OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Symbolic Frame Worksheet

Jordan Tucker

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

The situation I presented in module one highlighted a greenhouse project within my local
community garden. As the board president of the community garden board, I oversaw the
construction of a new greenhouse due to a Master Gardener donation. After the greenhouse
was built, both organizations boards had to figure out who got to use the greenhouse during
its maiden season. This led to ongoing discussions with the ultimate goal of determining the
use of the greenhouse while working to make sure both boards felt heard and understood.

2) Describe how the symbols of the organization influenced the situation.

In this situation, the symbols of the organization had some impact on the outcome of the
situation. In regard to the community garden’s mission, the values of the organization are
well understood and represent how the organization should be ran and how goals should be
achieved. In the meeting that were conducted between the community garden and the Master
Gardener organizations on the planning of the greenhouse, formal meetings were held with
parliamentary procedure as governed by the community garden’s bylaws. According to the
text, “ceremonies serve four major roles: they socialize, stabilize, reassure, and convey
messages to external constituencies” (Bolman, p. 257). The biggest symbol in this situation
was based upon this ceremonial type of meeting that allowed the both groups to convey to
the rest of their organizations which allowed not only social interaction but also conveyed
ideas and thoughts which allowed for stabilization. The symbols within the community
garden organization influenced the outcome as in the past, both organizations were one large
organization and was for a great majority of the garden’s life. While both organizations are
now separate entities, the symbolism that was created by this history lead to the prolonged
conflict as there were still symbolic relics of that one larger organization present.

3) Recommend how you would use organizational symbols for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

In an alternate course of action, I would recommend using organizational symbols to a

greater benefit rather than by using these symbols to differentiate between the Master
Gardener organization and the community garden. When symbols of each organizations
culture were present in this situation, the path to a successful outcome was almost
predetermined as each group relies on values that are mostly similar, but the overall mission
of each organization differs greatly. Organizational symbols in most situations would provide

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 a strong groundwork for success but in this unique situation, it is important to understand that
both organizations portray symbols and cultures that create results that are not as always as
straightforward as they seem.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

After learning more about the symbolic frame in which organizations function, I learned that
although symbols may see as a small fraction in the overall scheme of an organization, in
reality the symbolism can dictate how an organizations and its members function. Going
forward as the leader of the community garden organization, I will better understand that
values and goals are greatly affected by the symbols that are presented or by the symbols that
are formed within the organizations culture. As a leader, I will be better able to recognize
symbols throughout the organization and be able to determine how individuals see those
symbols and how it directs the community garden and how the garden functions. Through
such things as meetings and events, I can not only build the organization but better identify
symbols and purpose. “Events and processes are often more important for what they express
or signal than for their intent or outcomes” (Bolman, p. 243). I can now see that these events
and meetings may mean more organizationally than just the share of information, it also
allows the organization to “weave” its own symbols into the culture.

Reference

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing  organizations: Artistry, choice, and

leadership (6th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass