The Map of the Organizational Journey

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The Map of the Organizational Journey
What is it? Who developed it? Where do the ideas
come from? How can a facilitator use it? To what
end?
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Organizations keep changing. Our hopes and
dreams for it are usually a little beyond where
it is right now. This can be frustrating. ICAs
Map of the Organizational Journey helps to put
changes and frustrations into perspective by
helping us find the language we need to drive
the discussion down to the level of values.
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The Map of the Organizational Journey

• Based mainly on Brian Halls book Values Shift,
  and the works of Harrison Owen, Willis Harman and
  John Hormann, Dick West, JoAnne Raynes, Brian
  Stanfield, and the experiences of ICA Canada.
• Converted by ICA into a visual model (poster)
  that groups can interact with -- a map.
• Designed to expose assumptions and values so they
  can be talked about safely.

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Assumptions

• Values.are the ideals that give significance to
  our lives, that are reflected through the
  priorities that we choose, and that we act on
  consistently and repeatedly (p. 21)
• Organizational Culture is an extension of the
  leadership that founded it (p. 21)
• Neutrality. All human growth and development is
  good. Phases of an organizations journey are
  good.
• Development. Organizations are like people --
  they change and mature over time. With hindsight
  and reflection we can see phases. We can add
  intent and awareness of the process. At each
  cycle we must address our fears or dark side

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4 stages and 7 cycles of development (B. Hall)
There are recognizable phases of personal
development, drawn from analysis of multiple
schools of thought.

• Development can be seen as occurring in cycles.

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The four phases of the organizational journey

• The learning organization
• The collaborative organization
• The institutional organization
• The hierarchical organization

Phase 4 Phase 3 Phase 2 Phase 1
These four phases form the rings of the visual
model. None are good or bad compared to the
others, but it is hard to succeed at one phase
without passing through the previous phases and
having systems in place to succeed.
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The 8 aspects or dynamics of every organization

• What does your organization exhibit through its
• Communication
• Values
• Skills
• Leadership
• Structure
• Preoccupation
• Mission context
• Image of the worker

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Combine the 2 images to create a single model
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HOW a facilitator uses the Map of the
Organizational Journey poster with a group
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As coloured dots collect around parts of the
poster something new comes into view
Hmmm what does this say about where we are as
an organization right now?
Hmmm what does this say about where we want to
be as an organization in the future?
Its not dot-mocracy or multi-voting. Its
allowing a picture of the organization to emerge.
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Facilitation Procedures

• Set a thorough context for the exercise
• Individually assess the organization using a
  worksheet version of the map.
• Small groups help each other clarify
  understandings (its not about agreement).
• Place 1 colour of dots in each of the 8 dynamics
  (wedge) for where the organization is right now.
• Whole group looks at and discusses the resulting
  image. Good question to get to What assumptions
  did you need to make in order to decide where to
  put your dots?
• Place a second colour of dots in each of the 8
  dynamics to describe the kind of organization you
  want it to be in the future.
• Whole group discussion again. Use the Focused
  Conversation Method, and link to your next
  exercise (eg values workshop).

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Individuals pre-think their opinions.

• Then in small groups, help each other to be clear
  (its not about agreement)

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• Each team puts dots on the poster,
• one colour for where the organization is right
  now and
• a different colour for where they want it to be
  in the future.
• One of each for all 8 dynamics.

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Group Self-Assessment

• Now that impressions are shared,
• what does it mean?
• What kind of an organization do we have?
• What kind of an organization do we seem to want?

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• The whole group reflects on the art they
  created together.
• Notice clusters, gaps, and overlaps, that
  emerged.
• What might it signify to them?

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Currently
This could be a telling sign of one persons
frustration, anger or retrenchment.
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• These blue dots indicate that the language of a
  collaborative organization holds a lot of appeal
  for the future.
• The dissonance between the current (red) and
  desired (blue) kind of organization sends a loud
  message

Most people want to collaborate more, but
somebody is frustrated with workers who do not do
what they are told!
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By using this visual aid, groups begin to SEE the
issues for themselves and to describe them in a
substantial way. You dont have to TELL them!

• Different organizations produce different
  assessments of themselves.

A would-be coalition stuck in bureaucratic modes?
Big thinkers held back by incomplete processes
and threats to survival?
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Potential uses for mapping an organizations
journey

• Diagnose collective organizational problems
• Set a context for discussion of vision
• Articulate the founder /or leader perspective
• Stimulate productive dialogue during uncertainty
• Expose aligned and dissonant values and
  assumptions that influence choices
• Assess before-after impact of changes
• etc.