A633.3.4.RB_MaceRoyce
Reflect on your own organization's strategy and how it has evolved over time. Discussing each stage of development and how feedback and strategy formulation have evolved. Consider the next stages in your company's evolution and describe what it will look like in 10 years and where will you be?
My own organization's most recent strategy is very focused on what they are calling a "Three Year Training Plan". It is essentially a strategic road map that requires all sections within our organization to detail the training that is to take place every single "drill weekend" for the next three years. A drill weekend is the Air National Guard's version of the company coming together to train and plan for the mission ahead. I have only been with the organization for just under two years. This is a new concept from what I have been told and there was at one time something similar to it, but it lost traction at some point.
My organization can be described as one that is transitioning from silo to matrix. While there are efforts to change the organization from a hierarchical oligarchy with independent factions to a Complex Adaptive System (CAS), there are many strides that must be taken to get there. There are a few individuals within each section that are vying for rank and power. Unfortunately, this power and position that they are jockeying for is focused on their own individual section. Cross-communication and cross-functionality is not the focus of my organization for the time being.
Despite this fact, there are efforts to change this trend and work towards a cross-functional matrices followed by a CAS. Unfortunately, the organization is victim of a high turnover rate that is unable to keep experienced leaders within its ranks. The leadership needs more mid-level leaders and managers to help make this transition. Obolensky (2011) states that matrix structures will sooner or later become a straightjacket thus causing the organization to fall behind. While this is true, our organization must at least learn to expand its cross-functionality and work with other sections first in order to promote increased mission capabilities.
A recent change that has started to occur in the organization is the concept of continuous feedback. Evans (2015) describes continuous feedback as always in place to control the complex adaptive system. Both types of feedback are now occurring; both positive and negative. This feedback has been open to all members in the form of anonymous feedback forms and surveys conducted on the computer. They are completely anonymous and allow members to submit feedback without fear of reprisal.
In my eyes, this has been a great start to transitioning to a CAS organization, but there are still some other steps that must be taken before the organization can even come close to being considered a CAS. Our organization still lacks the metaphor, Taoism, management theory, and strategy development to become a full-on CAS. The cross-functional matrices are very close to forming, but only the feedback portion of organizational evolution has started to develop and become useful. I believe the rest of this organizational evolution will take place, but it will take the some time due to high turnover rate and an overall lack of cross-functional leadership currently employed within the organization. This could very well happen in 10 years and I believe that it will should I still be with the organization as its highest enlisted leader with a learned perspective of leadership at the CAS level.
References
Evans, M. H. (2015). Complex Adaptive Systems. Retrieved from
http://www.exinfm.com/board/complex_adaptive_systems.htm
Obolensky, N. (2011). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing paradox and uncertainty.
Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Company.
My own organization's most recent strategy is very focused on what they are calling a "Three Year Training Plan". It is essentially a strategic road map that requires all sections within our organization to detail the training that is to take place every single "drill weekend" for the next three years. A drill weekend is the Air National Guard's version of the company coming together to train and plan for the mission ahead. I have only been with the organization for just under two years. This is a new concept from what I have been told and there was at one time something similar to it, but it lost traction at some point.
My organization can be described as one that is transitioning from silo to matrix. While there are efforts to change the organization from a hierarchical oligarchy with independent factions to a Complex Adaptive System (CAS), there are many strides that must be taken to get there. There are a few individuals within each section that are vying for rank and power. Unfortunately, this power and position that they are jockeying for is focused on their own individual section. Cross-communication and cross-functionality is not the focus of my organization for the time being.
Despite this fact, there are efforts to change this trend and work towards a cross-functional matrices followed by a CAS. Unfortunately, the organization is victim of a high turnover rate that is unable to keep experienced leaders within its ranks. The leadership needs more mid-level leaders and managers to help make this transition. Obolensky (2011) states that matrix structures will sooner or later become a straightjacket thus causing the organization to fall behind. While this is true, our organization must at least learn to expand its cross-functionality and work with other sections first in order to promote increased mission capabilities.
A recent change that has started to occur in the organization is the concept of continuous feedback. Evans (2015) describes continuous feedback as always in place to control the complex adaptive system. Both types of feedback are now occurring; both positive and negative. This feedback has been open to all members in the form of anonymous feedback forms and surveys conducted on the computer. They are completely anonymous and allow members to submit feedback without fear of reprisal.
In my eyes, this has been a great start to transitioning to a CAS organization, but there are still some other steps that must be taken before the organization can even come close to being considered a CAS. Our organization still lacks the metaphor, Taoism, management theory, and strategy development to become a full-on CAS. The cross-functional matrices are very close to forming, but only the feedback portion of organizational evolution has started to develop and become useful. I believe the rest of this organizational evolution will take place, but it will take the some time due to high turnover rate and an overall lack of cross-functional leadership currently employed within the organization. This could very well happen in 10 years and I believe that it will should I still be with the organization as its highest enlisted leader with a learned perspective of leadership at the CAS level.
References
Evans, M. H. (2015). Complex Adaptive Systems. Retrieved from
http://www.exinfm.com/board/complex_adaptive_systems.htm
Obolensky, N. (2011). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing paradox and uncertainty.
Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Company.
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