Symbolic Frame

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

To recap the situation, I used the rebranding project that my current organization

went through in November 2021. When the organization decided it was time for the

rebrand, the executive team created a team of individuals with experience in a specific

area. I was asked to be a part of the rebranding committee and serve in the uniform

department. This was because of my knowledge and expertise in ordering uniforms for

the organization. My role on the uniform team provided some obstacles as there were a

few risks that needed to be taken more seriously, and we needed to problem-solve a

solution appropriately. The committee for the rebrand met weekly, and during the weekly

meetings, we would discuss specific successes and setbacks in our department. Deciding

on uniforms was difficult because the supply chain was a significant issue the team lead

should have considered. Despite meeting and discussing our success and setbacks, the

supply chain issue was pushed to the side.

Also included in the rebrand was the launch of our new e-commerce websites.

Because I am the retail supervisor, the launch of the e-commerce website was a project

given to me. This was an impactful yet challenging situation as there were a variety of

challenges that came into play. Since the retail website fell into my domain, I was

responsible for creating and launching the website at the same time the organization

launched the new main website and at the same time, we launched the new logo. The

challenges and obstacles that occurred were a need for more communication with my

director regarding a specific responsibility, a timeline of due dates or milestones, and a

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 need to specify who was responsible for creating the webpage. With a lack of

clarification, it did leave me to believe that all responsibility is up to me despite my

efforts to obtain more information. So, I started working on the website, only to find that

website design was not my responsibility.

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

The organization's symbols helped influence the decision to rebrand through the

organization's mission, vision, and values. The Arizona Humane Society (AHS) focuses

on helping sick and injured pets throughout Arizona and sometimes helps pets from

different states. The organization's mission is to "save the lives of the most vulnerable

animals and enrich the lives of pets and people." This is done by focusing on the core

values of innovation, compassion, and excellence (Mission, 2023). With this mission and

these values, the organization can assess its current impact and what it can do to help pets

and the community. Through this assessment, the organization a few years back

discovered that the organization was headed in a different direction. This is where the

organization's vision changed. Where the focus was once on spaying and neutering pets,

the organization has a new direction which helped launch our rebrand, the new symbol of

what the organization stands for and represents. The rebrand of AHS launched a new

logo of a paw print with a sun that coins the term, "the future is bright for pets!" This new

logo stands not only for what the organization is doing but also for the new, state-of-the-

art facility that will allow the organization to help save the lives of more pets and do

more for the community!

With the decision to rebrand, the executive team created groups of teams that

focused on their area of expertise. I was assigned to the uniform committee, where I

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 worked with my director (the team lead) to help find and decide on the right type of

uniform to move forward with that represents AHS and, of course, looks good with the

new logo. When reflecting on how symbols influence this situation, I could determine

that there was an absence of symbols to represent the meaning of our work. Being on the

uniform committee was exciting as I had the opportunity to help decide on the right style

and color that everyone in the organization would wear! This meant that what we chose

to go with represented AHS and allowed us to feel a connection to one another, as there

was no longer a feeling of separation. However, being on the uniform committee did not

allow me to feel that excitement and meaning of work as my director took over the

project and decided on styles of uniforms and colors on her own. Also, we rarely met

outside the committee and only connected when everyone met for our weekly meetings.

My director had yet to establish a plan for what to do if shipping or stock issues were a

concern. This led to issues with the uniforms after the launch of the logo, and we decided

on a new style and color –a decision I was once again not a part of. This experience left

me wondering why I was even on the project.

The same issue occurred when working on the launch of the new e-commerce

website. The e-commerce website was new to AHS and meant that we could work to gain

new supporters and earn revenue through a different platform. For me, this represented a

new opportunity for AHS. However, when it was time to prepare for the creation of the e-

commerce site, I needed more to be provided to me by my director, and I was unable to

determine timelines and who I was supposed to be working with. I worked with the

wrong individual until a month before the launch date. Much like the uniform committee,

my director did make the time to set up meetings to help ensure the project was moving

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 in the right direction, and most contacts were done via email. Despite this, I could still get

the e-commerce site ready to launch by the launch date, which was a big thing for me.

Reflecting on these two scenarios and working with my director, it took a lot of work to

view this leader as successful. I had lost my belief in this director and never wanted to

work on a project with her again. Bolman & Deal state, "successful leadership has

followers who believe in the power of the leader. By believing, people are encouraged to

link positive events with the leadership behavior" (Bolman & Deal, 2021, pg. 306). After

the launch, it was always difficult for me to see my director as a successful leader!

3) Recommend how you would use organizational symbols for an alternative course of

action regarding your case.

The symbolic frame within the Arizona Humane Society is not something that

needs to be changed. The organization represents the passion and drive they have to help

enrich the lives of both pets and people. The rebrand of the organization represented the

new direction the organization was headed—"a future that is bright for pets." The rebrand

also represented the new, state-of-the-art facility that will save more lives of pets and

help support the community more than ever before. Bolman & Deal mention that vision

is vital to organizations as it turns an organization's sense of purpose into an image of the

future (Bolman & Deal, 2021, pg. 255). The new logo is the organization's image of the

future. To help make this rebrand happen, the executive team utilized organizational

processes that helped to ensure the rebrand was successful. The executive team picked a

project manager (PM), and from there, the PM created a plan, set up meetings, and we

evaluated at each meeting our successes and setbacks. Overall, this allowed us to launch a

great logo.

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 While I do not have recommendations for the organizations, there are

recommendations that I have for the launch of the uniforms and the creation of the e-

commerce website. Much like the project manager launched the processes of planning,

meetings, and evaluation to help make the rebrand a success, the same could have been

done for the uniform committee I was on and with creating the e-commerce website. The

only time I met with the leader of the uniform project was during the meetings scheduled

for everyone on the committee. I did not have the opportunity to meet outside the

committee because the project lead did most of the work. This prevented the opportunity

to discuss any risks or setbacks and the opportunity to discuss other options. Only

meeting once a week with everyone else on the committee prevented us from the

opportunity to correct the significant risk that occurred once the launch of the new logo

was completed. The same happened with the creation of the e-commerce website, as my

director did provide any meetings or plans—this left confusion and uncertainty with

timelines and individual roles and involvement. With meetings, plans, and evaluations,

results were easier to achieve.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned

about this frame.

After learning about the symbolic frame and how it is represented in an

organization, what I would do differently is communicate and express how having a part

of the rebranding committee. The e-commerce website helps to bring value, meaning, and

purpose to what I am doing for the organization. Also, being a part of the uniform

committee and e-commerce website can help me to feel like I am contributing to the

mission and vision of the organization and that I can represent the organization through

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 its values of innovation, compassion, and excellence (mission, 2023). Communicating the

want to be more involved in the projects can show the leader that this is important to me

and that I want to feel a part of the project.

In addition to establishing open communication, another thing I would do

differently is to express the importance of meetings and plans. Meetings and plans are

essential when working on a project and represent symbols that help shape an

organization's culture. First, meetings are essential because they help understand

problems and find solutions. Next, plans are symbols that help to force discussion,

increase interest, and help create an understanding of what is needed to achieve results.

(Bolman & Deal, 2021, pg. 303). Meetings and plans can ensure that projects can be

successful and that a person can feel that the work they are putting into the project will

lead to the desired outcome. In our text, Reframing organizations, Bolman & Deal

mention, "Procedures produce results, and people want to feel that their efforts produce

intended outcomes (Bolman & Deal, pg. 302).

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 References

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

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

Our Mission & Values (2023). Arizona Humane Society, retrieved from https://www.azhumane.org/our-

mission-values/.