Incest 0000i-xiv FM 1 - William L. White

Professional Closure 51
There are both unique and common aspects to the process of organizational
closure. Surprisingly, the common elements far outnumber the
unique and can be seen unfolding in organizations from diverse professional
arenas, in both the public and private sectors. The following
pages will identify and describe these common stages of organizational
closure.
There are two overarching dimensions of the closure process to be
aware of. First, the onset and full development of these stages occur
slowly over months and years. Second, the early signs of closure are
often quite subtle—so subtle, in fact, that they are rarely recognized by
organizational family members as crucial events in the life of the organization
while they are occurring. It is this slowness and subtlety that can
make the closure process both invisible and insidious. The transformation
of the organizational culture is not observable because each step toward
isolation is a small one, and the steps are interspersed with periods
of apparent normalcy.
The stages of professional closure described in this chapter are noted
here briefly. Professional closure is marked by
• the emergence of a rigid, unchallengeable organizational belief
system
• the centralization of power in a charismatic leader and his or
her inner circle
• the progressive isolation of the organization and its members
from the outside professional world
• the homogenization of the workforce by age, race, sex, religion,
or values
• the progressive escalation of demands placed on the time and
emotional energy of workers
• a loss of learning and a growing sense of professional stagnation
in the organization
• the identification of outside enemies as the source of organizational
problems and/or the scapegoating and extrusion of organizational
members
• the escalation of interpersonal and intergroup conflict to
include staff conspiracies and coups against organizational
leadership
• the emergence of a punitive, abusive organizational culture
• the rise of breaches in ethical and legal codes of conduct