edition-dw-akademie-in-the-service-of-the-public-functions-and-transformation-of-media-in-developing-countries-pdf

Part IV Organizational Development: Approaching Change Processes Towards Public Service BroadcastingWhat Needs to be Paid Attention to?As part of the consultants’ steering capacity, one main taskis control of the interfaces within the consultation process.The term interfaces here means those areas in the organizationwhich are not in direct contact with the changes, but areindirectly connected, e.g., via internal services provided. Forexample, many of these interfaces can be found between programproduction and administration. Also, new interfaces candevelop, such as at NHB due to the so-called lighthouse project“Innovative News Formats.” What emerges in the courseof work on that part project is that there are several new interfacesbetween the radio editorial teams and a “New Media”unit which so far only exists as a working group. Theseinterfaces require specific interface management, as they aredecisive positions from where the effect of the transformationprocess is broadened. This means that as part of complementaryconsultancy, the consultant system organizes targetedsupport to avoid mutual recriminations about why, when andwhere something goes wrong, and who is responsible. Proper“mediation” at these interfaces can generate “change energy”and provide a serious contribution to the lasting success of thetransformation process.This is also the reason why in NHB’s transformation process,administration is constantly included as a part project.A broadcaster’s administration not only has a profound effectin general via its procedural operations, but also on thehouse’s innovation capacity as part of its organization culture.If the head of the editorial team has to ask the general directorabout every little release, this does not exactly encourage autonomousand forward-looking work. Even if the perception issometimes different: every administration does not functionaccording to its own interior dynamics alone, but also in accordancewith the rules of the organization which are recognizedas “correct.” And even if this appears insane from the outside,there is an inner meaning to the matter. To understand suchcontextual meanings and to change them in a subtle manneris a central task of complementary consultancy.Interference and ResistanceAny change process has its ups and downs. There are numerousmodels which address these emotional phases. In general,after an initial shock once the change process has been announcedcome phases of annoyance and misery, until finallythe new way becomes acceptable. In the course of these phases,there will be active and passive resistance against the changes.What is important is to decipher the messages transportedby means of such resistance. Though “to decipher” should notbe mistaken for “to give way.” The messages contained in resistantbehavior provide the consultant system with significantindicators for understanding the organization and for furthershaping of the change process.Passive resistance is more difficult to interpret than activeforms. Is it arising due to lack of motivation, due to fear ordepression? In this, the consultant system is challenged tosupport the process with a high degree of analytical alertness.Closely connected to resistance is the situation where in keyunits of the organization, no or hardly any “change energy”can be found. At NHB, the new general director has committedhimself to the transformation process with a lot of passion.This source of “change energy” initially does not havea counterpart in the reactions of the TV editorial team. Whatemerges after careful questioning is that there is actually nopassive resistance, but that interested circles have intimatedthat the new general director is in his position only temporarily,preparatory to his launch into a post as secretary of state.Also, any existing networks or cliques represent a form ofpassive resistance. Of course they can do lasting damage toa change process, but it is nevertheless necessary to find outwhat exactly the functions are that they actually perform.How can the paths of such networks be identified? What canthe consultant system offer to dissolve these networks? Whenand where does the organization’s power need to be broughtto bear in order to break up networks or cliques?PitfallsFinally, a number of typical pitfalls on the path of such a transformationprocess will be looked at:The pressure to produce results quickly: Indeed, the consultantsystem is under pressure from the clients, or at leastappears to be. In such a situation, there is the tendency toproduce first-order results. This means that what takes place isnot in-depth work, but merely a treatment of the symptoms –which then may even be labeled as a quick win. In such cases,consultants may tend to quickly invent new organigrams orbriskly initiate a mission statement process (which can thenalso be sold as a participatory element of the process...).– Middle management is at fault: In the consultancybusiness, a few years ago, middle management wasdiscovered as the ultimate obstacle to change. It haseven been nicknamed the “layer of clay,” preventingthe “water of change” from reaching all levels. Accordingly,entire management strata were bulldozed, middlemanagement were hassled with executive personneldevelopment training and forced in their entiretyto newly apply for their own jobs, etc. Nowadays, thetendency goes more towards a realization that in manycases, middle management is a mainstay of changeprocesses, and therefore, needs to be included constructivelyin the process.– Instrumentalization of consultation: When consultantsare commissioned, the respective organizationwishes to signal to the outside world: We are active, wewant things to change, etc. Unfortunately, consultationEdition DW Akademie In the Service of the Public 275