The document discusses the significance of language in strategic conversations for action, particularly within the public sector. It highlights how speech acts influence organizational dynamics and decision-making, shaped by the intentions behind conversations. Additionally, it examines the concept of public value, focusing on the benefits of government actions and services in fostering trust and legitimacy.

1. Strategic Conversations for Action: enhancing a descriptive model of strategic thinking for the public sector Rafael Pastor November 4, 2005

2. LIEDTKA’S MODEL OF STRATEGIC THINKING

3. NATURE OF LIEDTKA’S MODEL Normative 1.1. Descriptive 1.2. Educational 1.3. Executable? The million dollar question

4. THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN OUR LIFES Human beings tend to undermine the fact that they view the world, others and themselves through language Human life and action is heavily rooted in language Language is the house of Being Language is the way we produce ourselves historically We are languaging beings Organizations put together and managed by human beings, and thus, are also heavily rooted in language An organization’s actions and changes occur in and come from language and the conversations that it is able to have An organization’s current actions and future prospects are bounded by the limits and potential of these conversations

5. LANGUAGE, COMMITMENT AND ACTION It is essential to understand the role that language plays in action If we speak with intention we are acting, we are creating worlds. It is through language - the commitments we make in speaking- that we actually shape and create a common future a network of trust, and hence, of truth.

6. FLORES’S INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Integrated the work of Martin Heidegger, John Austin and John Searle Heidegger helped Flores understand the link between words and the self. When we speak we are turning towards the world together, letting the world reveal itself. Used John Austin’s work on speech acts and John Searle (theory of commitments) Heidegger + Austin + John Searle = action language or conversations for action

7. FERNANDO FLORES

8. AUSTIN’S SPEECH ACTS: HOW TO DO THINGS WITH WORDS Language is not only declarative and descriptive but also performative. Examples: The door is open. Please close the door. Abortion is morally unacceptable. I hereby sentence you to ten years of imprisonment. I promise to not increase taxes.

9. The Grammar of Action With declarations we orchestrate new spaces in which we can take action. E.g. We shall put a man on the moon. With offers and requests we elicit mutual commitment and coordinated action. E.g. I’ll prepare a report on that for Monday. With assessments we evaluate progress and navigate in our projects and worlds. E.g. We are in a mature industry. With assertions we build confidence in our judgments and consistent reliable coordination. E.g. Our sales were $4.2 billion this year.

10. OVERCOMING HEIDEGGER’S THROWN PROJECT “ ...we exist as a ‘thrown project’: thrown out of a past we cannot get behind, we project ourselves into a future we can never get beyond. "Existence" is this standing-out into time, a temporal suspension between natality and mortality”

11. Three Realms that influence our use of speech acts What you know you know: very restrictive for the individual. It deals with the world we are living in everyday, which we know and dominate completely. What you don’t know: which comes to be the realm that draws our attention by means of our anxiety or boredom. Example: When will we die? Will I have a job in six months? What you don’t know you don’t know: this is the realm of freedom, because in it we bear no bias and see ourselves absolutely empty handed, with no constraints from our overwhelming baggage. It is the realm were strategic conversations should be held.

12. Important Distinctions Motivations: concerns behind our actions and the conditions of satisfaction that we are trying to produce, or asking others to produce, to address those concerns. Necessities are no the same as concerns, the latter are implicit the former explicit. Actions: the fundamental speech acts of declaration, request, offer, promise, assertion and assessment. Structure: the conversation for action, also known as the action workflow (a coherent set of commitments) in which two people propose and complete some future action. Roles: the customer and performer of the conversation for action.

13. “ Management is that process of openness, listening, and eliciting commitments, which includes concern for the articulation and activation of the network of commitments, primarily produced through promises and requests...” Fernando Flores

14. Speech Acts “ Speech acts are language rituals that build trust between colleagues and customers, word practices that open your eyes to new possibilities” Fernando Flores

15. “ The work of business is making and keeping commitments” Fernando Flores

17. Basic Work Cycle Client Performer Preparation Negotiation Acceptance Execution Conditions of Satisfaction, time Request or Offer Agreement (2 mutual promises) Declaration of Fulfilment Declaration of Satisfaction

18. Preparation Client Performer Preparation Negotiation Acceptance Execution Conditions of Satisfaction, time Request or Offer Agreement (2 mutual promises) Declaration of Fulfilment Declaration of Satisfaction

19. Negociación Client Performer Preparation Negotiation Acceptance Execution Conditions of Satisfaction, time Request or Offer Agreement (2 mutual promises) Declaration of Fulfilment Declaration of Satisfaction

20. Execution Client Performer Preparation Negotiation Acceptance Execution Conditions of Satisfaction, time Request or Offer Agreement (2 mutual promises) Declaration of Fulfilment Declaration of Satisfaction

21. Basic Action Work Flow (Strategic Conversation for Action) Client Performer Preparation Negotiation Acceptance Execution Conditions of Satisfaction, time Request or Offer Agreement (2 mutual promises) Declaration of Fulfilment Declaration of Satisfaction

22. Strategic Conversations For Action Could Stem From The Strategic Triangle For Creating Public Value

23. What is public value (PV)? PV is an attempt to measure the total benefits which flow from government action (government services, regulations and other actions) PV incorporates the benefits derived from personal consumption of public services. It also reflects: the public’s perception of fairness and distributional equity implications of service provision for trust and legitimacy the benefits arising from co-production of services the benefits arising from taking account of the needs of future generations

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