[...Subject line changed by your host to "Shared Authority"...]
As a state agency of about 200 people, we began having small group
meetings to talk about our agency as being a Learning Organization and
about some of the characteristics we saw in a Learning Organization
structure. In a small group meeting of about 10 people (from middle
management on down), characteristics were charted on a board and
conversation flowed. I had no problems when someone mentioned a
characteristic as being shared authority and shared decision making.
Later I heard about some discussions of others in top management that
found those two characteristics not appropriate. Can anyone lend some
advice and explain why shared authority seems to be so threatening. Is it
a legitimate characteristic and how might it be applied so that everyone
feels included without being threatened.
I don't feel that bottom level staff are trying to replace top level
staff's authority in this issue, but merely want to share their expertise.
Comments please, before we chart our next small groups. May be a reading
list would help.
-- TIA Lue Ann Snider lasnider@smtpgw.ksbe.state.ks.us