Organizational Assumptions

LP05 Updating Organizational Assumptions
when a Leadership Practice is not present or working in your organization...
you will not be able to BEST organize your organization

Updating organizational assumptions is the strategic process of discussing, updating, and acting upon changes to the organizational assumptions as the organization evolves. The process ensures that the consistency of the assumptions (about strategies, actual environments, the strategic direction, and the basis for organizing) is maintained. The organizational assumptions are the basis for how the organization arranges itself, therefore, they need to be reviewed and updated to maintain a good fit between how the organization is organized and what is needed to keep it succeeding.

Professor Kenneth Mackenzie, one of the world's leading experts on leadership and organizational design, has defined 29 Leadership Practices (LP) that are essential to a successful organization.

Clearly, competitive advantage is gained when an organization is aligned for success.

The 29 Leadership Practices are the primary "indicators of interest" we use when diagnosing an organization.

When we do an organizational assessment, we know that the absence of the Leadership Practice Updating Organizational Assumptions could affect one or more of the 12 Holonomic Processes (HP):

HP1. Establishing and Maintaining Clear Strategic Direction

HP2. Defining and Updating the Organizational Logic

The 12 Holonomic Processes are the main enabling processes by which the 6 Desired Organizational Characteristics (DOC) are achieved, so the above Holonomic Processes problems could affect:

DOC1. Clarity of Direction

DOC2. Clarity of Structures

DOC4. Successful Goal Achievement

Click here for a detailed description of the 6 Desired Organizational Characteristics [DOC]

Click here for a detailed description of the 12 Holonomic Processes [HP]

Click here for a detailed description of the 29 Leadership Practices [LP]

Remember that this "snapshot" is a preliminary assessment only, designed to illustrate areas where you might have problems.

A full on-line assessment probes in a deeper and more complex manner and provides specific insight and suggestions.

The Organizational Diagnostic Survey On-Line (ODS-OL) we use is the most advanced working technology for assessing organizations and its leadership practices. ODS-OL is based on multiple sources of information. ODS-OL does more than compile and analyze data: ODS-OL will derive conclusions about the results of the assessment and then derive recommendations based on these conclusions.

Use our ASK THE EXPERT form to contact Don Schwerzler - to learn how your organization can use ODS-OL to perfect the design and function of your organization.

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Leadership Practices