Peter M. Senge, Ph.D., Author, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization

1. To Understand Performance,
Follow the Joy!
How work really gets done
Anne Murray Allen, Willamette University, head of IT strategy HP
Ink Supply Organization (retired)
Dennis Sandow, Reflexus Company
Nick Zeniuk, Retired Executive, Ford Motor Company
Peter Senge, MIT
SoL Consultant and Research members
Knowledge networks initiative
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

2. First things first. . .
In any work setting,
sustained high performance is only
achieved via sustained social well being,
and vice versa
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

3. W. Edwards Deming
"The prime requirement for achievement of
any aim, including quality, is joy in work."
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4. All human systems operate as
networks
“All we ever wanted to understand is how the
work actually gets done.”
Greg Merton,
General Manager, Ink Supply Organization
(retired)
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

5. Value is created in collaborative social systems where
everyone in the network is accepted by everyone else in
the network as a potential contributor.
Bill
Bob
Mark
Sue
Bruce
Deborah
Mike Will
Dan Andy
Joe
Lou
Tom
Steve
Mike
Mark
Kurt
Rick
Tom
Bill Cory
Rose
Judy
Dan
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

6. Research shows that any collaborative social system
(yellow boxes) will span the organizational chart.
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Hence, while the vertical org chart usually controls
resource planning and performance reporting, work
actually gets done horizontally
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7. A Typical Case For Organizations Today
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bur Asakawa Evans
M eehan N eo
A part quality escalation issue required 15 people connecting across
the organization to definitively solve a chronic problem. . . The only
common manager was the CEO!
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

8. But what types of networks?*
Networks of Collaboration Networks of Ambition
 Builds trust and excitement  Power and competition within
 Knowledge is shared freely and the network
openly  Knowledge is hoarded by a few
 Feels generative; “magical”  Feels guarded and “political”
 No one wants to leave  People are happy to leave when
 Emergence of well being the option is presented
 Emergence of separation and
pain
* Summarized from the article, “The Nature of Social Collaboration,” by Dennis Sandow and Anne Murray Allen,
Reflections Journal, May 2005
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

9. And what type of emotion?
Networks of Collaboration Networks of Ambition
* Summarized from the article, “The Nature of Social Collaboration,” by Dennis Sandow and Anne Murray Allen,
Reflections Journal, May 2005
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

10. Human Systems
What does it mean to be a human being in
today’s world?
What do we believe we, as humans, want
from our living?
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11. What is involved in building
such organizations?
Organizations are a mental concept of relationship to
which people are drawn by hope, vision, values, and
meaning, along with the liberty to cooperatively pursue
them.
Healthy organizations educe behavior. . . Unhealthy
organizations compel behavior. (emphasis ours).
Dee Hock, founding CEO VISA
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA

12. Building Trust – A reinforcing
cycle
Trusting
Understanding Collaborating
Listening
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13. Consequences of not listening to others
Increase costs
Lack of trust
Decreased
Redundancy
resources
Misunderstanding Social Separation Internal
Competition
Fear
Decrease in listening
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14. Cohesive Social Systems
 Focus on a worthy goal
 Conversations for conservation
 Accomplishment vs. change
 Healthy, performance‐based organizations
o Leadership is based on contribution, not position
o Conserve curiosity and openness
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15. What to measure?
Indicators of Social Well‐Being
 Days absent due to illness or injury
 Employee turnover rate
 Response to survey question: “Would recommend this
organization to a friend as a good place to work.”
 Reported pride in accomplishment
 Validated pervasiveness of caring by co‐workers,
customers, and other stakeholders
 Observed demonstration of joy (group and individual)
 Photos
 On‐site visits, listening for tone of conversations
 Team celebrations (extent of participation and
number that are self‐organized)
 Other ???
WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY MBA