (and even posts his photo) at: http://www.leebolman.com/

And so does Terrence E. Deal: https://www.cuesta.edu/commty/foundation/pages/DEAL%20Bio%20&%20Pic.pdf

March 26 Study Guide

Book: Bolman, Lee G. and Terrence E. Deal. Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. 2003. 512 pages. $32.

Thanks to Dr. Jana Bradley, who has provided us with the following study guide. I'll add more of an overview, and perhaps some other sources, later.

Overview of Book: This book groups approaches to management, represented by management theories, in four categories, each of which views management from a different perspective. The basic premise is that complex problems always benefit from analysis from multiple perspectives. Managers tend to analyze problems from the perspectives with which they feel most comfortable, which may not always be the most relevant or useful. Managers benefit from having an “analytical toolkit” of perspectives.

Reading Recommendations: To understand the book’s premise—that complex management problems benefit from analysis from multiple perspectives—it is necessary first to understand the concept of “framing” and then grasp each of the four frames: structural, human resource, political and symbolic. Here are some reading suggestions to give you a sense of the whole book. Read more if you have the time and interest.

Chapter 1: Introduction: The Power of Framing
Chapter 3: Getting Organized (Structural Frame)
Chapter 6: People in Organizations (Human Resource Frame)
Chapter 9: Power, Conflict and Coalition (Political Frame)
Chapter 12: Organizational Culture and Symbols
Chapter 15: Integrating Frames for Effective Practice

Discussion: One of the best ways to work with this book is to take an issue or problem in library management, discuss how each frame conceptualizes the issue and what solutions each frame offers, and then put together a plan or sequence of approaches that you think pulls everything together.

Of course, you could choose a number of different problems. In classes, I have had a great deal of success with using the introduction of new technology into a library as the focal issue.

Feb. 26 Discussion

Book: Boyatzis, Richard and McKee, Annie. Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting With Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion. 2005. 286 pages.

Preliminaries: Thanks to the core group of participants who continue to participate with this exploration of leadership. We welcomed a new member this month, Dereth, and appreciated her insights and participation. Snacks were tortilla chips and dips – not very inspirational, as we’d already used up the Mexican food theme for lunch with some out-of-town guests earlier in the day.

Book Discussion: Everyone who had read even a little in this book reported that it resonated with them, and we were able to quickly bring the few non-readers up to speed. (We should remember this: even among librarians, we are sometimes non-readers.)

After reviewing the books highlights (emotional intelligences, sacrifice syndrome, CEO disease, and how to combat it: mindfulness, hope and compassion), we discussed whether these strategies worked for those of us who are not “the” leader, but do have professional jobs requiring both creativity and responsiveness. Strategies included exercising; eating meals regularly with significant others; church attendance and other worshipful practices; family events; attendance at cultural events; and hobbies.

Everyone took some time to complete one of the exercises, “Insight into Your Operating Philosophy” (p. 215). The book divides people into three types of operating philosophies: pragmatic, intellectual and humanistic. Just the effort it took some group members to complete and score the exercise said something about their operating philosophy. Our results were mixed, although almost everyone showed up at least somewhat strong in the humanistic area. A few of us learned we’re pretty intensely entrenched in one philosophy. Using that information, we could begin to understand how two people might have the same intentions, but select very different courses of action. And, we realized, an understanding of your operating philosophy also helps develop mindfulness, and toward personal activities that might complement the work life.

Something to Think About: Would you hire someone who had a reputation of always being in the office more than 60 hours a week, and never taking vacations?