Chaordic Consulting II

The last blog described chaordic consulting as having an outside consultant identify internal and external factors which affect organizational efficiency. A force field analysis approach examines the goals of each system of the organization and the methods used to accomplish these goals. These are the driving forces. The hindrances to the accomplishment of these goals are then identified. These are the hindering or balancing forces. In this process, the consultant is making sense of organizational chaos and order. Force field analysis is a strategic tool use to understand what is needed for change in both corporate and personal environments.

The purpose of any consulting process is to help identify and implement procedures that will make the organization more efficient and productive. It is the job of management to keep the organization running, productive, and competitive. Some organizations have internal consultants or individuals that are trained in organizational behavior and theory. There is however advantages to having outside consultants evaluate the organizations operations. First, an outside consultant can view the organization structure and function without bias. Management may be unduly influenced by pet people, processes, or products that will not influence a consultant. Second, management is often too close to the systems to objectively assess them. Third, consultants have training and experience across a broad field of organizational practice and use this expertise to assess an organization.

Often leaders suspect a problem such as low morale and motivation. Organizations may be struggling to remain competitive, want to improve profits, increase production, reduce conflict, change organizational culture, or expand the company. Given the responsibilities of organizational leaders, they may not have the time or expertise to address these needs and turn to outside consultants. Chris Argyris lists three things necessary to any successful intervention. These are especially true to make sense of chaotic organizational situations and bringing orderly interventions. The first is valid and useful information. The consultant must be able to evaluate the organizational situation as it actually exists. The information comes from several sources. The basic information is empirical data. This includes balance sheets, profit/loss reports, employee statistics and evaluations, and any hard data that would give a realistic picture of the organizations health. The consultant should sign a confidentiality statement that any information will not be shared or used in any way other than to evaluate the organization. Other information is gained by surveys, interviews, and observation. The second necessary item for consulting is free choice. The client has the choice to implement the suggested intervention or not. The third necessary item is internal commitment. Internal commitment means the course of action that has been internalized by each member so that they experience a high degree of ownership and has a feeling of responsibility about the chores and its implications.

The consulting process includes several phases starting with the “entry” phase. The start or entry is the period where the organizational leaders and the consultant dialogue regarding the consulting process. This is not a sales pitch by the consultant, but a mutual examination of the consulting process from start to finish and the responsibilities of each party. The organizational leaders should be confident in the abilities of the consultant and the consultant should be confident in the ability of the leaders to provide accurate information and the commitment to the consulting process. Neither party at this time is committed to the process. Once an agreement has taken place, then the information is gathered. The amount of information, the process of getting the information, and the used of the information has already been agreed upon in the entry phase. This will probably require onsite visits by the consultant. Once the information has been acquired, the assessment/feedback process begins. The consultant may ask for clarification or request more information during this time. Based on the determinations in the evaluation process, plans are made in terms of goals and objectives. The consulting relationship can end at this point, but usually the consultant helps implement the procedures especially if the plan calls for additional training. Short term goals can be implemented and evaluated. Long term goals can be implemented and the consultant can be retained as a coach for the process or end the relationship depending upon the agreed upon life-cycle of the consultation.

Outside consultants help organizations help navigate through chaos and bring fresh and unbiased perspectives to organizational leaders.

Chaordic Consulting I

After pastoring for eight years, the past two years I have been involved with Church Consulting. As I have gone to churches with the consulting team I have been reminded of the word “chaordic”. Chaordic is an adjective that describes an organization as a blend of chaos and order. The term “chaordic” was first coined by Dee Hock, the founder and former CEO of the VISA credit card association. This mix of chaos and order is described as the harmonious coexistence of chaos and order, but neither being dominant. In his book “Birth of the Chaordic Age”, Hock defines chaordic as the behavior of any self-governing organism or system which harmoniously blends characteristics of order and chaos.

“Chaordic” expresses the character of the church and any organization especially in the face of the fast and drastic changes that are taking place in the twenty-first century world. Churches in America have struggled to adapt to the changing world. [See “The American Church in Crisis” by David T. Olson] Understanding that chaos and order are both at work in the church can help ecclesial leaders to adapt to the changing world.

The general use of the word chaos means a state of confusion or lacking any order. However, according to chaos theory, the word chaos has a slightly different meaning. Chaos in this context refers to an apparent lack of order in a system that obeys particular laws or rules. The idea, in an organizational setting, is that no matter how complex organizational systems may be, they rely upon an underlying order. Also, simple or small organizational systems and/or events can cause very complex behaviors or events. This is also referred to as the butterfly effect. First described by Edward Lorenz, the butterfly effect theoretically says that small changes in one area can have dramatic effects on other organizational systems and outcomes.

Lorenz, an MIT meteorologist, was re-running a computer model to predict weather conditions. The second time he entered the rounded number, .506, instead of the previous number of .506127 with the thought that the slight modification would produce similar results. Instead, the results were radically different from his first outcomes. According to scientific thought at that time, the results should have been only slightly different because the inputs were thought to be about the same. This led to the realization that very small, seemingly inconsequential changes in one place or system can have very large consequences elsewhere in the organization. Lorenz later summarized this thought by asking, “Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?”

“Weather” is a good illustration of chaordic. On a day-to-day basis, weather seems to be unpredictable and random. However, observed long enough weather patterns can be detected and even predicted to some degree. In recent years, we have become aware of how weather events on the other side of the globe can have local affects. An earth quake in Indonesia can produce Tsunamis thousands of miles away. Organizations, like hurricane Katrina, will never be 100% predictable, but patterns can be identified that can help organizations adapt.

Football gives another more simple illustration of Chaordic. When I was in elementary school, I would watch football with cousins. To a young boy’s eye, it seemed as though the players lined up, ran around, and then jumped on the ball and each other—then repeated the process occasionally kicking the ball. It could be best described as organized chaos. [This is also my understanding of Rugby to this day, but more chaos than order.] However, as I grew and got involved in sports myself, I began to see the order of the game. Even with “order”, a football game can be described as chaotic order. The object of the game is to execute plays in the face of opposing forces and to disrupt the execution of your opponent’s plays. This dynamic insures that plays are seldom executed to perfection without opposing forces. Football teams succeed by adapting and changing. Football teams have people dedicated to scouting their opponents, identifying their strengths and weaknesses and summarizing opposing personnel and developing a “game plan”. Every game plan is tentative. As the game progresses, the execution of the game plan is adjusted as the opposing forces are successful or not. Teams adjust or lose. Football teams have the luxury of evaluating successes and failures throughout the week and adjusting for the next contest. The stakes are higher for organizations [especially the church] than they are for football teams.

So what is Chaordic Consulting?

Chaordic consulting is having an outside consultant identify internal and external factors which affect organizational efficiency. Like the restaurant owner calling in an expert to discover why they were losing customers. The owner’s efforts had been focused upon insuring that the food and service was first rate. Ultimately it was found that poor upkeep of the restrooms was the primary factor hindering repeat business. Updating the dining room and a remodel of the restrooms gained back lost business and gained additional customers. This increase in business not only made a financial impact, but also improved the overall moral of the restaurant staff. Like the restaurant owner, managers and pastors are often too close to the problems to identify them so they call upon consultants to help identify the resisting forces.