At a second level, we find patterns in the often extensive personal and organizational stories that are repeated in the organization. Parker Palmer (1990, p. 11) points to an approach taken by Barry Lopez who suggests that it is in the telling of stories that we create “an atmosphere in which [truth] becomes discernable as pattern.” Stories are likely to be offered in particular to new employees or visitors. These stories might be about the founding of the organization (facet two). They might also be about triumphs or failures, about specific leaders and villains or enemies of the client or organization. It is not important to know whether or not the story is true, but it is important to determine what message is being conveyed or lesson learned, why this story keeps getting offered, to whom the story is being offered, and why it is being offered repeatedly. Stories can tell us much about the fundamental assumptions, values and aspirations held collectively by members of the organization. Stories contain the glue (facet one) and reveal the organization’s central operating principle (facet four).
Interactions, Gatherings and Norms
At a third level we are likely to find fractals and sonatas being observed in the personal behavior patterns of the client and in the widely exhibited behavior patterns of those working in and with the organization. Does your client have a routine each day when they come to the office (or when they work from home)? Is there a certain sequence of informal or formal meetings your client has each day with their staff? Why do these routines and sequences occur and what happens when the pattern is broken? Is there a common sequence of interactions that occur between your client and one or more of the other members of their organization?
At the organizational level, we can readily observe behavioral patterns that often involve the actual movement of people in the organization. For example, we might observe the repeated gathering of people at a specific place in the organization. Those involved with observing social patterns (or those designing buildings and social spaces) describe “socio-petal” (as in centripetal) movement of people toward one another—the pull toward some favored meeting place (Sommer, 1969). Why do they meet there and what transactions occur in these places?
I am reminded of the legendary meeting of the Banians (Indian traders) underneath the spreading Banyan Trees. These traders and travelers met to converse, exchange information, and learn from one another. The Banyan tree operates a bit like the country store where people once met in rural America. This same socio-petal force might be operating in mid-21st Century “county stores” –at McDonalds or Starbucks. They might also be operating in specific social media platforms that populate the Internet. It is not just the Banians who want to converse, exchange information and learn. What is the equivalent in your client’s organization? Where are the meeting places (physical or digital) and what does their location and the content of conversation that occur in these socio-petal settings convey about the fundamental values and concerns of the organization?
Finally, we find patterns existing at a much subtler, more pervasive and more profound level with regard to norms (implicit rules) of the organization. What is rewarded repeatedly in the organization and what is punished or ignored? About what can members of the organization speak and about what can’t they speak? With regard to your client, what is he “allowed” to do in the organization and what can’t he do without taking a big risk (with regard to his reputation, power or status)? We often find that the norms of an organization are “self-sealed” – indicating that they are enforced but can’t be discussed. The sealing is usually even more pervasive. We can’t even mention that we can’t talk about these norms.
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