Systems Thinking for Harassed Managers PDF
Preview Systems Thinking for Harassed Managers
SYSTEMS THINKING FOR HARASSED MANAGERS NANO McCAUGHAN BARRY PALMER K A R N A C SYSTEMS THINKING FOR HARASSED MANAGERS Other titles in the Systemic Thinking and Practice Series edited by David Campbell and Ros Draper published and distributed by Karnac Asen, E., Dawson N. & McHugh B. Multiple Family Therapy: The Marlborough Model and its Wider Applications Bentovim, A. Trauma-Organized Systems: Physical and Sexual Abuse in Families Boscolo, L. & Bertrando, P. Systemic Therapy with Individuals Burck, C, & Daniel, G. Gender and Family Therapy Campbell, D., Draper, R. & Huffington, C. Second Thoughts on the Theory and Practice of the Milan Approach to Family Therapy Campbell, D., Draper, R. & Huffington, C. Teaching Systemic Ttiinking Campbell, D. & Mason, B. (Eds) Perspectives on Supervision Cecchin, G, Lane, G. & Ray, W. A. The Cybernetics of Prejudices in the Practice of Psychotherapy Cecchin, G., Lane, G. & Ray, W.A. Irreverence: A Strategy for Therapists' Survival Dallos, R. Interacting Stories: Narratives, Family Beliefs and Therapy Draper, R., Gower, M. & Huffington, C. Teaching Family Therapy Farmer, C. Psychodrama and Systemic Therapy Flaskas, C. & Perlesz, A. (Eds) The Therapeutic Relationship in Systemic Therapy Fredman, G. Death Talk: Conversations with Children and Families Hildebrand, J. Bridging the Gap: A Training Module in Personal and Professional Development Hoffman, L. Exchanging Voices: A Collaborative Approach to Family Therapy Johnsen, A., Sundet, R. & Torsteinsson, V.W. Self in Relationships: Perspectives on Family Therapy from Developmental Psychology* Jones, E. Working with Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Jones, E. & Asen, E. Systemic Couple Therapy and Depression Krause, L-B. Culture and System in Family Tlierapy Mason, B. & Sawyerr, A. (Eds) Exploring the Unsaid: Creativity, Risks and Dilemmas in Working Cross-Culturally Robinson, M Divorce as Family Transition Smith, G. Systemic Approaches to Training in Child Protection Wilson, J. Child-Focused Practice: A Collaborative Systemic Approach Work with Organisations Campbell, D. Learning Consultation: A Systemic Framework Campbell, D. The Socially Constructed Organization Campbell, D., Coldicott, T. & Kinsella, K. Systemic Work with Organizations: A New Model for Managers and Change Agents Campbell, D, Draper, R. & Huffmgton, C A Systemic Approach to Consultation Cooklin, A. (Ed) Changing Organizations: Clinicians as Agents of Change Haslebo, G. & Nielsen, K.S. Systems and Meaning: Consulting in Organizations Huffington, C. & Brunning, H. (Eds) Internal Consultancy in the Public Sector: Case Studies Huffington, C, Cole, C, Brunning, H. A Manual of Organizational Development: The Psychology of Change Credit Card orders, Tel: + 44 (0)20 8969 4454; Fax: + 44 (0)20 8969 5585 Email: [email protected] SYSTEMS THINKING FOR HARASSED MANAGERS Nano McCaughan & Barry Palmer Forewords by Charles Hampden-Turner Ian Sparks Systemic Thinking and Practice Series Work with Organizations Series Editors David Campbell & Ros Draper London K A R N AC B O O KS First published in 1994 by H. Karnac (Books) Ltd, 118Finchley Road, London NW3 5HT Reprinted 2004 Copyright © 1994 by Nano McCaughan and Barry Palmer The rights of Nano McCaughan and Barry Palmer to be identified as authors of this work have been asserted in accordance with §§77 and 78 of the Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CLP. for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978 1 85575 055 5 www.karnacbooks.com Printed & bound by Antony Rowe Ltd, Eastbourne ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank the managers of The Children's Society, who have sponsored and supported our recent courses; and the managers of the London Borough of Croydon Social Services Department, who supported the earlier courses. We would also like to thank all the managers who have worked with us over the last eight years and have generously shared their problems and their insights with us and with each other. And we would like to thank Jane Aaron for her helpful com ments on drafts of chapters one, two, and six, and Oula Jones for generously agreeing to compile the index. v CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS V EDITORS' FOREWORD xi FOREWORD by Charles Hampden-Turner xiii FOREWORD by Ian Sparks xix Introduction 1 Our purpose / 1 Where we are coming from / 3 "Change Without Chaos?" I 4 The case material / 5 CHAPTER ONE Going round in circles 6 A "difficult" individual / 8 When is a team not a team? / 10 Systems thinking / 11 vii Viii CONTENTS linear and circular processes / 12 Organizations / 15 Organizations as systems / 16 Conflict and collaboration / 19 CHAPTER TWO What's the problem? 21 Snares / 22 Hard and soft problems / 24 Malfunctions / 24 Problems are made and not born / 26 Dynamic complexity / 26 Unmaking problems / 27 Beginning / 29 The tension between listening and intervening / 30 CHAPTER THREE Asking the right questions 32 Listening and clarifying / 33 Systemic questioning / 36 Establishing circuitry / 37 Establishing patterns / 39 Exploring meaning / 42 Exploring covert rules / 46 Exploring the time dimension / 47 Types of questioning / 47 Pig in the middle / 52 CHAPTER FOUR Constructing hypotheses 54 Introduction / 54 What is a hypothesis? / 57 Hypothesizing and curiosity / 58 Linear and circular hypotheses / 59 Positive feedback and schismogenesis / 61 Negative feedback / 63 More complex feedback patterns / 65 Articulating rules / 66 CONTENTS ix New stories for old / 67 Refraining / 69 Positive connotation / 70 Working with hypotheses / 71 CHAPTER FIVE Finding a new course 79 Paradox / 80 Addressing the covert logic / 81 Straight interventions / 82 Paradoxical interventions / 85 Looking for leverage / 92 Including the complainant / 94 CHAPTER SIX Theoretical postscript 96 Identity and organizational change / 96 Paradox / 100 Unconscious processes in organizational life / 105 Systems archetypes / 108 Mapping dilemmas / 112 APPENDIX How we introduce course participants to systems practice 117 Participants / 117 The consultation exercise / 118 Introductory sessions / 121 Theory sessions / 121 Other learning methods / 122 Testing what has been learned / 123 Ending / 126 REFERENCES 127 INDEX 131
The list of books you might like
