Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
Rumbling on performativity_Frits Simon
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led a discussi<strong>on</strong> about an internalizati<strong>on</strong> approach, even started doubting the used<br />
model within the programme. Apparently my strategy was to bring the programme as<br />
close as possible to ‘the shop floor’ instead of even suggesting that we could inject the<br />
mind-sets of the colleagues with the true values. Although at the same time I realized<br />
that the identity-management programme was developed <strong>on</strong> quite a distance of the<br />
shop floor. I see that for my part I made the best of everything as a sort of compromise<br />
between what I prefer and what is assumed to be possible with an identity-management<br />
programme. My preference for involving as many members of staff as possible<br />
and my doubts about a rati<strong>on</strong>al approach of change made themselves felt. I even<br />
suppose and noticed that the others involved – apart from the instituti<strong>on</strong>al researcher<br />
- became more modest in their ambiti<strong>on</strong>s regarding the possibilities of an identitymanagement<br />
programme. Whatever, the way I reflected up<strong>on</strong> my acting together<br />
with the members of the learning group triggered questi<strong>on</strong> about my professi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
identity. Pointed the way I acted despite my bunch of inc<strong>on</strong>sistent taken for granted<br />
assumpti<strong>on</strong>s towards acting as a jester?<br />
Performance agreements<br />
In the narrative about the performance agreements I apparently succeeded in producing<br />
a document while t<strong>on</strong>ing down ambiti<strong>on</strong>s. Dominantly for my part I propagated<br />
an approach in which we stay c<strong>on</strong>nected to what we are already doing, by staying<br />
c<strong>on</strong>nected to our daily activities and by pointing to our inabilities. More or less my<br />
acting was aimed at slowing down the amount of new policy, to guard members of<br />
staff from a next and new set of critical performance indicators. Instead of endorsing a<br />
planned change-approach after we had c<strong>on</strong>cluded the performance agreements,<br />
together with a colleague I propagated some sort of c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>al self-organizing<br />
approach. I was running a project of which I felt restrained, c<strong>on</strong>vinced that these<br />
performance agreements are not a very effective way of improving quality of Higher<br />
Educati<strong>on</strong>. In producing the document for my part I somehow bridged the different<br />
opini<strong>on</strong>s and interests of different people about c<strong>on</strong>tent and ambitiousness. Precisely<br />
my bridging while showing doubts about the value and attainability of the performance<br />
agreements, ignited again a reflecti<strong>on</strong> about corporate jestership.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>sent about dissent<br />
Strictly speaking I should have shown much enthusiasm in doing what was described<br />
in the narrative about dissent. After all, the discussi<strong>on</strong>s opened ways to reflect more or<br />
less openly about some touchy issues. In my mind I was very happy with the opportunities.<br />
I felt backed up in my calling attenti<strong>on</strong> for openness and acting as a corporate<br />
jester. I was well aware of the fact that we started to do rather brave things. However,<br />
still I acted aloof. Exploring touchy issues needs to be d<strong>on</strong>e carefully and cautiously out<br />
of respect for the vulnerability of the involved pers<strong>on</strong>s and practically because we are<br />
colleagues who have to move <strong>on</strong> jointly. Moreover, being <strong>on</strong> uncharted territory<br />
implicates that I did not know how things would evolve and that I should be able to<br />
adapt to new circumstances. In times I had to c<strong>on</strong>quer my doubts that this was accepted,<br />
without being accounted for c<strong>on</strong>crete targets.<br />
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