Edwin L. Young, PhD

THE NATURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE

THE EFFECTS of the SOCIAL SYSTEM’S LEVELS of PREJUDICE and

COMMUNICATION PATTERNS on

AGGRESSION and LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE

a PROGRESSIVE VICIOUS CYCLE

INTERACTION of HORIZONTAL, VERTICAL, and SOCIAL SYSTEMS

and THEIR COMBINED EFFECTS on PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

THE OVER-ARCHING INFLUENCE OF STRUCTURE

THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION

IS THE PRIMARY DETERMINATE

OF ALL OTHER FACTORS

AND SYSTEMS

Vertical-Hierarchical and Horizontal structure of an organization separates functions that, while involving different tasks, are actually interdependent. They may also be related sequentially. Goals are contained. Information concerning projects is

disseminated top down and compartmentalized and restricted in temporal range. The result is that workers and departments suffer from myopia and language and perspective barriers that make each department a ghetto viewing all others as outsiders.

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H E A D

Hierarchical Table of Organization and Departmental Horizontal Layout

Counterproductive Structures and Their Dynamics and Effects

• Structures with vertical and horizontal systems that are fragmented, contained, and compartmentalized, even though they are interdependent, tend to promote resentment, distrust, and paranoid projections that lead to limited, inauthentic communication, rumors, reporting secretly on one another.

• Such groups tend toward exclusive social clustering with prejudice and mutual sabotage.

• Even within a contained group, rivalry, invidious comparisons, animosity, and prejudice can develop over the slightest differences, resulting poor cooperation and poor performance.

STAFFS’ & STUDENTS’ VERTICAL & SOCIAL GROUPING BY RACE, RELIGION, POLITICS, GENDER, AGE & SIZE

STAFF’S TENDENCIES TO BE EXCLUSIVE OR INCLUSIVE

Admin

Mid Manage

LINE

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EXCLUSI

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STUDENT’S TENDENCIES TO BE EXCLUSIVE OR INCLUSIVE.DO THEY MIRROR STAFF TENDENCIES TO BE EXCLUSIVE OR INCLUSIVE?

INTERACTION OF VERTICAL, SOCIAL, AND PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

WHEN GROUPS OF STAFF AND STUDENTSBECOME EXCLUSIVE, A NEGATIVE SOCIAL SYSTEM DEVELOPS,

THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM BECOMES ALIENATED, AND THE PERFORMANCE SYSTEM DEGENERATES

The Social Groups below are distributed both Vertically and Horizontally. Counterproductive Organizational Structures can generative prejudice and animosity.

AGE, SIZE, GENDER GROUPING

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HORIZONTAL SYSTEMS

LOCATION OF DEPARTMENTS:

INSTITUTION’S ARCHITECTURAL FLOOR PLAN

SUPERINTENDENT

ENTRY

LOUNGE

Administrativesecretary & Clerical

Supervisors’Office

HISD SCHOOL CLASSES

HISD SCHOOL CLASSES HISDDIRECTOR

HISD SCHOOLCLASSES

HISD

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SCHOOLCLASSES

____KITCHEN_________

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CLASSES & MEETINGS

SpecialClass

BOYS’DORM

BOYS’DORM

BOYS’DORM

SpecialClass

SpecialClass

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BOYS’DORM

BOYS’DORMCase-

workers&Admini-strators

Gymnasiumand Auditorium

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GIRLS’DORM

HISD Shop Classes

SpecialClass

Teachers’Lounge

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Vertical Systems Prejudice

Religious Prejudice

Ethnic, Racial Prejudice

Gender, Age, Size Prejudice

Horizontal, Vertical, and Social Separateness aggravates prejudices, increases conflict, and decreases communication and performance.

As people come into the institution with ALL KINDS of prior prejudicesand are separated by departments, locations, rank, social grouping and external references groups, communication breaks down, overt and/or covert aggression increases, and performance decreases.

As performance decreases, prejudice, overt and/or covert aggression, and poor communication all increase. This is a vicious cycle.

The circle shapes represent vertical levels of employees. The squares represent the various kinds of prejudice against one another distributed randomly throughout the institution.

The Interaction Between Horizontal Systems , Social Systems With Prejudice, Poor Communication, Overt and Covert Aggression and Their Effects on Performance Systems

A=Administration M=Mid Management L=Line StaffStaff are depicted by colors where one is most likely to find them.

