Constructing Personal Reality and its Influence on Leadership
The purpose of this paper is to examine the various models, theories, and practices used to define personal cultural, psychological, physical, and spiritual views of personal reality and the world. Discussing postmodern theory, the effect of personal meaning and its expression in leadership activities applied to organizational development in my consulting firm, while integrating the relational effect on clients and other organizational stakeholders. Exploration of postmodernist strategy in all disciplines characterized by looking beyond previously accepted models and paradigms, regardless of its previous influence in culture.
Postmodernist Ideas
In exploring various definitions and descriptions of postmodernism, a common theme emerged. Postmodernist theory removes categories and classifications, rejecting standard modernism. Instead power, relationships, communication, motivations, and the environment are investigated to create and define reality. According to Jameson (1991), postmodernism is defined as the “dominant cultural logic of late capitalism”. To launch a personal postmodern self-analysis, I identified general cultural, psychological, physical, spiritual models. The detection of specific models considered is unimportant, the focus is on the recognition that a model is in place is the goal. Deconstructing a current world view in the context of underlying assumptions, paradigms, and models introduces a process to break out of limiting ideas and viewpoints. As Kuhn (1996) noted, paradigms and models are limiting and not final or all inclusive, thus he coined the phrase “paradigm shift”.
Communication
The role of language and communication in general is a significant theme in postmodernism. Francois Lyotard (1984) observed the game of communication, as conversations can be reactive with one party exercising power over another. Communication is the passage, interchange, and transfer of information, ideas, and emotions. The act or process of communicating involves sending messages by speech, visual communications, symbols, storytelling, and other means.
Means of Communication
To communicate is a daily activity for most people. As Lyotard (1984) discussed, “A self does not amount to much, but no self is an island; each exists in a fabric of relations that is now more complex than ever before” (p. 15). Communication occurs on all levels of personal and business interactions to help sharing knowledge and ideas. Technology furthers communications by providing electronic means to share information by using the Internet, mobile devices, videoconferencing, and emerging methods.
Obstacles to Communication
Barriers to communication include interpretation of language, variations in understanding, communications skills, and targeting information to an appropriate audience. As Kuhn (1996) pointed out, “Even in the mathematical sciences there are also theoretical problems of paradigm articulation…” (p. 33). I believe that communication skills continually developed facilitate genuine exchange of information and ideas. To me, the meaning of communication is an accurate and shared exchange, and Foucault (1970) asserted that “…because grammar is dealing with language, that is, with a system of representation required both to designate and to judge, or again, related to both an object and a truth” (p. 191).
Global Community and Constructing Meaning
Radical innovations, strategies, and tactics characterize postmodernism as information and knowledge are community-driven through expertise, popularity, or consensus. Knowledge is continually evolving organically as known information changes to the global, local, or personal environment (McKernon, 2002). Influences of group perceptions or world views impact markets, consumerism, and business success.
Community Influence and Perception
An example of community dynamics is the Internet. To compete effectively in the current business environment, especially in technology-based businesses such as online universities and e-commerce companies, access to timely and reliable information is crucial. Several critical challenges must be overcome. These challenges include the timeliness of information, the accuracy of information in a global marketplace, and viable critical thinking skills to create and execute strategy. E-Commerce business success is dependent on strong practice and leadership. Technology allows business to use emerging media in which there is no reliable blueprint for profitability and success.
In times of rapid technological information, consideration of the asynchronous global nature of information shared illustrates postmodern strategy in a complex environment of continual change. “The organization takes feedback from users – their experience and knowledge about a product – and combines it with the technical knowledge of their development staff to create new knowledge, for example best practices and lessons learned and ultimately new products ” (Becerra-Fernandez et al, 2004, p. 306). By understanding the dynamic business environment online, vulnerabilities in strategic execution can be avoided.
The Issue of Meaning
The issue of meaning is significant in business. Leadership encompasses motivating and empowering employees. Business leaders need strong people skills to listen actively and communicate strategy. As Kuhn (1996) discusses, gestalt experiments provide the nature of perceptual transformations, not previous patterns of information. Social media interventions thus merge experimentation with information obtained from obsolete paradigms as well as existing knowledge.
How society constructs meaning takes a step back from the concept of knowledge, instead focusing on how society defines and views reality. Underlying beliefs, assumptions, and ideas deconstructed discern a community groupthink of reality. Influences of group perceptions or world views impact markets, consumerism, and business success. Innovations in communication impact both conscious and subconscious influences on perceived reality, allow for an organic shift in reality and therefore valued beliefs. Application of business strategy in an organic system requires deconstructed organizational behavior strategic principles; working with the system and facilitating planned change (Summers et al, 1997).
Personal Reality and Influence
I own and operate a consulting firm, Liz Musil Consultants, with these divisions: website development, consulting for e-commerce companies, leadership development, and instructional design for universities. Creating tactical and strategic goals considers the asynchronous global nature of information shared. To maximize my mission, vision, and values as well as the mission, vision and values of my clients, I take the following qualities into consideration: accurate knowledge, speed of delivery, asynchronous delivery, and security.
Following trends in social media daily by reading industry newsletters, blogs, webinars, Internet radio, and Internet TV allow me to determine tactics for clients based on ideas, innovations, and the experiences of others. Knowledge capture is integrally tied to discovery, as I analyze performance to tactics practiced by clients and combine this information with cultural influence. As Goldman (1999) revealed, technological innovations provide new means of sharing data and knowledge, however the information sent does not ensure its receipt by the target audience. Consumers of online information must discern between valuable, relevant, or incorrect data. Postmodernism discusses communication and meaning in an environment of constant flux and change.
McKernon (2002) analyzed that the contextual meanings and styles of consuming impact business strategy in a deeper, more meaningful manner than need-based theory. Analysis of consumer values, negotiated needs and wants provide an exchange of information to construct meaning that allows a postmodernist approach to marketing efforts. Working with the two-way push and pull of information creates greater satisfaction and success over traditional push strategies. Knowledge sharing is customized in my industry, no formula for success is guaranteed. I share to further my organizational goals and those of my clients via tactical experimentation. The connectivity that technology provides allows for mass sharing of data in both directions. I view the postmodern practices I use as an interrelated, overlapping, organic cycle allowing creativity, depth, and success to evolve outside preconceived ideas, models, and approaches.
References
Becerra-Fernandez, I., Gonzalez, A., & Sabherwal, R. (2004). Knowledge Management: Challenges, Solutions, and Technologies (1 ed.).
Foucault M., (1970). The order of things: An archaeology of the human sciences. Ny, NY: Random House Inc.
Goldman, A. I. (1999). Knowledge in a social world. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jameson, F. (1991). Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.
Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press.
Lyotard, J. (1984). The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
McKernon, S. (2002, February). The PoMo in you. NZ Marketing Magazine, 21(1), 10.
Summers, D. J., Boje, D. M., Dennehy, R. F., Rosile, G. M. & et al (1997, August). Deconstructing the organizational behavior text. Journal of Management Education, 21(3), 343-360.
