Robert H. Simmons, Ph.D.

Education

University of Washington, Seattle, Ph.D., 1962 (Political Science, Public Administration, Organisational Behavior)

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, M.A., 1951 (Political Science, Social Work)

University of Dubuque, Iowa, B.A., cum laude, 1949 (Political Science, Psycology, Sociology)

Fields of Academic Specialization

• Organizational Analysis and Behavior
• Organizational Development
• Group Theory and Behavior
• The Executive Process
• State and Provincial Government

Dissertation The Washington Plural Executive: An Experiment in Interaction Analysis

Current Activities

Organizational Development Consultant

I create and guide transformational change in corporations, businesses, professional offices, and public agencies. I have developed a variety of processes and techniques that transform the ordinary, everyday workplace into a satisfying, cooperative, healthy place to work. Employees, managers, and work groups become fully empowered and effective. This is achieved by diagnosing organizational needs, with particular attention to the organizational unconscious, and by designing programs responsive to those needs. This is followed by guiding and implementing the necessary changes to accomplish those programs.

Partial List of Organizational Development Clients

• American Cancer Society
  San Luis Obispo, CA Chapter
• Ann's Contemporary Clothing
  San Luis Obispo, CA
• Applied Materials, Santa Clara, CA
• Central Coast Ambulatory Surgery
  San Luis Obispo, CA
• City of Burbank, CA
  Administrative Team
• City of Pismo Beach, CA
  Police Department
• City of San Luis Obispo, CA
  Fire Department
  Office of the City Clerk
  Utilities Department
• County of Los Angeles, CA
  Public Library
• County of San Luis Obispo, CA
  Animal Services
  Health Systems Administration
  Office of Clerk/Recorder
• Engineering Development Associates
  San Luis Obispo, CA
• FirstBank of San Luis Obispo, CA
• Moonstones Gallery, Cambria, CA
• Rancho Dos Amigos Vineyard
  Shandon, CA
• Sea Shell Retirement Communities
  Morro Bay, CA
• SESLOC Federal Credit Union
  San Luis Obispo, CA
• Young Generators, Inc.
  Arroyo Grande, CA

Consultant to Individuals, Couples, and Families

I maintain a private educational practice with individuals, couples, and families. This practice encompasses the application of organizational development to the dynamics of individual behavior, couple dynamics, and family systems. It is a learning, training, and development experience that promotes individual growth, enhances coupled relationships, and promotes family problem–solving effectiveness and community–building.

Relationship Workshops and Seminars

Workshops and seminars based on Beyond Romance, Making Love Last.

History

1981 – present     Private consulting practice

1995 – 2000        Cofounder, Chief Executive Officer and Vice–Chairperson of the Board, PhysicianWellness Foundation. Executive Director, PhysicianWellness Conference, September 25– 29, 1997

1985                    Awarded Professor Emeritus, California State University Los Angeles

1978 – 1991        Co–founded Support Group Network.

1962 – 1985        Professor of Political Science and Public Administration, California State University Los Angeles

1958 – 1962        Assistant Professor of Political Science, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico

1954 – 1958        Teacher, Social Science and History, Valley High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1950 – 1954        Supervisor, Technical Report Writing Section, Sandia Corporation, prime contractor to the A.E.C., Albuquerque, New Mexico

1944 – 1946        U.S. Navy. Enlisted at age 17 from high school and honorably discharged as a Pharmacist's Mate 3rd Class

Books in Preparation

Managing the Organizational Unconscious: The Ultimate Management Challenge

This book delivers the clear message that the success of an organization is wholly reliant upon the dynamics, processes, and operations that lie within the organizational unconscious. Eric Berne observed:

. . . the effectiveness of the work group depends upon the success of the process group.

This may be designated as Berne's Law. Simply stated, the successful outcome of organizational activity depends upon effectively processing the emotional life of the organization. That is, the results of rational effort rely wholly upon effectively dealing with the non–rational aspects of the organization.

