How Does Requisite Organization Integrate with Your Model?

By Michelle Malay Carter on January 11, 2009 

The High Cost of Structural FailureI taught a public course, Introduction to Requisite Organization, last week.? Each time I teach this course, people ask me –

How does this apply to X? (insert your favorite model)?

My standard answer is:? Requisite Organization will inform your model.?

How Can I Make This Bold Assertion?
Because the two theory pieces which form the foundation of the meta-model, work levels and human capability,?should be at the foundation of any human resource, OD, or organizational design model.?

Just like a foundation?understanding both static and dynamic loading and the structures that are available to resist them informs the work of a structural engineer.

Start with the Foundation
I consider myself an organizational engineer.? As I go about designing work enabling organizations, I use my theoretical knowledge of work levels and human capability in a manner that allows me to avoid structural failures and/or to predict dysfunction.

Costly Ignorance
Without a scientific theory base supporting HR or OD interventions (to include training courses), they are relegated to being experiments, and to add more confusion to the mix, often causality is mis-assigned after the fact.

We would never ask someone to design a bridge if they were not well versed in the foundational theories behind structural engineering.? But we have time consuming, expensive and ineffective HR and OD experiments going on within our organizations every day.

Have you ever been a lab rat?

I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.

Filed Under Organization Design, Requisite Organization, Talent Management, Work Levels

Comments

3 Responses to “How Does Requisite Organization Integrate with Your Model?”

  1. digforleadership.com on January 12th, 2009 4:00 am

    Without a scientific theory base supporting HR or OD interventions, they are experiments…

    We would never ask someone to design a bridge if they were not well versed in the foundational theories behind structural engineering. But we have time consuming, expensive and ineffective HR and OD experiments going on within our organizations every d…

  2. David Rasmusson on January 27th, 2009 3:20 am

    I agree with your comments, Michelle. I’ve studied and applied Dr. Edwards Deming’s management model for decades, and given that, when I read several years ago “Exploration in Management” (Brown) and subsequently read Jaques’ works, each had the effect of “informing my model,” as you have stated.
    Thanks.

  3. Michelle Malay Carter on January 27th, 2009 7:29 am

    Hi David,

    Welcome. Thank you for your comment. I made a rather bold assertion, and it was nice to have someone back me up – especially someone who I haven’t conversed with before.

    Regards,

    Michelle