Transforming the Character of Public Organizations: Techniques for Change Agents

262 Pages·1998·1.54 MB·English

by  A. Carol Rusaw

Transforming the
Character of
Public Organizations:
Techniques for
Change Agents
A. Carol Rusaw
QUORUM BOOKS
TRANSFORMING THE
CHARACTER OF
PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

Transforming the
Character of
Public Organizations
Techniques for
Change Agents
A. Carol Rusaw
QUORUM BOOKS
Westport, Connecticut • London
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Rusaw,A.Carol,1946–
Transformingthecharacterofpublicorganizations : techniques
forchangeagents / A.CarolRusaw.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN1–56720–103–2(alk.paper)
1. Organizationalchange. 2. Administrativeagencies. 3. Public
administration. I. Title.
JF1525.073R87 1998
352.3’67—dc21 97–20730
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationDataisavailable.
Copyright(cid:1)1998byA.CarolRusaw
Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbookmaybe
reproduced,byanyprocessortechnique,without
theexpresswrittenconsentofthepublisher.
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:97–20730
ISBN:1–56720–103–2
Firstpublishedin1998
QuorumBooks,88PostRoadWest,Westport,CT06881
AnimprintofGreenwoodPublishingGroup,Inc.
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
TM
Thepaperusedinthisbookcomplieswiththe
PermanentPaperStandardissuedbytheNational
InformationStandardsOrganization(Z39.48–1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Illustrations vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
PART I
Getting Grounded in Organizational Transformation
1. Leading Public Sector Change from the Inside Out 3
2. A Holistic View of Organization Change 13
3. Techniques for Collecting and Analyzing Data 27
4. Building Trust and Preparing for Change 41
5. Implementation and Evaluation Guidelines 57
PART II
The Art of Change Agentry
6. Using Self as a Change Instrument 71
7. Mediation Roles of Public Organizational Change Agents 85
vi Contents
8. Fostering Perspective Change for Empowerment:
A Skills-Based Approach 97
PART III
When They Don’t Want to Change
9. Empathy and Encouragement 115
10. Confronting Change with Courage and Compassion 125
11. Hope as the Imperative for Transformation 139
PART IV
Change through Creative Involvement
12. The Art of Cooperation: A Case of Management-Union
Joint Problem Solving 155
13. Creating Community in Government 169
14. Holistic Learning: Integrating Individual and Organiza-
tional Change 181
PART V
Wholeness in Organizational Transformation
15. Change as the Ethics of Concern 199
16. Cultivating Integrity in Change 215
Selected Bibliography 227
Index 237
Illustrations
FIGURES
2.1. Systems in Public Organizations 17
2.2. Steps in Holistic Systems Change 21
3.1. Steps in Organization Change 29
4.1. Elements of Trust Building 44
4.2. Example of Client Map 47
4.3. Elements in Readiness for Change 48
5.1. Some Potential Areas of Implementation Failure 61
6.1. Four Types of Learning 75
6.2. Common Sources of Erroneous Thinking 76
7.1. Roles of Change Agents 87
8.1. Levels of Ideology 100
8.2. Cognitive Mapping Diagram 102
8.3. Skills in Dialogue 103
8.4. Critical Thinking Skills 104
8.5. Skills for Promoting Power Sharing 107
8.6. What Influences Power Sharing? 108
9.1. Skills to Support and Encourage Change 116
viii Illustrations
10.1. Sources of Resisting Change 127
10.2. Organizational Barriers to Change 129
11.1. Antecedents of Hope 141
11.2. The Cycle of Hope 142
11.3. Degrees of Hopelessness 145
13.1. Skills of Community Building 171
14.1. Disincentives to Individual and Organizational Learning 184
14.2. Integrating Individual and Organizational Learning 187
14.3. An Organization Chart of the Town of Windsor,
Connecticut 191
15.1. Contexts of Ethical Dilemmas 201
15.2. Sources of Ethical Dilemmas 206
15.3. Asking Ethical Questions 210
16.1. The Seven ‘‘Re’s’’ of Building Organization Integrity 218
Acknowledgments
The book’s contents, rooted as they are in human experiences, reflect the
support, encouragement, teaching, and personal valuesofnumeroustrans-
forming agents I have known. My particular thanks go to Bernardino Es-
pinosa, my first supervisor who was also a model of spiritual leadership
for me and for so many other faculty at the Defense Language Institute. I
also thank Terry Newell, Jim Wolf, and Allan Drexler, who not only
trained change agents in the Senior Managers Program at the Department
of Education but inspired many of us when we most needed it.
Ithankespeciallythoseexemplarswhowerewillingtosharetheirchange
agent experiences in order that we all might better serve public needs and
inspirethosewhofollowus,particularlyRuthCrone,AlIlg,LeeErdmann,
and Gene Gavin.
I also appreciate the thoughful comments and suggestions from col-
leaguesinthefieldofmanagement,publicadministration,andorganization
development. Special thanks are due to Peter Vaill, Mike Harmon, Fred
Luthans, Bob Goliembiewski, Jane Moosbruker, Peter Carleton, Alex Pat-
takos, and Dave Arnold.
Lastly,IwishtothankmyhusbandMichael,whohasgivenmeavision,
a hope, and the determination to keep reaching.