The Unconscious in Politics: A meeting of Aristotle and Wilfred Bion

Aristotle identified three forms of government which evolve from one form to another The Aristotelian classifications were government by the one, the few or the many. For Aristotle any of these forms of government could be good government or bad government. His ethical imperative was that government which governs in the interest of all is good government and that government which governs in the interest of the one, the few or the many is bad government.

For Wilfred Bion choice is driven by the fundamental "law of life" – projection. He observed the operations of projection in small group work at the Tavistock Institute in London. He noticed some unique behavior in small groups, which he called "as if" groups – groups he identified as pairing, fight/flight and dependency groups.

This book will take the observations of Wilfred Bion and apply them to the Aristotelian classifications of government today and discover what this might mean for American Democracy.

Books and Publications

Beyond Romance, Making Love Last. Far Hills, New Jersey: New Horizon Press, 2005.

Achieving Humane Organization. Malibu, California: Daniel Spencer Publishers, 1981.

Public Administration, Values, Policy and Change, with Eugene P. Dvorin. Port Washington, New York: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 1977.

A Taskbook on Survival in Groups and Organizations, Los Angeles: Trident Shop, California State University Los Angeles, 1976.

From Amoral to Humane Bureaucracy, with Eugene P. Dvorin. San Francisco: Harper Row, Inc., Publishers, 1972. [Fourth most–quoted book in public administration for two decades.]

Editor, The United States in a Revolutionary World. Pasadena: American Friends Service Committee, 1968.

Government and American Society with Ake Sandler, Editors. Dubuque: Wm. C. Brown, Publishers, 1965.

Lecture Summaries and Workbook for Government and American Society, with Walter H. Cunningham. Berkeley: McCutchan Publishing Company, 1964.

Articles Published:

" Policy Flow Analysis: A Conceptual Model for Comparative Public Policy Research," with Bruce Davis, Ralph J. K. Chapman, and Daniel Sager, Western Political Quarterly, September 1974.

"Australian State Administration: A Need for New Perspectives," with Ralph J. K. Chapman, Bruce W. Davis, and Michael Wood Public Administration, Sydney, March 1974.

"The Political Context of Student Protest," with A. Didrick Castberg, Sociological Symposium, Autumn, 1974.

"Public Administration: The Enigma of Definition, " Social Science, October 1970, pp. 202–207.

"The Transition of the Washington Executive from Territory to Statehood," Pacific Northwest Quarterly, April 1964, pp. 76–86.

In the Western Political Quarterly:

"A Brief Survey of American State Executive Studies with a Suggested New Departure," December 1964.

"A Possible Theoretical Approach to the Analysis of American State Executive Systems," March 1965.

"The Washington State Plural Executive: An Initial Effort in Interaction Analysis," June 1975.

"The Role of the Select Committee on Nationalized Industry in Parliament," Western Political Quarterly, September 1961.

"National Purpose and the American Dream, " The National Purpose, A Symposium, Institute for American Studies, Las Vegas, New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands University Press, 1961, pp. 45–51.

"Administration of State Investments," First Report of Governor's Expenditures Advisory Council. Olympia, (State of) Washington, 1960, pp. 137–39.

