Passive-Aggressive Organization

Keep what is Good Fix What is wrong

After the discussions on this topic, I was stunned with some of my classmate’s examples about their organizations that they are passive-aggressive organizations. If their organizations are passive-aggressive and they are big organizations what more my organization is trying the best to be recognized.    A passive aggressive organization is one in which employees feel free to do as they see for because there are hardly unpleasant consequences. If the organization is an unhealthy it suffers from “either too much control at the top or too little.”  Those with too much control stifle innovation and action.  In my organization, we have this IT week which is a tradition every year to celebrate.  2 months before we proposed a plan for that event, like we have many activities for students and many more.  We are aggressive to pursue the plan but a month before the scheduled date; the management disapproved the said activity because of the upcoming foundation day.   Because of that, we are aggressive to continue what was the tradition so we re-planned. At least one day of celebration is enough to us because for us it is a tradition and at least all IT students have time to have extra-curricular activities in school. But again it was disapproved by from the management because for them, the foundation day is more important than our IT week.  We have no choice but to celebrate and our department was passive for that. On other words, discouragement, lack of focus on the event, management‘s words and actions do not add up.  The output, it was the unsuccessful foundation day for IT department. 

How do we need to build a better organization and reverse entropy and restore an organization to robust health and profitability? Using this Organizational DNA will understand the idiosyncratic characteristics of an organization.  Like DNA of living organisms, the DNA of living organizations consists of four basic building blocks, which combine and recombine to express distinct identities or personalities. Unlike human DNA, organizational DNA can be modified.

Source  http://orgdna.com/downloads/RESULTS_TOC_Ch1.pdf

Organization’s DNA strongly influences each individual’s behaviour.  Organizational behaviour is about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations.  It interprets the relationship in terms of whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social society.   They have the goals of achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives.

HUMAN OBJECTIVES

In my organization, I have this program head which always have what we call ‘attitude’.  He was always reprimand by his actions toward his subordinates.  Because there are many cases that we asked his permission and he said yes to it.   But in case of incidents that he confronted by the management, he forgot what we have asked for him. In tagalog, “hugas kamay”.   So in this case, we are questioned by the management.  This program head’s objective is psychological satisfaction and we his subordinates are passive to this attitude.

ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES

As an instructor of this institution, I am aggressive to follow these organizational objectives 

i.      In consonance with the national development goals, PCT endeavours to provide relevant education in answer to the needs of the community; offers various non-degree, technical and baccalaureate degree courses to meet the needs of its heterogeneous clientele; and provides quality skills training with balance emphasis on technical, academic and professional aspect anchored on significant Filipino values.

ii.     PCT is committed to provide quality technical and educational opportunities to any individual, regardless of sex, age, race, religion and economic status at a minimal and affordable cost.

iii.    PCT is likewise committed to help the government by pursuing and establishing financial

assistance to deserving students to complete short yet employable and in-demand               

technical courses.

iv.  Cognizant of these commitments, PCT strives to develop the skills and abilities of individuals through its resources to become efficient, disciplined members of the community; and to achieve technological and professional excellence thereby contributing to the development of their respective communities.

SOCIAL OBJECTIVES

I was appointed by the program head as an IT Club Moderator.  My main goal which I think it will help the ICT students to be more socialized especially outside the campus.  I suggested to the management that the IT students should explore outside activities to the other IT students from the other schools.  I initially registered myself first and followed by my institution to join the PSITE 11.  I have the right to recommend to the management that we have to register all ICT students to PSITS.  This opportunity grabbed by the management because they also believe on what my objectives is.  This is my legacy before I leave this organization.

My organization encountered these because of:

Unclear scope of authority

            It’s not clear who makes decisions, leading to dropped balls and to second-guessing or interference from higher-ups.  I experienced this when this Program Development and Accreditation Head called a meeting that he wanted us to implement some rules to our class.    He emphasized that our program head will lead this implementation but after the meeting we are expecting some distribution of tasks.  Suddenly, this PDA head approached me that I will be the one who will lead my department.  I was shocked aside from I have another responsibilities I “lat-angan” my program head.  How can I handle this situation? I should follow the levelling of respect and responsibilities.

Misleading goals

            Incentives that are not aligned with overall objectives or not aligned with other goals across the organization. I will relate this same experienced mentioned above. I don’t follow what my program head gave me because I believe that the tasks that the PDA head gave were approved by the school president.   When this program head of mine knows about this he gave me a memo which will lead to unrespect to his level. 

Agreement  without cooperation

            “Everyone agrees, but nothing changes”. Plans, suggestions, agreements are major changes and this change is not a problem, but implementing these changes is next to impossible.   I think why our  PDA head gave me this opportunity to lead because this program head have many pending plans and still accepting tasks which until now no actions and have not yet implemented.

Recognizing the problem is relatively easy but correcting it will have many processes to do.  The best thing to do with this is to follow the six steps in transforming the organization which I think my organization love to embrace this:

1.    Recognize the problem

2.    Bring in new blood

3.    Leave no building block in unturned

4.    Make decisions  and make them stick

5.    Spread the work – and the data

6.    Match motivators to contribution