Bob Williams's post on above has inspired me to code the following
two object solutions (deposited in Internet Knowledge Database, i.e.
Outsights http://www.outsights.com).
Here are my thoughts, your comments / critiques most welcome
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Goal: Can Planning, thinking or strategising help organisation to
succeed?
Fact: Thinking Process and System understanding
Fact: ISO 9000 Quality System Model
Symptom: Advising a medium sized, family run business
Symptom: To help develop a strategic plan.
Symptom: Need to help develop strategic thinking skills throughout the
organisation
Symptom: Follow by what strategies and plans might be appropriate
Symptom: How to develop the skills in exploring possible strategies
and plans.
Symptom: Hope to lead to a more participatory workplace, teamwork
skills, communication skills etc.
Symptom: The business owner supports these ideas
Symptom: Staff see "strategy" as a management responsibility not
theirs
Symptom: Some staff, rather than involved in strategic planning, more
on personal relationship development
Symptom: Some staff are open in raising their concerns, hence good
feedback.
Symptom: Can different types of strategic planning, strategy and
strategic thinking help?
Cause: Not making good distinction betweeen Process and System
Fix: There are many contributing factors to a successful organisation.
Strategic planning, strategy and strategic thinking, albeit important
processes, cannot exist in isolation away from a contextual situation.
A contextual situation makes up a System with its many interacting
components or elements with structures that affect or influence
behaviour.
Fix: Focus then should be on the contextual situation or reality,
using an appropriate model or framework to derive better understanding
or appreciation. For example: ISO 9000 Quality System model.
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Goal: Pro's and Con's of seeing managers as strategists and staff as
doers; and everyone as strategists and doers
Fact: Thinkers and Doers
Fact: Strategy, Planning and Thinking
Fact: Role play
Symptom: Advising a medium sized, family run business
Symptom: To help develop a strategic plan.
Symptom: Need to help develop strategic thinking skills throughout the
organisation
Symptom: Follow by what strategies and plans might be appropriate
Symptom: How to develop the skills in exploring possible strategies
and plans.
Symptom: Hope to lead to a more participatory workplace, teamwork
skills, communication skills etc.
Symptom: The business owner supports these ideas
Symptom: Staff see "strategy" as a management responsibility not
theirs
Symptom: Some staff, rather than involved in strategic planning, more
on personal relationship development
Symptom: Some staff are open in raising their concerns, hence good
feedback.
Symptom: Can different types of strategic planning, strategy and
strategic thinking help?
Cause: "This or That or Both" logic thinking.
Fix: Human tendency to fall into logic thinking of "This or That or
Both", a familiar fragmenting or specilising approach.
Fix: "Strategising (or thinking) and doing" are processes necessary
for different tasks and role play in different context. Using a family
organisation as a analogy : the father is strategising for food,
shelter and security for the family, with "doing" in business or
career advancement. The son, is also strategising for education,
socialisation, with "doing" in homework or games with friends. The
son's domain in strategising and doing, is a sub-set of the father's,
as the later signifcant chances can greatly affect that of the former.
Fix: Hence the roles of manager and staff can be understood in the
same like.
Source: <a href="mailto:andrewwhs@hotmail.com">Andrew
Wong</a>, <a href="http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621"
target="_blank">Web Page</a>
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Regards
Andrew Wong
Organisation Observer and Thinker
Personal Coach & Organisation Coach
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/5621
An associate of Outsights
http://www.outsights.com
--andreww@petronas.com.my (Andrew Wong Hee Sing)
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>