Publications for Relationship and Family Workshops' Organizational Development

• Communication Power Pack: Using Your Skills Resourcefully
• Covert Roles at Work: Their Function and Purpose – Projections and Collusions in Operation
• Engendering Conditions for Quality and Productivity: A Self–Assessment Inventory
• Enhancing Management Style and Effectiveness
• Enhancing Self Awareness: A Survey on How You Communicate (The Johari Window)
• Enhancing Your Personal Power: Using Power Strategies Constructively
• Enhancing Your Self–Awareness at the Workplace: Introduction to Transactional Analysis
• Futuring: Determining Your Mission and Goals and Establishing the Strategies and Tactics to Achieve Them
• Gaining Personal Awareness and Transactional Competence: Learning to Use Constructive Feedback and Self–Disclosure Effectively
• Getting Acquainted with the Group Unconscious: Understanding Berne's Law – Group Boundaries, Group Safety, and Covert Roles
• Introduction to the Uses of Power: The Drama Triangle
• Managing Differences Resourcefully
• Managing Feelings Resourcefully – Interpretive Guide
• Managing Feelings Resourcefully – A Self–Assessment Inventory
• Management Practices: A Self–Assessment Inventory
• Managerial Predispositions Concerning Employee Behavior: Learning About McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y
• Managing Stress Resourcefully: Seven Steps to Reduce Stress
• Managing Time Resourcefully
• Power Cycle Decision System
• Power Cycle Decision System Applied
• POWER: Uses and Abuses
• Resourceful Communication: Learning to Use Constructive Feedback
• Stress Management Strategies for Organizations
• Team Development Worksheet
• Tools for Resolving Conflict
• Tools of Cooperative Work: Emotional Clearing
• Understanding Trust: Confident, Open, Reliable, Dependable (CORD)
• Your Power Style Profile: A Personal Power Inventory

Special Awards

• Senior Research Professor, Fulbright–Hays Program, Department of Political Science, University of Tasmania, Australia, 1971–72.
• Danforth Associate Grant, 1964–65, California State University, Los Angeles.
• Danforth Foundation Teacher Award, 1959–60, renewed Summer, 1962.

Contributions

• Acting Chairman, Department of History and Social Science, New Mexico Highlands University Summer, 1958. Assistant Professor, Political Science, 1958–62.
• Director, State of New Mexico Intercollegiate Internship Program, 1959. (Program placed highly qualified, competitively selected students in state governmental agencies on an internship basis; directing this program involved all functions of primary administrative responsibility.)
• Co–chairman, New Mexico Education Department Statewide Committee on Revision of the Social Science Curriculum, 1957–59.
• Consultant, Washington State Governor's Advisory Council on state expenditures, 1962.
• Director, Social Science Programs, California State University Los Angeles, 1972–74.
• Director, Peace Corps Training Programs, California State University Los Angeles, 1964–65.
• Chairman of the Academic Senate, California State University, Los Angeles, l969–70.

