Reflective Practice: Learning to Manage and Lead Organizations MPA 8002 Organization Theory Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

Reflective Practice: Reflective Practice: Learning to Manage and Lead Learning to Manage and Lead OrganizationsOrganizations

MPA 8002

Organization Theory

Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

The concept...The concept...

reflective practice (Sergiovanni, 1989)

Reflective practice inculcates the intellectual discipline needed to discern “what is” in practice episodes as well as to engage in the self-growth necessary if one is to manage and lead others.

…the intellectual exercise through which managers and leaders focus upon events in order to ascertain how one’s beliefs and assumptions as well as one’s background and experiences impact organizational functioning

The elements of reflective The elements of reflective practice...practice...

antecedents theories of practice practice episodes


intentions

actions

outcomes

Practice episodes...Practice episodes...

an interactive cycle of factors (intentions, actions, and outcomes) providing the substance of each practice episode

Management and leadership Management and leadership intentions...intentions...

objectives priorities preferences strategies decisions

Management and leadership Management and leadership actions...actions...

behaviors attitudes tactics

Organizational outcomes...Organizational outcomes...

situational feedback results consequences assessment evaluation

The substance of a practice The substance of a practice episode...episode...

The interaction between intentions and actions as well as outcomes and actions is what characterizes practice episodes.

objectives

priorities

preferences

strategies

decisions

behaviors

attitudes

tactics

feedback

results

consequences

assessment

evaluation

intentions actions outcomes

Practice episodes Practice episodes as interactive cycles...as interactive cycles...

A dynamic relationship where... actions reflect intentions realities reflect actions intentions reflect outcomes

actions

intentions

outcomes


intentions

actions

outcomes

Reflective practice...Reflective practice...


mindscapes

action platforms


Theories of Practice...Theories of Practice...

the bundles of beliefs and assumptions about how organizations work, the role of power, authority, management, and leadership, the organization’s purposes, the role of competition, and the nature of human nature

developed from human experience, books, courses, professional development programs, graduate degree programs

function as “mindscapes” and action “platforms” governing management and leadership actions whether consciously or unconsciously

mindscapes:

People typically possess one “strong” mindscape (or way of viewing the organization reality, the “what is”) although their mindscapes may include some elements of the other mindscapes (McWhinney, 1992).

unitary sensate social mythic

managers and leaders seldom discuss their theories of practice although these are powerful forces motivating management and leadership action

conflict—especially the cognitive dissonance it engenders—is the place where most managers and leaders can best learn about their theories of practice (Bolman & Deal, 2008)

the need is for managers and leaders to engage in learning about one’s theories of practice


mindscapes

action platforms


intentions

actions

outcomes


cultural milieu

theoretical knowledge

craft knowledge

self knowledge

critical knowledge

Management and leadership Management and leadership antecedents...antecedents...

cultural milieu:

The cultural milieu includes all of those elements shaping how an individual looks at and interprets the world.

educational background social background religious background economic background historical background

theoretical knowledge:

Theoretical knowledge is factual in nature, based in scientific rationality.

technical cognitive rational

craft knowledge:

Craft knowledge evidences itself in the refined ability to interpret what is, to discern what ought to be, and what one needs to do in order to get there.

tacit in practitioner provides the “feel for” what one does

(Schön, 1991)

self knowledge:

Though frequently overlooked, self knowledge provides a vital lens through which managers and leaders can better know, understand, and interpret organizational reality and their place in it.

self-awareness self-understanding self-management

critical knowledge:

Critical knowledge (sometimes called “philosophical” or “ethical” knowledge) is a conscious awareness of that which is of transcendent or ultimate value and which perdures beyond the individual.

assumptions beliefs values


cultural milieu


craft knowledge

self knowledge

critical knowledge



cultural milieu


craft knowledge

self knowledge

critical knowledge

mindscapes

action platforms


cultural milieu


craft knowledge

self knowledge

critical knowledge

mindscapes

action platforms

intentions

actions

outcomes

A challenge to traditional A challenge to traditional training programs...training programs...

theories of practice practice episodes

While traditional training focuses upon informing the manager’s and leader’s theories of practice which function as “mindscapes” and action “platforms” in practice episodes:

Reflective practice introduces a Reflective practice introduces a second dynamic...second dynamic...


…reflective practice uses the information gathered from practice episodes to influence the manager’s or leader’s theories of practice:

Reflective practice is Reflective practice is transformational...transformational...


One outcome associated with reflective practice is a form of management and leadership practice capable of evaluating the usefulness of theory for practice given the facts and interpretations present in practice episodes:

But, this is not enough...But, this is not enough...

antecedents

theories of practice

While integrating theories of practice and practice episodes is an important contribution of reflective practice, the antecedents out of which managers and leaders operate have yet to be incorporated into decision making.

practice episodes

In traditional management and In traditional management and leadership training...leadership training...


Scientific rationality—and its inherent objectivity—does not deal with the philosophical or ethical elements comprising one’s antecedents. Traditional training erects a wall to keep these subjective elements out of the decision making process.

But, this is not enough...But, this is not enough...

antecedents

theories of practice

How do these antecedents influence how managers and leaders views practice episodes?

practice episodes

?

?

Reflective practice incorporates Reflective practice incorporates the antecedents...the antecedents...


…by introducing a “feedback loop” so that what managers and leaders learn in practice episodes can directly inform one’s theories of practice as well as one’s antecedents

Through self change, then, one’s antecedents can better inform one’s theories of practice.


cultural milieu


craft knowledge

self knowledge

critical knowledge

mindscapes

action platforms

intentions

actions

outcomes

The reflective practice model...The reflective practice model...


Inquires into facts:

What ought to be going on?

What is actually transpiring in the organization?

What are people actually doing? What are the actual outcomes?

Inquires into interpretations:

How do the interpretations of the organizational reality differ?

What do organizational events and activities mean to people?

What are the personal meanings that people are accumulating?

facts interpretations

professionalknowledge

The desired outcome of reflective practice is the development of professional knowledge (Argyris & Schön, 1974).

The outcome...The outcome...


is constructed on the reality that professionalprofessional knowledge is different from scientificscientific knowledge

Reflective practice requires managers and leaders to confront ill-defined, unique, and changing problems as they decide on courses of action.

accounts for the fact that there are no infallibly efficacious theories or skills to manage and lead organizations

asserts that managers and leaders confront an endless number of practice episodes

Metaphors like “white water rafting” and “swimming in a swamp” not “laboratory” or “MBA”—Tarzan not Einstein—better capture the essence of managing and leading organizations.

managing and leading are behaviors learned in practice

practice episodes provide managers and leaders data about the usefulness of theory in practice

Managing and leading organizations is a matter of learning, growing, and self-change.

practice episodes put into question a manager’s or leader’s antecedents

This module has focused on...This module has focused on...

...the intellectual exercise through which managers and leaders focus upon events to ascertain how one’s beliefs and assumptions as well as one’s background and experiences impact organizational functioning

reflective practice

References...References...

Argyris, C., & Schön, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

McWhinney, W. (1992). Paths of change: Strategic choices for organizations and society. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Schön, D. A. (1991). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Sergiovanni, T. J. (1989). Informing professional practice in educational administration. Journal of Educational Administration, 27(2), p. 186.

Reflective Practice: Learning to Manage and Lead Organizations MPA 8002 Organization Theory Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

Documents

practice episodemanagement

leadership actions

leadership intentions

leadership antecedents

ones beliefs

ones background

mindscapes mcwhinney

interactive cycles