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Kenyon Stanley Dr. White COMM 604 1 February 2011 Analysis Paper #1 In my nearly forty years of living, I have worked for a large number of organizations. The majority of those organizations have consistently used machine-like metaphors to describe themselves to their employees and the general public. The Mens Shelter of Charlotte is one such organization where the machine metaphor was communicated to the clients, staff and public. During my tenure at the shelter, management consistently sought out new scientific methods which would (in theory) get the most production out of staff at the cheapest possible cost. The outcome of such studies resulted in a standardization work roles, and continued perpetuation of a strictly vertical communication channel. Additionally, the job tasks were standardized to such an extent that more effective ideas were rarely (if ever) adopted simply because those tasks were deemed not the shelter way. Furthermore, management would over-emphasize the notion that every employee was replaceable as a means to exact compliance. Sadly, the machine metaphor utilized by The Mens Shelter of Charlotte contributed in their high turnover rate, low morale and a reduction in services to the homeless community. With the roots of the machine metaphor dating back to Frederick the Great in the mid-18th century, the utilization of the machine metaphor has stood the test of time. The relevance is evident by the fact that most of todays organization still prefer to communicate in accordance with classical management theory. According to Eisenberg, E.M., Goodall, H.L., Jr., & Trethewey, A. (2010), organizations that prescribe to classical management theory believe that production is at its best when the labor is divided among employees, there is a strict hierarchy of offices and a codified set of rules to monitor performances (p. 69). Furthermore, in classical organizations, employers have no regard for employees personal lives. Basically, work and home life are too separate entities and dont mix.

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Additionally, employers expect their employees to choose work whenever work and home life conflict. Referring back to the Mens Shelter, employees were often coerced to choose work over home life. In fact, the Shelter would hold all hands meetings every other Tuesday and Thursday. These meetings were mandatory and failure to attend would result in disciplinary action, up to termination. For me, the meetings were difficult to attend as my work hours were midnight to 8:30 A.M. Additionally, finding childcare for two hours proved to be quite difficult. As far as the Shelter was concerned, childcare and sleep were my problem. When I suggested that I Skype in for a meeting, the executive director dismissed my idea and chastised me for thinking outside the box. Proving not only is the Mens Shelter of Charlotte an organization that prescribes to Classical Management Theory, but that I needed to find a job that valued my work and personal needs. Although the Classical Management Theory does have its benefits (e.g. clear expectations, compliance gaining and coordinating work efforts), the businesses that identify with the machine metaphor have some significant drawbacks. There probably is no perfect metaphor for an organization. However organizations that adopt a machine metaphorical culture have several weaknesses. First, the machine metaphor is a strictly prescriptive method of running an organization. While its a good thing for management to have answers, its quite possible that the answers management comes up with are wrong. Adopting a descriptive methodology would increase understanding between management and lower level staff. By increasing the understanding, employees would feel valued and morale would go up. Second, classically run organizations are segmented in nature. The segmentation of job tasks decreases cross-training and dialogue, thus providing a ripe breeding ground for an its not my job attitude. Third, machine-run organizations are difficult to adapt to environmental changes as they are systems. Lastly, the machine-run businesses have a top-down communication flow which stifles any innovative ideas that may come from lower level employees. It is no secret that my passion is to serve the needs of the homeless. When I was initially hired at the Shelter, I was excited that my knowledge, passion and extensive experience may enhance the efforts of the shelter. Unfortunately, I soon found out that it was taboo to step outside ones

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job description. Additionally, when the housing market crashed, the shelter was not prepared to handle the 30% increase in homeless men needing our services to survive. Instead of collaborating with staff and other agencies, the executive director chose to cut needed services that attack the barriers to selfsufficiency that many of the homeless live with daily (e.g. mental illness, chemical dependency, literacy etc.). If upper management would have collaborated with others, perhaps a creative solution could have been discovered and implemented. I do still believe that the Shelter provides a needed service to some of our communities most vulnerable citizens. However, perhaps there is a better metaphorical lens to view an organizationspecifically The Mens Shelter of Charlotte. The human body is a metaphor that is not only a relevant lens to view the Shelter, but its a way which will enhances the interdependence between management, staff and the homeless men needing services. Every human body needs a driving force, specifically a brain. The brain has many different parts that control different areas of the body. In the Shelter, the executive director, assistant executive director and the board of directors is the brain of the organization. The brain of the shelter is responsible for setting budgets, creating policy, setting goals and understanding outside influences. Once the brains goals are realized, the next step is to communicate those goals to the rest of the body. This is the job of the central nervous system. In the case of the Shelter, the various departmental directors are the central nervous system. Connected to the brain, the central nervous system communicates the goals of the brain to the various parts. For example, every human body needs a heart to survive. For the Shelter, the development department is the heart. It is the hearts job to pump blood and distribute the blood to the rest of the body. Money is the blood of the Shelter and a just as a human body needs blood; every nonprofit organization needs grants and donations (basically money) to survive. Therefore, the development department pumps the money in and through the various departments of the organization at the direction of the brain. The communications department is obviously the mouth. At the direction of the brain, the mouth communicates the message of the Shelter to the community. At the Shelter, there is no internal communications department. All of the communication to the shelter staff (the body) comes

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down from the executive director (brain). The case management and intake department are the hands of the organization. These two departments do the work with the homeless and are charged with providing basic and long-term care. Identical to a body, intake and case management are one of the last departments to receive blood (money) from the heart. Additionally, whenever the body is suffering from an affliction (hypothermia), blood is cut off from the hands. When the housing market went cold, case management and intake services were the first departments to receive budget cuts. Just like its hard to work with frozen hands, it was difficult to provide services to the homeless with no resources. Lastly, no human body can survive without a skeleton and skin. The facilities department is the skeleton and skin of the Mens Shelter. The skeleton and skin of the Shelter provides a structure for all of the other departments to function. Utilizing the human body metaphor fosters a greater sense of interdependence between the various parts then a machine metaphor. After all, just as the brain will cease to function if the heart stops pumping blood, a nonprofit agency will fold if the development department ceases to raise money. In todays world, employees want to feel valued and empowered. Organizations that adopt a machine mentality are simply out of touch with the motivational methods of today. Perhaps that is why we are seeing an increasing amount of organizations adopting employee-friendly policies (e.g. flex time, telecommuting, and paid maternity leave). It is obvious that forward thinking organizations realize that recognizing and meeting the personal needs of their employees does result in higher job performance and loyalty. Therefore, while classical management theory and machine metaphor doesnt recognize the significance of employee needs, the human body metaphor does acknowledge the notion and reliance on ensuring all the needs of the various parts are met.

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References

Eisenberg, E.M., Goodall, H.L., Jr., & Trethewey, A. (2010). Organizational communication: Balancing creativity and constraint (6th Edition). Boston: Bedford/St. Martins.