Community Affairs

• Presented a Seminar on Team Building, Central Coast Personnel Association, October 10, 2001
• Appeared with Michael deWit Clayton, MD., F.A.C.S. on a panel concerned with Physician Stress and Time Management, American Medical Society Annual Meeting, Victoria, B.C., Canada, May 1998.
• Executive Director of the PhysicianWellness Conference, San Luis Obispo, California, September, 25 – 29, 1997. Nancy Dickey, M.D. President, American Medical Association, Keynote Speaker.
• Appeared with Michael deWit Clayton, M.D., F.A.C.S. on KVEC Talk Radio, The Susan Vaughn Show, about the PhysicianWellness Conference, September 23, 1997.
• Appeared with Michael deWit Clayton, M.D., F.A.C.S. on KVEC Talk Radio, Partners in Health, about the PhysicianWellness Conference, September 19, 1997.
• Keynote Address, with Michael deWit Clayton, M.D. F.A.C.S. for the Foothill Presbyterian Hospital (an affiliate of Citrus Valley Health Partners), Glendora, California, Ojai Valley Inn, September 6, 1997.
• Opening address for the annual meeting of the regional American Cancer SocietyÑGold Coast Region, serving San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. San Luis Obispo Unit, 2050 Broad St., SLO, CA. 93401. The Annual Volunteer Appreciation Awards Dinner at The Forum, 751 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo, California; Tuesday, October 4, 1995.
• Sierra Vista Regional Hospital, San Luis Obispo, California, Bioethics Committee, member, 1993 –1999.
• Grell Co–housing: Facilitated Community Meetings and guided negotiations between neighbors and Grell Co–housing Families to work out differences during the community development planning phase. (September and October 1995)
• Planned and facilitated the Building Industry Association (BIA) of the Central Coast Retreat. Introduction to the Power Cycle Decision System as a tool to conduct their business meetings. Guided the application of this process to their strategic planning. June 20, 1992.
• Presented a workshop on Critical Incident Stress Management to the Police Chiefs and Sheriffs of the cities and counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, California. September 6, 1991.
• President, San Luis Obispo County Chapter, American Society for Public Administration, 1990–1991.
• Planned and conducted a three–day Men's Retreat entitled A Communion of Men: Questing for the Grail and the Sword. The retreat concentrated on sharing and exploring men's problems, with emphasis on sharing the resources of the group and accessing the strengths and wisdom available in the group. The workshop explored and assessed men's losses and began to understand the alienation of men from their inner–selves. The goal was to confront the meaning of men's anger, deal with the shadow within, understand the impact of the myth of machismo and share men's pain and grief. The end goal was to regain strength and renew a sense of purpose through profound sharing. May 3, 4, and 5, 1991.
• Founder and chairman of Support Group Network, a non–profit public benefit corporation, 1978–1991. An organization dedicated to the establishment of self–managing friendship circles. The organization supplied the initial training and on–going guidance to establish and maintain small groups of about four to ten people to create effective personal and emotional problem–solving and support. At its peak it had a membership of over 500 with chapters in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Luis Obispo.
• Planned and conducted two all–day workshops on Dealing with Difficult People to the faculty at Cuesta Community College, San Luis Obispo, California, November 22, 1989 and May 31, 1990. The focus of the workshops was to find, keep, and use one's power in constructive and successful ways and address patterns of difficult behavior effectively.
• Oral Interview Promotion Boards, City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, Board of Education, Los Angeles, November 1963 to 1985.
• Created special workshop offerings on Understanding Your Script and related workshops on Couples Script Linkage. These workshop offerings began in 1980 and have continued to the present.
• Member of the Board and Founding Member of the Wellness Resource Center located in San Luis Obispo, California, 1979–1982. A non–profit community organization of professionals from the health, social services, and educational areas, with the goal of addressing the problems related to healthy, safe and vital communities. This included special presentations to both health professionals and interested members of the community in San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria, California.
• Invited to present a colloquium to the faculty of California State University, Los Angeles, based on the organizational analysis and development materials presented in my book Achieving Humane Organization, during the Spring Quarter, 1982.
• Convened the panel at the 1982 American Society of Public Administration Conference in Hawaii as a part of the Current Issues Section: Organizational Imperatives and the Public Policy Process: A Comparative Approach. Crucial aspects of organizations impact significantly on public policy.
• Prepared and conducted a variety of workshops concerned with organizational development both on–site and in retreat situations at a variety of private and public sector organizations. City of Bell Gardens, Los Angeles City Rental Control Board, California Cooperage, King Corporation, City of Burbank, Beverlywood Halfway House, and International Machinery and Equipment Company, 1978 –1990.
• Ongoing consulting contracts with a variety of public and private agencies. This includes developing communication and training workshops, feedback, analysis and rectification of ongoing communication processes, addressing needed structural modification, and enhancing the effectiveness of a variety of in–house organizational meetings.
• Developed and taught support group training which involved a full academic year of course work at Immaculate Heart College, academic year 1978–79. This was an original and innovative program, which generated a large quantity of organizational development materials from which many workshops, special programs and ongoing support group training programs have developed.
• Participated with other faculty members at CSULA in the public administration area in preparing and conducting a special workshop for the National Recreation Association. (Special materials were prepared and used in this seminar, 1978.)
• Consultant to Antioch College/West concerning the establishment of a program on Administration,1977.
• Special training in problem–solving, cooperative work and transactional analysis with the participation of Claude Steiner (author of Scripts People Live, Grove Press), 1976–77.
• Periodic attendance and involvement with the A. K. Rice Institute Workshops, 1976–79.
• Consultant to Immaculate Heart College concerning the establishment of cooperative work programs and seminars, 1977–78.
• Address, Violence and Nonviolence on the Campus of American Universities: 68th Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, New Orleans, November 1969.
• Participated in the planning of and directed a conference on the U.S. in a Revolutionary World at CSULA, Saturday, April 6, 1968. Main participants: Kenneth Boulding, G. William Domhoff, and Donald Bray. Sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee.
• Keynote address to the graduating class of the Orange County Peace Officers Academy, March 22, 1968. Title: The Changing Role of Law Enforcement.
• Resource Person: Statewide Conference of the American Society for Public Administration, February 1–3, 1968. Panel on Urban Problems: Community Action and Development.
• Planning Committee: Symposium on Academic Freedom, April 1968.
• Member of the Executive Committee, American Association of University Professors, 1968.
• Consultant to Model Cities Program under the direction of the University of Alabama, November 1968.
• Lecture: Indians at the Crossroads, January 7, 1967, Southern California Conference on Indian Affairs.
• The Nation Institute, Program Committee, February 25, 1967. Sponsor: Nation Magazine – Conference on Vietnam.
• Washington, D.C. visitation sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee. Discussions with thirty congressmen, three senators, and visits to the State Department. Discussion with scholars, ambassadors, and publicists covering national and international affairs. March 5–12, 1967.
• Main Address, International Cooperation Society, Los Angeles, California, May 21, 1967.
• Arranged for the appearance and financing of Dr. Brock Chisholm, former Executive Director of the World Health Organization and Major General (retired) of the Canadian Army to speak at California State University, Los Angeles. Also arranged for Dr. Chisholm to visit and lecture on five State University and College campuses (1963).

