I have found that real interaction, integration and learning occur when
one bridges roles and relationships in organizations. These roles are
intervention(correcting), implementation (coaching), improvement
(consulting), innovation (challenging) and integration (coordinating) the
other roles. Every function such as production, marketing, finance,etc.
all perform these roles. Hence, one might develop a matrix of functions
and roles. One would find that some functions share some roles and not
others. Yet, the potential for greater interaction and integration between
roles and functions is total communication and the best way to learn from
each other in practical ways in terms of what we actually do. For
example, I find that intervention to correct production problems requires
greater interaction with implementation of marketing sales. This can lead
tobetter interactions and decisions on both sides. Production people want
simplification and standardization to get bigger economies of scale and
marketing sales people want more variety to increase sales and
commissions. Organizations are always wrestling with how much variety and
specificity to tolerate versus simplicity and generality. These tradeoffs
are at the heart of managing and leading organizations. To grow and
develop we need increasing options and effectiveness but we also need
internal functional efficiency...How can we achieve both at the same time?
That is at the heart of organization sharing and learning together...
Best regards....August W Smith Development Dynamics
PO Box 26026 Austin,Texas 78755 (512)450-1854
--awsmith@uts.cc.utexas.edu (August W. Smith)
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>