Members of an organization must take up roles and develop structures and processes that support the mission and goals of the organization. When these tasks, roles, structures, processes are not in alignment with each other, groups and organizations can get into trouble. Even while working with a part of the organization, it is important to keep in mind the whole organization as a system, as well as the larger context/environment in which this system operates. What happens in one part of the system invariably affects the others. Corporations must pay attention to the relatedness of employees to both internal and external customers, as well as to larger market forces. Non-profit groups must pay particular attention to the impact of client, community, and political systems and environments in which they are embedded. Tracy Wallach works with groups and organizations to develop a collective understanding of the interrelatedness of the dynamics between various groups (or stakeholders) that comprise the organization and to develop rational structures and processes to support their work together and to produce coordinated progress toward the organization's goals.

Services

organizational assessment

“I appreciated your ability to get us to open up and speak about our problems or what we perceived as problems - but on further discussion became clear were simply misunderstandings and lack of communication. Also, you kept a firm hand on us and did not allow us to go off on tangents or lose sight of the original premise. You were in control. You really are a master at drawing us out and making us discuss problems, etc. The day was a rewarding one in that I have a far better understanding about my job and my fellow workers. It was a breath of fresh air! ”

Retreat Participant

At a manufacturing company experiencing production, quality and morale problems, Tracy Wallach with a team of associates worked in a large-scale change management program. The effort involved redesigning the organization to a team structure; designing and implementing leadership/management training at all levels to provide the skills needed to operate in a team structure; and following up with team development and coaching.

Teams at all levels progressed in their ability to share information and collaborate productively on reaching important goals, and in many cases established measurement systems to track performances, by shift or by team. In addition they began to move beyond the mentality of day-to-day fire fighting to thinking and planning ahead for the longer term. Teams significantly improved their abilities to collaborate, plan jointly, and problem solve.

The team process in one manufacturing division alone resulted in significant annualized savings. Quality and safety measures also improved substantially in the team based environment.

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Armstrong, D. (2002). The work group revisited: Reflections on the practice of group relations. Human Relations, Authority, and Justice Archive. Retrieved from http://human-nature.com/hraj/work.html
Klein, E. B., Gabelnick, F., & Herr, P. (Eds.). (2000). Dynamic consultation in a changing workplace. Madison, CT: Psychosocial Press.
Menzies Lyth, I. (1997). Containing anxiety in institutions: Selected essays (Vol. 1). Great Britain: Free Association Books, LTD.
Obholzer, A., & Zagier Roberts, V. (Eds.). (1994). The unconscious at work: Individual and organizational stress in the human services. London: Routledge.