Kim Ridgway asked if skunkworks physically and operationally separated
from the older, larger organization can succeed in teaching the old
organization new behaviors and processes.
Scattering new leaders throughout an organization can be an invitation to
trouble for these new leaders. I would recommend, instead, the creation
of a cross-functional team which communicates constantly with every
department within the company about its purpose and its actions. This
team can survey employees for information and ideas and communicate a
cross-functional perspective to everyone in the company. When a group
achieves a shared vision in isolation, it is often difficult to share the
vision back at the ranch. However, if the group floats ideas, shares
draft documents and invites comments, holds discussion meetings in
departments, then the resulting product (strategy/plan of action) can
belong to everyone, and the frequent communication will help to make it
clear. Clarity of vision is basic to achieving organizational change.
When people are unclear, they are unable to move forward.
To summarize, clear and frequent communication and active involvement is
needed for everyone to share ownership of the resulting vision and to
proceed in the steps necessary to achieve organizational change.
Respectfully submitted by
Genene Koebelin, graduate student
Adult and Organizational Learning
Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts
koebelin@cwix.com
case study.
|
| Can a skunkworks physically and operationally separated from the older,
| larger organization succeed in teaching the old organization new
| behaviors
| and processes? What would you propose? Will team members scattered
| back
| into the old organization in their functional areas generate enough
| momentum to alter the older, well established culture? What ideas would
| you propose?
|
| Kim A. Ridgway
| kridgway@neo.rr.com
--koebelin <koebelin@cwix.com>
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