Distribution by type of prejudice

Inevitable Negative Effects of Counterproductive

Organizational Structures•In organizations with minimal or counterproductive structures, the negative traits of the individual tend to surface and exacerbate negative organizational trends. •Typically, the organization's difficulties are blamed on negative personalities rather than faulty structures.•The following four slides present examples of these negative effects brought about by counterproductive structures such as the Vertical structure and the social structures such as Racial and Ethnic; Gender, Age, and Body type; and Religious stereotypes.

Top Management

Middle Management

Middle Management

Line Staff

I have this great plan that I’m sure you will all want to follow. I want you to tell me what you think. I just want us all to be one big happy family.

Yes sir! Whatever you say, sir! You’re the Boss.

Silently to self: ‘No matter what I do I never feel that they are being completely open with me. It seems like the only way I can be sure they will do it is if I threaten them in some way.’

Silently to self: ‘God! What an idiot! You can’t tell him anything. His plans are so unrealistic. Its like when you get to the top you are all the sudden in a different world. We can’t relate to them any more. Its like all of the sudden we are subhuman and they are super human. I always feel tense and uncomfortable around the boss. I don’t like being around him and to be honest, even though I know he is not really such a bad guy, I just don’t like him.’

I have this great plan that I’m sure you will all want to follow. I want you to tell me what you think. I just want us all to be one big happy family.

Hey, lay off. I’ll do my job. I don’t have to be threatened. What! Do you think I’m stupid?

Silently to self: ‘No matter what I do I never feel that they are being completely open with me. It seems like the only way I can be sure they will do it is if I threaten them in some way.’

Silently to self: The system always sucks. We are always the ones that get screwed. They treat us like we are idiots and make us do these ridiculous things that never work and if you say anything, they accuse you of being oppositional and unmotivated. Don’t worry, though, they’ll get theirs!

RELATIONS ACROSS THE VERTICAL SYSTEM: STEREOTYPES, PREJUDICES AND INCLUSIVE-EXCLUSIVE BEHAVIOR

Mr. Friendly

Mr. Distrust

Hi ! I want to be your friend. I like everybody!

Mr. Get Out of My Face!

Hey! I don’t like strangers and people who are different from me. You’re different from me. I hate your kind. So just don’t get in my way or I’ll have to bust you one! Understood !

I don’t want to be your friend. I just want your kind to leave me alone.__

Silently to self: How embarrassing. They are so stupid. I don’t understand them at all. It drives me nuts when they come around. I hope no one saw them talking to me. They always act so silly and think they are such hot stuff. If they only knew!!

THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES OF GENDER, AGE, AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTE STEREOTYPES CAN RESULT IN PREJUDICES AND INCLUSIVE-EXCLUSIVE BEHAVIOR

Mr. Friendly

Mr. GetOut of My Face

Mr.

Distrust

Hey there! You look like a nice person. Let’s sit together at lunch today and get to know one another. OK!

Who the hell do you think you are? You sure are pushy! I don’t have to put up with your kind always trying to horn in. I’ve got boundaries and they sure do not include you and your kind!!!

Oh, yes. Well thank you, but I’m afraid I’ll be busy. Maybe some other time.

Silently to self:Doesn’t that idiot know we don’t associate with them. Particularly in public. My God! What kind of people are they? I hate it when they approach me like that. I just want to be left alone.

RACIAL & ETHNIC STEREOTYPES, PREJUDICES AND INCLUSIVE-EXCLUSIVE BEHAVIOR

Mr. Friendly

Mr. Get Out of My Face

Mr. Distrust

Hi! I want to be your friend. I have a wonderful religion and we love everybody. If you feel like it, I would really like to tell you about my religion and religious group because you may want to join us if you knew more about it. Listen Bud! I’m just

looking for someone to bust up. If you insult me with your friendly come on just to suck me in, you’ve got a surprise coming! If you think you can just to trick me into agreeing with you that your religion and beliefs are better than mine, then that is all the excuse I need to use you as my punching bag for today!!!

If you don’t mind! Please leave me alone & do not bother me with your crazy religious ideas._ Silently to self: I hate pushy religious fanatics!!! And I certainly do not want to join any silly groups!

