- 1. Lubricating civic reconstruction:Reducing losses due to
inter-organisational frictionFrank OConnor NZPsS
PresidentConsultant, Moa Resources+64 21 386-911
[email protected] Zealand Psychological Society - Annual
Conference 2011
2. The scale of the disaster in Canterbury means thatthe
recovery will require integrated and timelydecision making across a
range of organisations The leadership and coordination of the
multi-year recovery effortin Canterbury will involve varied groups,
with differing interests Large amounts of work are being done,
planned, communicatedand aligned 3. How will we keep the social
agenda in sync with the structural agenda?There is no point in
buildings, roads and sewersthat struggle to find users At no stage
in its history, has the working population ofChristchurch needed to
collaborate so much In the initial rescue phase, organisations
assisted each other muchas neighbours reached over fences: without
careful consideration offinances and future As the recovery phase
took over, these organisations took stock oftheir situations,
resources and mandatesWhat comes next? 4. He tangata he tangata he
tangata 5. Time moves onDrawing back naturally from the generous
help ofthese first phases. Some organisations found they had
insufficient resource tomaintain early recovery efforts and had to
reconfigure Others had delays in the supply of essential materials
orknowledgeAdd the overlay of strain that results from theongoing
stress of disruptions and delays toordinary ways of getting things
done acrossorganisations 6. What are we seeing?Evidence is emerging
of inter-organisational strainfollowing the phases Gordon outlines
forindividuals But the losses of performance are much greater in
impact whenthe linkages break down between, for example, an asset
ownerand their lead contractor or a core health facility and
itscontracted service providers What will keep institutions and
organisations joined up, willingand able to act together when
circumstances are ready? 7. What we need to recoverThere are social
needs that underpin economicrecovery and they need attention too
For people to get stuck into purposeful rebuilding activity
ofwhatever kind is their lot, and stick with it until it is done
wellenough, they need to: acknowledge a gap between what they had
and what they now have be able to address that gap have confidence
that the gap will stay addressed This appears to be the case for
all individuals and applies withslight variation to groups, whether
families, neighbourhoods ormore formal organizations 8. It is not
necessary to change.Survival is not mandatory. W. Edwards Deming 9.
A lot of stuff is bustedStructural assets, such as houses,
factories, pipes,roads and wires, are both familiar and direct When
I notice my window is broken, I want it fixed to keep windand rain
out I find someone to do the work and, if needed, a way to pay them
I choose someone who will do a good job so re-repair is notneeded
Asset utility is reinstated to a sufficient standard Most people
can do some of thisMany organizations did and are doing
theirequivalent too: getting property, equipment, peopleand funds
organized to do their work again 10. Munted: Made useless 11.
Information is broken tooInformational assets who lives where where
water, food or utility services are available which schools have
able-to-use sports fields where parking spaces are commonly
availableEach of these is familiar to those who use them a lot, and
theinformation is stored in a variety of ways Rebuilding is less
direct than for physical assets. users may be frustrated that they
no longer know what they did reinstating useful knowledge is
limited by ability to gather it replication channels pass on others
learnings eg, Facebook Ongoing changes, due to additional damage as
well as repairs, reduceconfidence in being able to use
informationUncertainty kills information value 12. It is not the
strongest of thespecies that survive, nor themost intelligent, but
the onemost responsive to change Author unknown, commonly
misattributed to Charles Darwin 13. New kinds of information are
neededMany people struggle a bit with this sort of loss ofusable
information, but they persist and graduallythe gap is filled or the
importance of the gap is lostin all the other things that need
doing Organisations are responding to address the explicit data
lossesfirst Tacit know-how carried in peoples heads is less
available due tothe strain of operating while fixing the structures
that arent asthey wereInformation flows among organizations
areconstrained by damaged infrastructure and bydistracted human
carriers Workplace conversations spend less time talking about
thework than used to be the case People guess differently about
what might happen 14. Less tangible losses are felt
tooRelationships are assets used for exchanges ofvalue to achieve
social and economic objectives To share responsibilities eg for
care of other people, especially those less able To produce goods
and services To have fun and create stuffRelationships are familiar
to those directly involvedand goodwill is held in different ways
but the needfor rebuilding is less obvious Parties to a
relationship may be aware that they no longerreceive or give what
they did, and may wish to fix this Absences, distractions and
reduced availability (face to face, byphone or other form) mean the
relationships are no longer asable to exchange as they were 15.
Friction goes up and fun goes downWith ability to reinstate
relationships limited,confidence at being able to rebuild for the
futuresuffers Relationships in families and in neighbourhoods show
strain invarious way: frazzled interactions low tolerance of
differences inflexibilityOrganisations feel the stress too, and
relationshipswithin and among organisations show similardisruption
Negotiations are more heated Agreement is more fragile Trust is
harder to win Anxiety about keeping of promises on delivery of
goods and servicesreceives frequent comment 16. Attitudes can be
social and economic assetsSome enduring attitudes are values
supportive ofproducing desired economic and social outcomes
Fairness Impartiality Responsibility Trustworthiness And what
about: Desire to get things done? Insistence on sufficient quality?
