Model for organisations
The logic of Feeling in Organizations can be applied at various levels:
for individuals, organisations, a society, or even the historical
development of science. I place emphasis on the development of people in
organisations. Here, I define an organisation as a collaboration that
must be predefined. The figure below illustrates a dynamic model.
Factors in the natural system, the social system, and the communicative
system that influence the development of capacities are connected with
arrows. Some factors are reinforcing (+) while other factors have a
balancing impact (-). Please note that the positive and negative signs
have nothing to do with good or bad.
Explanation of model
The development of available capacity is paramount. This is from the
viewpoint that a person’s essential purpose is to develop personal
capacity and guide his/her own learning process in communication with
others. The development of capacities is a learning process that is
stimulated by the natural drive for development (the positive =
constructive causal loop) and is also affected by rules and norms (the
negative = balancing causal loop).
Applied to organisations, development is initially determined by the
available capacities of people and resources. The love for the field
also belongs to the natural system. In order to work together on shared
goals, structures (building setup, function, rules, norms, procedures)
arise along with the social system of the organisation. In both systems,
we have assumptions, visions, and models of reality. The totality of
models of reality comprises the logic of the organisation. My hypothesis
is: the greater an organisation’s capacity to develop itself, the
greater the potential influence on the environment as a result of
reinforced capability to learn and perform actions.
Models of reality have limitations by their very nature. After all, they
determine what belongs and what doesn’t. Furthermore, a conflict can
arise between the logic of persons and of the organisation. To enable
further development, a new system is needed, that can integrate the
natural system and social system. This system arises if new visions and
models can arise in communication with the environment.
In the communicative system of the organisation rules, norms,
procedures, and structures are tested against the values of individuals
and the objectives of the organisation.
Feeling in Organizations, discipline, and communication: all three
matter
My conclusion is that the identity of organisations is developed in more
than one system. I have called the drive towards development the will
to learn, to experiment.
Discipline
determines how to enable coordinated collaboration. But it also
determines whether it is permitted to make mistakes and learn from them.
Excessive discipline inhibits learning and stifles creativity.
Communicating about
the models of reality makes new learning processes possible. As the
communicative system is further developed, not only does one “learn”
more (development of capacities), but learning capability (determining
what and how you want to learn) increases as well.
A person’s feeling plays a crucial role in the development of
systems. The feeling points to the steering intentions. In new
situations, steering codes must be redefined. It is important to examine
what systems the steering codes come from, because the learning
processes will be misguided if you are trying to explain a phenomenon
from one system with explanations from another system.
Development in time
If you take the central variable, the development of capacities, from
the above model and spread it out over time, you will see how one system
continues building on the other. The grey area indicates what will
happen in extreme cases (too much or too little steering in the system).
First, the natural system of internal steering arises. Next, the social
system of external steering. Finally, the communicative system of
self-steering.