RELIGIOUS STEREOTYPES, PREJUDICES AND INCLUSIVE-EXCLUSIVE BEHAVIOR

A Model ofthe Interaction of Critical Dimensions

in a Counterproductive Structureand the Gradual Transition

to an Ideal Structure

THE EFFECTS of LEVELS of PREJUDICE and COMMUNICATION PATTERNS ON AGGRESSION and LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE

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INTERACTION BETWEEN COMMUNICATION,

PERFORMANCE, and SOCIAL SYSTEMS

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Increase inIncrease in PREJUDICEPREJUDICE

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THE INTERACTION BETWEEN

SOCIAL SYSTEMS and PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS

CAN BE ALTERED TO BRING ABOUT THE

EFFECTS SUGGESTED IN THIS CUBE

THE ALTERING THE EFFECTS of LEVELS of PREJUDICE and COMMUNICATION PATTERNS

ON AGGRESSION and LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE

THE FOLLOWING FOUR SLIDES ILLUSTRATE DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS OF INTERACTIONS BETWEEN

COMMUNICATION AND PERFORMANCE IN RELATION TO

PREJUDICE AND AGGRESSION.

THEY ILLUSTRATE THE NECESSITY FOR MATURITY TRAINING AND HOW THAT NECESSITY CHANGES OVER

THE LIFE SPAN OF INDIVIDUALS.

THIS ADDS AN AGE OR TEMPORAL SYSTEM TO THE VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL, SOCIAL, COMMUNICATION,

AND PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS.

THE FINAL TWO SLIDES, 22, AND 23 ILLUSTRATE THESE NEEDS FOR MATURITY TRAINING

AGGREGATEPREJUDICE

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AGGREGATECOMMUNICATIONEFFECTIVENESS

LOW

AGGREGATEOVERT

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AGGREGATEPERFORMANCEEFFECTIVENESS

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Maximally Negative Working ConditionsMaximally Negative Working Conditions

AGGREGATEPREJUDICE

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AGGREGATECOMMUNICATIONEFFECTIVENESS

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AGGREGATEOVERT

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AGGREGATE

COVERT CONFLICT

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AGGREGATEPERFORMANCEEFFECTIVENESS

MEDIUM

Passive-Aggressive EnvironmentPassive-Aggressive Environment

AGGREGATEPREJUDICE

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AGGREGATECOMMUNICATIONEFFECTIVENESS

HIGH

AGGREGATEOVERT

CONFLICT

MEDIUM

AGGREGATEPERFORMANCEEFFECTIVENESS

MEDIUM

Prejudice Gradually Declines

Initially effective communication releases talking out of conflicts

Initial resolved conflicts leads to moderate cooperation & moderate increased performance

Effective Communication eventually leads to a reduction in prejudice followed by reduction in conflict & increase in performance

Effective Communication eventually leads to a reduction in prejudice followed by reduction in conflict & increase in performance

AGGREGATECOMMUNICATIONEFFECTIVENESS

HIGH

AGGREGATEPREJUDICE

DECREASING

AGGREGATECOVERT

CONFLICT

DECREASING

AGGREGATEOVERT

CONFLICT

DECREASING

AGGREGATEPERFORMANCEEFFECTIVENESS

INCREASING

IF THEN & & &

IDEAL WORKING CONDITIONS

AS MATURITY INCREASES, PREJUDICE DECREASES

MATURITY

PREJUDICE

Investing in maturity training employees so as to overcome prejudice in the workplace is helpful. Investing in workshops that promote personal growth and maturity is essential in reducing prejudice but also increases responsibility, productivity, creativity, as well as promoting good human relations and reducing prejudice. The next slide illustrates factors involves in progression toward greater personal maturity. It also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the changing needs for supervision, guidance, and especially maturity training as the individual progresses from childhood through adolescence to adulthood.

OVER THE PERSON’S LIFE SPAN, THE VULNERABILITY OF THEIR BASIC NEEDS FOR SURVIVAL DECREASE ANDTHEIR DEPENDENCE ON OTHER’S DECREASES AS A FUNCTION OF THEIR INCREASE IN COMPETENCY OF WILL AND SKILL.

TRAINING OR EDUCATION FOR GROWTH IN MATURITY FROM THE EARLIEST GRADES ONIS THE MOST ESSENTIAL NEED FOR ALL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

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