By Andrew Coutermarsh Reprinted with permission from the July 2001 issue of Identity Marketing

I just returned from the commencement exercises at Antioch New England Graduate School where I witnessed the harvesting of a fresh crop of masters degree candidates who have spent the past 20 months focused on learning about organizations. As I was driving back from New Hampshire, I pondered the sort of organizational world that these graduates would face as they attempt to put theory into practice.

I wondered how many of them would have the fortitude to persevere, using their new-found knowledge to affect and manage systemic change in an attempt to develop sustainable organizations.

The operative word here is 'new-found.' Not only is this knowledge new to these grads, but relatively new to the organizational world in general. The study of organizations and organizational life really began in the 1920s with Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne studies. This was preceded by the earlier work of Frederick Taylor and his Scientific Management Theory in the early 1900s. Later, the work of Kurt Lewin and his student Chris Argyris, among others, provided the basis for modern day organizational theory.

Because the study of organizations is relatively new, it does not draw the same interest or focus as other areas of business, such as business law or economics. In sharp contrast, our current accounting system has remained relatively unchanged for centuries and is usually the first business course for which an aspiring entrepreneur is likely to register. Our focus is on managing our money and not on designing and managing the organization that will make us that money.

Back to my graduates. Most of these people have come from the business world to learn about organizations because they believe there are better ways of motivating people and maximizing the contribution that each individual has to make. They believe that organizations desperately need managers and facilitators who understand group process and dynamics; who understand the power of empowering employees; who understand that the process is just as important as the product.

So, out into the world my graduates go, taking with them values and beliefs grounded in the human relations management theories and the work of such notables as Maslow, Hezberg, McClelland, and McGregor.

What the majority of them will face is a business world that may be only vaguely familiar with this work. They will encounter organizations much like ours in size and history. These will be organizations that started small and generally grew through the efforts of an entrepreneurial spirit who knew the importance of great customer service.

They will encounter organizations that espouse values such as 'our employees are our greatest asset,' but find it extremely difficult to practice this when faced with irate customers or the pressures of production schedules that don't meet the growing demands of their clientele.

This is not a condemnation of such organizations. On the contrary, if this were a perfect world, where would be the need for change agents? This is, rather, an acknowledgement of the complexities of organizations and business, and the stresses and pressures that push us in directions in which we would rather not go.

There must be a fair amount of angst generated in situations where the expediency of the moment pulls an organization away from its stated values. It must be extremely frustrating to be put in an 'either-or' position, forced to choose between either the demands of the business or the values by which we want to believe we live.

Perhaps there is another possibility. Perhaps, instead of 'either-or,' we can have 'both.' And perhaps when it appears there are two extremes, they both can exist simultaneously. Perhaps what is needed is a set of new tools for organizational work. Perhaps, as owners, executives, and managers, it would behoove us to learn more about organizational theory so that we can put as much emphasis on the 'how' of our business existence as we do on the 'why.'

The title of this column is 'People Power.' Contextually, you could intuit from this title that the power of a business to meet its goals and objectives rests with the people within the organization. The publisher didn't call it 'Owner Power,' or 'Manager Power.' We all know that an owner or manager has no hope of achieving without the participation of the people.

We all know deep inside, that there are problems with our organizations, and we know that there must be a better way. We're just not sure of how to go about it.

So, back to my graduates. One of them may be headed for your organization, or may already be there, waiting for an opportunity to make a difference. Help him/her out. The next time that someone in your organization says that maybe we need to try something different, listen. Maybe you should bite your tongue as the words of resistance begin forming in your mind. Maybe that person knows something about organizations that you don't. And if so, consider exploring what you can learn about organizational life. Explore some of the work that has been accomplished during the past 80 years or so.

Henry David Thoreau said, 'I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.' Perhaps it is time to elevate organizational life by consciously focusing our efforts in that direction.

Andrew Coutermarsh has an MS in management from Antioch University/Antioch New England Graduate School where he also is a member of the adjunct faculty, teaching human resource development and an advisor for student practicum projects. He holds SPHR (Senior Professional Human Resources) designation from the Certification Institute of the Society of Human Resource Management. He has spent the past 20+ years in the human resources profession and currently is director of human resources for Prime Resources Corp.