OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Symbolic Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:
1. Describe the symbolic frame
2. Apply the symbolic frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

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

At the restaurant where I worked, first as a hostess and then as a server, there was

an issue with how tips were divided. Servers felt giving 35% of the tips to sushi chefs

was unfair and felt that hostesses should receive some percentage of these tips.

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

When considering the frames in which to analyze an organization, one that exists

is the symbolic frame. In chapter twelve of Reframing Organizations, the author explains

that “the symbolic frame focuses on how myth and symbols help humans make sense of

the chaotic, ambiguous world in which they live” as well as “carry[ing] powerful

intellectual and emotional messages”, they provide a space for connections to be made

(Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 247). Considering that “meaning is not given to us; we create

it”, I can use the symbolic lens to view my situation working in the service industry

(Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 247). As explained in Reframing Organizations, “a symbol is

something that stands for or suggests something else; it conveys socially constructed

meanings beyond its intrinsic or obvious functional use” which proposes that leaders

should explore deeper meanings within their organization (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p.

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 253). Some ways that symbolism can be seen in an organization is through “myth, vision,

story, heroes and heroines, ritual and ceremony” (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 248).

During my time working for this restaurant, I experienced symbolism and its

influence on both the organization and my situation. When considering what symbols

exist within a organization, an individual must go beyond the surface level and think

about what channels and messages symbols are conveyed through. One form of

symbolism I saw was myths which “communicate unconscious wishes and conflicts,

mediate contradictions, and offer a narrative anchoring the present in the past” (Bolman

& Deal, 2021, p. 255). Providing excellent service at any expense was a myth that could

be witnessed within my previous place of employment, one that highlighted the idea that

“myths undergrid an organization’s values” (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 255). This symbol

meant that sushi chefs and servers needed to collaborate very well and played a role in

the struggle to determine the value of each team member’s effort.

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

Organizational symbols can help an individual have a deeper understanding of a

situation and observe why finding a better solution was so difficult. Similarly, the use of

organizational symbols can aid in finding an alternative course of action. One solution I

have considered for helping to fix the attitudes servers and sushi chefs had toward each

other is to incorporate symbols such as heroes and heroines in the culture of the company.

In chapter twelve of Reframing Organizations, the author explains “organizations often

rely on CEOs or other prominent leaders as examples” which helps create and improve

the morale of team members (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 258). While this is important as

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 leaders who succeed time and time again are vital to an organization, others within a

company can be positive role models as well (Bolman & Deal, 2021). It is possible for

team members to rely on each other for encouragement and examples of success since

“not all icons are at the top of organizations. Ordinary people often perform exemplary

deeds” (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 258).

Utilizing the concept presented by the author that not all icons are at the top is a

great strategy for unifying employees within an organization and is suitable for my

situation. If team members can see each other as highly important and can recognize that

“heroes come in every shape and size” the effectiveness and morale of employees will

likely improve (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 259). Bringing recognition to the effort of sushi

chefs and reminding these chefs how vital servers are in the function of the restaurant is a

good place to start. Remembering that some heroism is not noticed because its happens

outside of the view of others is one explanation for why sushi chefs’ effort is not noticed

by servers (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 259). Reinforcing the idea that team members

“serve as guides to choices we make in our personal lives and at work” (Bolman & Deal,

2021, p. 260) is another helpful strategy to build connection. Since all employees are

heroes at one point or another, with team members relying on each other to alleviate

apprehension and anxiety, it should not be too great of a challenge to get team members

to understand the dedication displayed by those around them (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p.

260).

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

Learning about the symbolic frame provided a great opportunity for me to expand

my knowledge around how organizations function and why. Gaining understanding about

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 the symbolic frame allows me to see the ways in which myths, rituals, ceremonies,

heroes, and other symbolic aspects influence how individuals within an organization feel

and act. I feel that my deeper perception around symbolism in organizations encourages

me to think about different ways to approach organizational problems. In the fifth part of

Reframing Organizations which discusses the symbolic frame in three chapters, I learned

about the five suppositions of the symbolic frame (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 254). One of

these ideas states that, “what is most important is not what happens, but what it means”

which allows leaders to gauge the importance of perceptions and symbols within an

organization (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 254).

Regarding this notion, I can understand how the situation I faced in my previous

job was made worse by a lack of appreciation for employees and meaning within the

organization, and how this made team members feel. While some years I attended a

holiday party that was put on by the owners and manager, the lack of rituals and

ceremonies for the company and its team members contributed to the poor attitudes held

by employees. Without a team ritual that “connects an individual to something mystical,

deeper than words or rational thinking” the surface level relationships between coworkers

were never developed (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 265). Similarly, “expressive events

provide order and meaning and bind an organization or society together” providing

further evidence of the importance of including ceremonies, which can act as glue,

bringing people together, and forming strong bonds (Bolman & Deal, 2021, p. 271).

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 Reference

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership

(7th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.