Organisational Behaviour

This article is reproduced from chapter 1 of Law Practice Management: Increasing Productivity And Profit.
 
Organisations behave differently from individuals.  An organisation does not think with one mind.  Its interests are not uniform — hence, the levels of motivation, skill and application of its individual components are also not identical. 
 
In recognition of this, there are, usually in many legal practices, a set of basic rules that govern the way things are to be done.  These rules are sometimes in writing but more often consist of oral traditions within the office — passed down by word of mouth as “the way we do things here”.
 
These organisational rules are intended to:
 
(a) provide structure and uniformity in the workplace;
 
(b) establish procedures for problem-solving; and
 
(c) create standard work processes.
 
These very same rules can, however, create work methods that are stifling and uncreative, especially when managers fail to regularly review and modify procedures to cater for changes and more modern approaches. 
 
This, in turn, leads to decreased efficiency and lower levels of productivity.  So, whilst rules and procedures are good, they must not be applied too rigidly. 
 
What is more important is for everyone concerned to appreciate and understand the logic and purpose behind the rule.  Sadly, many managers do not realise this, and this leads to rules becoming stifling and frustrating. 
 
Set up your practice with established written rules and procedures but also take the time to explain the philosophy behind the rule and why it is there. 
 
People will:
 
(a) more readily comply with a rule that they empathise with and understand; and 
(b) be able to adapt the rule or process to a change in circumstance, if they understand the purpose of a rule. 

Good Managers Desire to Create a Thinking Workforce and Not One That Just Blindly Follows a Set of Rules
 
Organisational culture can be a great challenge for good managers.  Organisations eventually develop a culture of their own and no matter how hard you try, every individual who comes into the practice seems to develop the same bad habits as the others.
 
Organisational culture is a matter of group habit, and it is not always the culture which the organisation has chosen or desires for itself.  It is, nevertheless, the culture that it has developed over the years.  Just as an individual develops personal habits over their lifetime, organisational culture emerges from the habits and values of the collective group.  
 
A group culture develops when many individuals in a group balance their different and competing habits and reach an equilibrium or compromise that accommodates the interests, values, work ethics and ideals of the individual members who comprise the whole group. 
 
There are often dominant individuals or factors within a group.  So, the presence or absence of one person or thing can change the dynamic and shift the culture of the group as a whole, one way or another. 
 
The organisation may, for example, have developed a culture of tardiness.  This may have happened because various senior staff members are not pulling their weight.  All new staff who come in will catch on to this and become tardy themselves.  
 
The same applies to a culture of rudeness, laziness or carelessness.  One employee starts that way and gets away with it.   Before long, others follow.  If the errant employee has a strong personality, he will overtly influence others and before you know it, he has single-handedly re-engineered the culture of the whole firm!
 
Good managers need to identify the culture of their organisation and then determine where the shortcomings are. 
 
It takes time to create a new culture.  Sometimes old habits need to be changed, and this may involve getting rid of some members of staff who are resistant to change, even some who have served for a long time.  
 
The culture of the firm is important.  It will dictate what heights the firm can achieve in future and define the limits of how far it can go.