Four Frames of Leadership

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Four Frames of Leadership

• Based on Reframing Organizations Artistry,
  Choice, and Leadership
• L.G. Bolman and T.E. Deal

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Four Frames
Structural Frame
Human Resources Frame
Symbolic Frame
Political Frame
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Looking at organizations through four frames
metaphors

1. Structure Framethe factory with leadership as
   social architecture
2. Human Resource Framethe family with leadership
   of empowerment
3. Political Framethe jungle with leadership of
   advocacy
4. Symbolic Framethe theatre with leadership of
   inspiration

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Central concepts and challenges

1. Structurerules, roles, policies and attune to
   structure, task, technology, environment
2. Humanneeds, skills, relationships and align
   organizational and human needs
3. Politicalpower, conflict, competition, politics
   with an agenda and power base
4. Symbolicculture, meaning, ritual and create
   faith, meaning, beauty

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Properties of Organizations

• Organizations are complexthey are populated by
  people.
• Organizations are surprisingexpectations often
  differ from results.
• Organizations are deceptivethey camouflage
  surprises.
• Organizations are ambiguouscomplexdeceptiveunpr
  edictable ambiguous.

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Structural Frame
The structural frame focuses on an organization's
goals. Its main components are -Organizations
exist to attain goals, -An organization's
structure should be designed to fit
circumstances, -Specialization leads to peak
performance, -Coordination and control are
essential Problems that arise and can solved
by restructuring. FACTORY
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Six Structural Frame Assumptions Organizations

1. Exist to achieve goals and objectives
2. Work best when rationality prevails
3. Increase efficiency through specialization and
   division of labor

1. Have structures to fit goals and objectives
2. Have coordination and controls to align work to
   goals and objectives
3. Need restructuring to remediate problems and
   performance gaps

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Human Resource Frame
The human resource frame focuses on four basic
assumptions about organizations Organizations
exist to meet human needs, Organizations and
people need each other, When there is a bad
fit between the two, one or both will suffer
When there is a good fit between the two both
will benefit. FAMILY
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Human Resources Frame Core Assumptions

• Organizations exist to serve the people not the
  reverse
• People and organizations need each other people
  need careers organizations need the energy of
  people.
• When the fit between the individual and the
  organization is poor they exploit or will be
  exploitedand both become victims. When they fit,
  they both win.

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Human Resources Strategies

• Invest in people.
• Train, educate.
• Develop measures of human resources management.
• Share the wealth.
• Provide autonomy and participation.
• Focus on job enrichment.

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Political Frame
The political frame has often been described by
the word jungle. It focuses on a variety of
issues such as The enduring differences
between groups and individuals, The
allocation of scarce resources, Conflict,
The balance and uses of power, Bargaining and
negotiating The coalitions that form within
organizations. JUNGLE
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Five Propositions of the Political Frame

1. Organizations are coalitions of various
   individuals and interest groups.
2. There are enduring differences among the interest
   groups.
3. Most important decisions involve the allocations
   of scarce resources.
4. Goals and decisions emerge from negotiating,
   bargaining, and jockeying for position.

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Well-springs of Power in the Political Frame

• Position powerauthority
• Information and expertise
• Control of rewards
• Coercive powerability to block, punish, interfere

• Alliances and networks
• Access and control of agendas
• Framing the control of meaning and
  symbols--unobtrusive
• Personal powercharisma

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Four Steps in Developing a Political Map

• Determine the channels of informal communications
• Identify principal agents of political influence
• Analyze possibilities of internal and external
  mobilization
• Anticipate the strategies that others will employ

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Networking and Building Coalitions

• Identify relevant relationships
• Assess who might resist, why, and how strongly
• Develop, wherever possible, relationships with
  opponents to facilitate communication, education,
  and negotiation
• When Step 3 fails, select and implement more
  subtle or more forceful methods

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Thoughts on the Political Frame

• Organizations are arenas.
• Managers are politicians.
• Top-down/bottom-up require different political
  actions.
• Organizations are political agents.
• Organizations are political ecosystems.

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Symbolic Frame
The symbolic frame focuses on the cultures and
symbols of organizations. From this perspective
The meanings of events are more important than
the events themselves The relationship
between the reality of an event and
the perception of it are loosely coupled.
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Symbolic Frame
Ambiguity and uncertainty are integral in the
lives of organizations As ambiguity and
uncertainty levels increase, rationality becomes
inefficient and ineffective.
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Symbolic Frame
Organizations contain myths, stories, rituals
and metaphors which serve to provide a sense of
direction, increase clarity, and resolve
confusion for the individuals and groups within
an organization. TEMPLE
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The symbolic frame distills diverse ideas.

1. The most important about an event is what it
   means.
2. Activity and meaning are coupled.
3. Most of life is ambiguous.
4. High levels of ambiguity undercut rationality,
   decision making, problem solving.
5. When facing uncertainty, people create symbols to
   increase predictability.
6. Many events and processes are important for what
   they express.

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What are organizational symbols?

• Humor
• Myths, fairy tales
• Logos-Golden arches
• Rituals
• History
• Ceremony
• Awards
• Shrimp

• Employee of the month parking places
• Golden watches
• Offices with windows
• Pinsmembership
• Piano playersNordstroms
• ETCthink of more

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Conflict

• Structureit interferes with the purpose
• Human resourcesit undermines the relationships
• Politicalnot necessarily bad emphasis is on
  tactics and strategiesnot conflict resolution
• Symbolicseeps into the culture

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Strategic Planning

• Structurestrategies to set objectives and
  coordinate resources
• Humangather to promote participation
• Politicalarenas to air conflict and realign
  power
• Symbolicritual to signal responsibility and
  negotiate meaning

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Decision Making

• Structurerational sequence to produce the right
  decision
• Humanopen process to promote commitment
• Politicalopportunity to gain/exercise power
• Symbolicritual to confirm values

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Reorganizing

• Structurerealign roles and responsibilities to
  fit tasks
• Humanmaintain balance between human needs and
  formal roles
• Politicalredistribute power and realign
  coalitions
• Symbolicmaintain image of accountability and
  responsiveness negotiate a new social order

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Evaluating

• Structureways to distribute rewards or penalties
  and control performance
• Humanprocess of helping people grow
• Politicalopportunity to exercise power
• Symbolicoccasion to play roles in a shared
  ritual

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Communication

• Structuretransmit facts and information
• Humanexchange information, needs, and feelings
• Politicalinfluence and manipulate others
• Symbolictell stories

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Meetings

• Structureformal occasions for making decisions
• Humaninformal occasions for involvement and
  exchanging needs and feelings
• Politicalcompetitive occasions to win points
• Symbolicsacred occasions to celebrate and
  transform the culture

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Motivation

• Structureeconomic incentives
• Humangrowth and self-actualization
• Politicalcoercion, manipulation, seduction
• Symbolicsymbols and celebrations

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Four Frames
FACTORY, FAMILY, JUNGLE, TEMPLE