Consideration for the needs of others? Attitudes are not as
reliably described as are other classes ofasset But their loss has
impacts on recovery 17. Rebuilding attitudes is often
indirectPeople may be frustrated that they no longer feelwhat they
did but have no sense of ability to changethe way they feel in
their immediate setting or inthe likely future Many people have
found that effort to take control of the messtheir house or factory
is undone by a further aftershock a decision by an authority a
departure of a child-care provider damage to a vehicle exacerbated
by road conditions inability to get materials at a price that
allows them to stay inbusiness Attempts to rebuild reflect this low
ability, and frequently end inearly frustration 18. "I think were
alla bit moreworried aboutthepsychologicalimpact on thepeople
ofChristchurchthan theGovernmentsBudget.Finance Minister Bill
EnglishThe Press 14 June 2011 19. Psychology is helpingEspecially
with the several thousand who arementally woundedBut we can help
more as a profession by focussingon the few thousand others who are
leaders Businesses Services Communities Whanau Churches Social
groups Sporting codesAll are necessary to rebuild society 20. To
secure the wellbeing of our people,continuing leadership is
neededEffective leaders enable their people to get on withtheir
essential stuff Leaders are our best antidote to uncertainty They
help us focus on what has to be done When we get stuff done, we all
feel weve achieved something Were confident about doing something
moreEven if another shake means we have to start overLeaders
struggle just as the rest of us do, and must cope with more changes
to the schedule adapt to the latest departures from the city find
another person to do the work that is still needed 21. We cannot
afford to loseleadership because ourpeople will lose heartWe need
action to supportexisting highly effectiveleaders in the
greaterChristchurch communityAnd for as long as it takes 22.
Highest leverage on capability and persistenceAim: To identify and
enhance the capability ofvarious kinds of leaders, so that they are
more ableto keep goingThe confidence areas worth most attention in
theseleaders? Immediate readiness to keep trying, and accepting
other thingsare not ripe for immediate attention Short-term ability
to get things done, and not taking on thingsbeyond present
resources or permission Long term willingness to keep trying for
the foreseeable futurewithin capacity and consent limits.In shaky
collaboration of people in research at the University of
Canterbury, in practicein Christchurch and at the Joint Centre for
Disaster Research 23. As a profession. we are able to helpreceptive
leaders tolead in the wide rangeof changing andchallenging
situationsaheadAs the new physicalstructures come,these leaders
will behelping thecommercial and socialstructures
reframe,strengthen and growHow? Picture: Waikato Times 24. Address
the stress: A process suggestionGather a group for a couple of
hours to discuss theways in which they address the stress felt by
thoseunder their leadership By focusing on what they have done that
works, they reinforcetheir own effective coping strategies and
encourage others to trythem There is little need for theory or
self-disclosure, beyonddescribing the situation sufficiently for
others to see why theleadership choice made was suitable and likely
to be effective While an example of a detailed stress management
processfollows, there are many others More important is
facilitation that helps participants discriminateWhat Works versus
What Mightnt 25. Discuss ways that work To notice ordinary leaders
responses/reactions to abnormalevents including change, loss, grief
and trauma To listen effectively and respond to those who look to
you forleadership when they are stressed or distressed To support
someone who is coping well at present and shows no present
vulnerability coping variably at present and shows some
vulnerability not coping at present and shows high vulnerability
likely to benefit from specialist help 26. Past, present and
futureWhich is causing theconfusion and delay?Look at differing
needs In the past, affecting immediatereadiness to keep trying,
andWillingaccepting that other things are Readynot ripe for
immediate attention Able Today, affecting short-termability to get
things done, andnot taking on things beyondpresent resources or
permission In future, affecting long termwillingness to keep trying
for theforeseeable future withincapacity and consent limits 27.
There is much we can do to improve resilienceEspecially if we focus
on how people are copingand help them carefully with the
particularchallenges they face, not with the general challengethe
city facesWe dont want to teach a set of strategies that haveto be
unlearned if matters get worse for folk 28. Example agenda:
Information session A very busy hourWho am I concerned about? Extra
time in skill building sessions Colleagues?Background to the strain
Friends?Christchurch people face Family? Physical changes traffic,
exercise,access Informational changes where things What am I
concerned about?are now Events in the past Social changes whos
about family, friends Things happening today Attitudinal changes
risks and worries Things that might (or might not)Stress responses
happen What everybody doesHow do I do the triage thing a colleague
a friend or family member myself What some people do What makes
things worse Discussion on what we can do How do I react? How do my
friends see me? whenWhat makes it harder to get work Getting help
(from )done Uncertainty in programmes Helping others cope better
Uncertainty in colleagues / clients Helping myself cope better
Uncertainty in self / close family What can I do about my
uncertainties