Jan Yuill's book Organizations Alive! was recently
published by her own company (2003). In her preface she explains that world
events provided the momentum to finalise the work n a model she had been using
with clients for many years. She completed most of her book after September
11th, and the invasion of Iraq added the final impetus to the writing task.
Organizations Alive! six things that challenge, seven that
bring success is a slim and easy-to-read volume. It would make sense to
someone who knows nothing about type or the MBTI®,
and yet is a rich reference for anyone well acquainted with typology.
Jan presented her model for looking at organisations and their
behaviours at the International Type Users' Conference in South Africa in 1996.
Attendees at that conference, or those having access to the conference papers,
might already have a good understanding of the model through reading her paper.
In essence, Jan says that organisations are either inward-looking
or outward-looking. They pay attention either to detail, or to the big picture
of their core business. Their decision-making can be people-focused or
task-focused. 'Ah-ha!' I hear you saying, 'this is language I
understand and have heard before!'
Jan takes these basic
concepts and overlays and combines them in different ways. The work is subtle.
She cleverly uses the language of management and business without resorting to
jargon. Resource management, the company's strategic vision and customer service
can be put together in a simple way that still challenges thinking.
After reading Jan's book, anyone could understand and have a
clear rationale for their organisation's success (or struggle). The application
of the thinking processes she suggests in not only for organisations but also
for project teams, departments inside large organisations, and voluntary
committees.
The book has lists, diagrams and
investigative and reflective questions that could form the basis for a workshop.
Jan has even provided worksheets in the appendix. Any facilitator of groups or
OD consultant called to do impromptu work in an organisation would have ample
material to explore the organisation with this book.
I
felt alive when I read this book, and was keen to find out who stocked copies in
Australia so I could buy one of my own! Apparently it's easily purchased from
the website,
www.janyuill.com. Thoroughly recommended!
