If it seems particularly urgent to me that we approve a particular Special Problems class, I may also ask another department chair to review the proposal with me before I submit it to Curriculum Committee. This helps to minimize the possibility that my request is rejected doe to a technicality. Over time, I have identified other members of the curriculum committee who have a history of such objections. I have found that seeking their input before the meeting is particularly helpful. It is important to know the organizational and managerial structure and culture of one s institution.
Many people complain that their organization is either too rigid or too chaotic.
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to change one s organizational culture, particularly if one is but a lowly department chair. It is far better to understand the culture, and then adopt an approach that will work within it. A good reference book on organizational culture is Management Challenges in the 21 st Century , by Lewis, Goodman, and Fandt. The following anecdote illustrates how I coped with a problematic situation within our organizational culture. Many of us do not have the convenience of supervising our own in-house technical staff.