McCallum, David C., S.J.

English

epublications@Marquette

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 46 Article 7September 2014Salt and Leaven: Mission Integration UsingOrganizational Development PrinciplesDavid C. McCallum S.J.Follow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationMcCallum, David C. S.J. (2014) "Salt and Leaven: Mission Integration Using Organizational Development Principles," Conversationson Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 46, Article 7.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol46/iss1/7Conversations 13W hen people think of Ignatius ofLoyola, the first images thatcome to mind are the soldierturned saint, the pilgrim on theroad, and perhaps the helpfulholy man reaching out to some-one in need. We know, though,that Ignatius was also an ingen-ious administrator who under-stood how organizationsworked; he appreciated the importance of a compellingvision, flexible strategies, and the critical role of skillful andsupportive management of people; and he knew how tomake decisions in such way as to allow the Holy Spirit to bethe driver while at the same time attending to earthly details.From his early days as an aspiring courtier, Ignatius had boththe education and the instinct for developing organizationsand making them work effectively. In fact, the Constitutionsof the Society of Jesus, which Ignatius authored, might beconsidered an organizational blueprint that translated thespiritual graces of the Spiritual Exercises into administrativepolicies and structures and into guiding principles for humanresource development. The goal of the Constitutions was nota bureaucracy, however. The Society of Jesus was intendedto be an organization inspired throughout every dimensionto fulfill a divine mission in loving service to the church andthe world and to do so with a spirit of selfless generosity.This mission was to serve as a pervasive and permeatingsource of purpose and meaning, functioning like the salt orthe leaven Jesus describes in the Gospels.When we think about the contemporary work of missionintegration in our institutions of higher education, we have asimilar goal, to facilitate the permeation of our missionthroughout our schools and help tether everything we do tothat inspiration, purpose, and meaning. While we missionofficers do not generally have experience as military leadersor in local government as Ignatius did, we can draw similarmental models and skill sets using the resources of contem-porary disciplines such as organizational development (OD)to help think systematically about our work and betterachieve our institutional goals. Organizational developmentis an interdisciplinary field that includes and draws upon thesocial sciences, adult and organizational learning, systemstheory, and a variety of theories related to management sci-ence. It is rooted in humanistic values that prioritize the dig-nity and value of the human person, that seek to develop thepotential of individuals while enhancing the effectiveness ofthe organization in the service of its goals, and that supportthe vibrancy, meaning, and value of work. In this essay, Iwill describe some of the relevant features of OD as theyhave influenced my work as the director of mission andidentity at Le Moyne College.Organizational Development as aResource for Mission IntegrationThe first principle of OD is the development of an organiza-tion’s process, systems, and procedures. Accordingly, whilethe Office of Mission & Identity at Le Moyne College pro-vides faculty and staff orientations and ongoing developmentSalt and LeavenMission Integration Using OrganizationalDevelopment PrinciplesBy David C. McCallum, S.J.David C. McCallum, S.J., is the director of mission andidentity and assistant professor of leadership and management at Le Moyne College.1McCallum: Salt and Leaven: Mission Integration Using Organizational DevelopPublished by e-Publications@Marquette,14 Conversationsand collaborates with campus ministry and service outreach,mission integration extends beyond these programs andfunctions. Mission integration at Le Moyne (and perhapsmost Jesuit schools) also involves the policies related to allthe other varied dimensions of the institutions such as hiring,marketing and admissions, student development, the corecurriculum, employee performance reviews, facultyrank and tenure, the financial policy’s relatedto tuition pricing, the investment portfo-lio, facilities, health care plans, etc.Wherever we might identify thefunction of a particular policy,division, office, or role, missionis hopefully the answer to thequestion of why that particu-lar function exists and helpsdescribe how that functionmight work in a way that isdistinct from that of anothertype of institution.In addition to policies,procedures, and systems,another key focus of organi-zational development is thatof culture. While some mightview culture as simply a collec-tion of the way individuals thinkand behave, OD is enriched by thedisciplines of anthropology and socialpsychology, which provide a moreholistic appreciation for the importanceand the impact of culture on an organi-zation. Using principles of OD, our mission-inspired admin-istrative and faculty leaders inquire: how is the mission man-ifest in the patterns of people’s interactions and in the careand collegiality we demonstrate for one another; in thedegree to which the vision and values are shared across fac-ulty and administration; in the habits of thinking and mentalmodels that guide decision making; and in key symbols, arti-facts, rituals, and ceremonies? And perhaps just as critical,leaders explore ways in which aspects of the actual cultureare in tension with or even in opposition to the espousedvalues of the organization, for example in compensationpackages, in building and facilities priorities, or in the waysresources are allocated.The Mission Integration Model at Le Moyne CollegeOver the past two years, we have been developing a model ofmission integration that is informed by OD theories and prac-tices. First and foremost, we constructed a heuristic lens (seeFigure 1) to help us to see the organization of the college in themost comprehensive and inclusive manner in order that missionefforts are both integrative and impactful. We draw on the workof Ken Wilber, whose Integral Spirituality (2006) and TheIntegral Vision (2007) offer a means of mapping the personal(1st person), interpersonal (2nd person), and objective (3rd per-son) elements of the organization. The mission integration map helps us clarifythe scope of our mission education effortsand interventions and discover wherethere may be gaps, tensions, or mis-alignments between what we sayand what we do. For example,we encourage our students tobe committed to the serviceof social justice, but as insti-tutions we may not provideliving wages to certain cat-egories of employee. Ithelps us to think throughthe degree to which weare supporting and rein-forcing our core organiza-tional values of cura person-alis (care for the whole per-son) and magis (a commit-ment to generosity, excellence,and depth of quality) and toensure that we are translating thesevalues into observable behaviors thatcan be acknowledged and evaluated,reflecting them in our culture, institu-tional policies, and systems.By virtue of seeing the organization of the college in aholistic manner, we are better able to consciously tap intothe inspiration and purpose that our mission provides,whether we serve as a faculty member in the liberal arts, astaff person working in facilities management, or an admin-istrator responsible for marketing the college. Just as salt pro-vides flavor and serves as a preservative and leaven activatesdough, this holistic approach to mission integration ensuresthat every dimension of our educational organization is influ-enced and inspired by this core purpose.ConclusionAs Ignatius of Loyola drew upon his practical education andexperience as a soldier and courtier when he translated thegrace of the Exercises into a dynamic, mission driven organiza-tional model in the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, so thediscipline of organizational development provides resourcesthat help us pay more comprehensive and systematic attentionto the ways our missions might flavor and permeate our insti-tutions even more thoroughly and effectively. ■Figure 1: Mission Integration Map2Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, Vol. 46, Iss. 1 [], Art. 7http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol46/iss1/7

Salt and Leaven: Mission Integration Using Organizational Development Principles

https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1884&amp;context=conversations

Salt and Leaven: Mission Integration Using Organizational Development Principles

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

epublications@Marquette