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Out of
the Box Coaching and
Breakthroughs with the Enneagram,
Mary R. Bast, Ph.D.
Copyright © 1999. All rights reserved. Revised:
January 01, 2012
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Key
Organizational ArchetypesOrganizational
Archetypes
as described by Peter Senge in
The Fifth
Discipline:
–
Accelerating growth encounters a balancing process as the limit of that
system is approached; continuing efforts produce diminishing returns as
one approaches the limits.
Shifting the Burden
– The first of several archetypes that illustrate the tension between
(1) the ease (& reductionist thinking) of symptomatic solutions to
visible problems, and (2) fundamental solutions based on analysis of
underlying structures that produce the pattern of behavior in the first
place. .
Eroding Goals
– Performance fails to meet a stated goal and managers seek a rationale
for changing the goal to one that appears more attainable, rather than
discovering what prevents the organization from performing as initially
anticipated .
Escalation
– Based on the belief that competition requires mounting a response to
competitors' actions, managers escalate behavior to the point of harming
the organization and reducing value to stakeholders. (For a fascinating
counter to this, read
Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make
Competition Irrelevant) .
Success to the
Successful
– The practice of rewarding
good performance with more resources may ignore others who underperform
through no intrinsic lack of skill or capability because conditions
affecting their performance aren't addressed (can also lead to the
erosion of innovation and change).
Tragedy of the Commons
– The "commons" is a resource made available to multiple people/teams
who are unaware of the total demands and act in their own interests.
Individual or team performance declines with erosion of the commons to
meet their needs, and aggregate performance erodes as interdependencies
reflect the declining performance of individuals/teams.
Fixes That Fail –
Resembles Shifting the Burden in focusing on symptoms vs. identifying
the underlying systemic problem, but Fixes that Fail also function as a
reinforcing loop, creating a steadily worsening situation where the
initial symptoms are worsened by the fix that is applied.
Growth and Underinvestment
– Without investing to keep its capabilities and core competencies at a
level that ensures competitive advantage, growing action seeks to
stimulate and reinforce demand while current performance behaves as the
limit to its growth. No amount of growing action will overcome
customers' reluctance to reward the organization with sales when their
needs aren't getting met. Declining performance leads to declining
revenue which limits cash available for investment.
Accidental Adversaries
– One party in a partnership unintentionally acts in a way the other
party considers outside their agreement, the offended party interprets
this as unfair advantage and acts to right the perceived wrong. The
first party is surprised at the retaliation and responds with more
retaliation. Only if they suspend their mental models and engage in
dialogue can they reveal the root of their misunderstandings and gain a
fresh start.
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