On Sun, 19 Nov 1995 CAPT=JAMES=G=MCGARRAHAN%MMEA-1%HQMC@mqg-smtp3.usmc.mil wrote:
> I'm a Captain in the Marine Corps and a member of a team of officers
> attempting to introduce such things as systems thinking tools and other
> disciplines of the learning organization to the various agencies under
> Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. At this time, we don't have any official
> mandate to study and report on the potential value added offered by the
> learning organization -- several of us, however, have come to undertake
> the same quest independently, and we're finding it extremely rewarding.
[...quote of prev msg trimmed by your host...]
Dear Jim:
As a former, Vietnam Era (enlisted), Marine who co-teaches LO/Leadership
(graduate adult education) here at Northern I want to ask you how you
intend to fully integrate the knowledges of enlisted personal within the
Corps tight, vertically integrated management style? I suggest that LO
tends to level people, equalize them so that individuals, regardless of
status or power, are able to openly and critically examine, without
recrimination, the organization's deeply embedded structural norms.
Is the modern Marine Corps open to the critique of the lowest ranking
enlisted personnel? Can it integrate those opinions in ways that equally
value them when compared to higher ranking enlisted (E-6 and above). If
it can't then you are going to have problems with some aspects of LO
theory and practice.
In essence, to make LO work, I will argue that officers (those that hold
power) have to be willing to give up some control over those they lead.
Unfortunately, I also think that doing so undermines the command structure
required of the USMC unique mission. This could lead to undermining LO
practices (namely open communication, free unfettered critique of
practices etc.). I wish you the best of luck. You found a good list to
ask for opinions etc.
-- Thomas A. Lifvendahl, Ed.D. Northern Illinois University RE/ACE Office DeKalb, Illinois 60115 815/753-1621 P60TAL1@corn.cso.niu.edu