College Contributions

Department of Political Science and Public Administration, California State University Los Angeles

• Member of the faculty team which prepared and achieved peer approval for the Master of Science Degree in Public Administration by the National Association of Schools of Public Administration (NASPA) 1980–85.
• Various tenure and promotion committees throughout my tenure, 1962–1985.
• Director, MPA (Master of Public Administration) Degree Program, 1981–82.
• Faculty Advisor, Master of Science Degree in Public Administration, 1978–81.
• Committee to Revise Graduate Studies Curriculum MA and MS Programs, 1967–80.
• Chairman, Committee to Select Teaching Assistants and Professional Part–time Faculty, 1965–69, 1978.
• Committee to develop a Ph.D. program with U.C. Irvine campus, 1974.

University Contributions

• Member of the Academic Senate, 1966–71.
• Member of the Executive Board, 1967–68, 1969–70.
• Chairman, Academic Senate, 1969–70.
• Member of the Vice Presidential Selection Committee, 1969–70.
• Vice–chairman, Academic Senate, 1968–69.
• Faculty Affairs Committee, 1966–67.
• Chairman, Publications Board, 1966–67. (Chairman, Interim Committee to prepare Publications Code for Senate and Presidential Approval, 1966–67)
• Participated with other senior faculty in creating and obtaining accreditation of a Master's Degree in Public Administration.
• Assisted in developing courses in International Administration, Political Sociology, Organizational Behavior and Analysis, and Urban Studies.

Course Development–full responsibility for development, approvals, catalogue copy and teaching:

• Political Science 591, Seminar on Administrative Theory and Behavior.
• Political Science 564, Seminar on Bureaucracy and Society. A course which primarily focuses on the emerging public and private bureaucracies and their social, political, and economic aspects, functions, and implications.

The following are utilized at the upper division level as well as in the graduate program:

• Political Science 416, The Executive Process.
• Political Science 474, Organizational Behavior and Development.
• Political Science 490, Ethics and Change in Public Organizations.

Courses regularly taught in addition to those above. As above, these are either upper division and/or graduate courses:

• 460 Foundations of Public Administration.
• 472 Organization and Management.

In the Consortium of the California State University System, Master Degree in Public Administration Program (MPA).

• 530 Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior.
• 550 Seminar in Public Policy and Policy Analysis.