Dealing with Chaos

Transformational Leadership: Leadership in the Post-Internet Age

Stephen Abram

A look at leaders & leadership Traits Managers vs. leaders

A look at geeks & geezers Ideas for developing leaders

Key leadership strategies for the Internet Age

Where do we see leadership? Google Overture SIRSI Rooms PQNext Applied Semantics Factiva Historical Newspapers Antarcti.ca Inxight

HeritageQuest Swets Blackwell Links ex Libris SFX Webex & Centra Blackboard Newmindsets Trillian LSSI and more and on and on

and on

Leadership is.....

CHANGE

What Kind of Change???? Untethered Access Wireless / WiFi Visual Interfaces Learning economics Federated Search CRM KM Nanotechnology

Digital Vaults e-Repositories Supply chain

integration Open Source Scholars’ Portals Genome Smart Dust

Major Leadership Theories

Traits Behaviours Situational Integrated

Leadership Traits

Drive Motivation Honesty Integrity Self Confidence Flexibility

Cognitive Ability Knowledge of Business Charisma Creativity Originality

Mintzberg’s Leadership Roles

Interpersonal Contact Figurehead Leader Liaison Information Processing Monitor Disseminator Spokesperson

Decision-making Entrepreneur Disturbance Handler Resource Allocator Negotiator

Additional Leadership Roles

Sages Visionaries Magicians Globalists Mentors

Allies Sovereigns Guides Artisans

Douglas McGregor’s X & Y

Theory X Manages assume

people are lazy, extrinsically motivated, incapable of self-discipline or self-control and ant security and no responsibility in their jobs.

Theory Y Managers assume

people do not inherently dislike work, are intrinsically motivated, exert self-control, and seek responsibility.

Fiedler’s LPC Contingency Theory Task-oriented, or controlling, active, and

structuring; or Relations-oriented, or permissive, passive,

and considerate.

Transactional Vs Transformational Leaders Good at his/her job Effects results Liked by followers Could be easily

forgotten Workers know what is

expected and do it

Of the highest calibre Effects strong positive

feelings culminating in results

Long remembered and influence lives on

Wins followers trust and confidence - inspires new greatness

Transactional Vs Transformational Leaders Provides Structure Very good at providing

directives Established as the

knowledge base for the group

Work focused and task-oriented

Provides motivation Good listener, open

minded Shares knowledge and

information willingly, eager to learn

Stimulates others intellectually, can excite and exhilarate

The Trouble with most organizations’ responses to turbulent times is that they tend to overmanage.....

..... and underlead

Leadership Truisms

Largely, Leaders have failed to instill a vision, meaning and trust in their followers. They have failed to empower them.

There is no lack of brilliant strategies or ideas in business. There is a lack of people who can lead organizations.

No brilliant strategy can succeed if you cannot implement it.

Leadership Truisms

Strategic thinking and cultures building work in tandem.

Actions based on strategic thinking must effectively satisfy customer need.

Actions based on implementation must fit the culture that values commitment to deliver superior performance.

New Leadership Definition

Managers enact contractual exchanges “You do this for this reward” Leaders generate a sense of meaning in

work that acts as the energy for superior performance

This is called “Transformational Leadership”

Easier to remember Managers Nouns Information Knowledge Organization Rules Stability

Leaders Verbs Inform Know Organize Think and create Innovate and Change

Management Vs Leadership

Activities of mastering daily routine efficiently

Concern with the nuts and bolts and how to’s

Makes decisions and solving daily problems

Talks about today

Activities of vision and culture shaping

Concern with the basic purposes and general direction

Articulates business philosophy

Talks about the future

Management Vs Leadership

Focus on physical resources

Motivates by contractual exchanges

Results: Compliance or spiteful obedience

Focus on spiritual or emotional resources

Motivates by helping employees sense meaning in their work

Results: Creative problem finding and pride in superior performance

Leaders pay attention to..

Not efficiency but... Not inputs but... Not effort, but... Not control, but... Not competition, but...

Not the “Urgent”, but...

Effectiveness Outputs Results Programs Collaboration

The “Important”

Leaders emphasize...

Making people want to do things

Getting the employee’s needs met

Making decision- makers

Listening & asking questions

Motivating

not making people do things

not getting the manager’s needs met

not just making decisions

not just talking and telling

not just training

Transformational Leadership is Bennis’... Focus through Vision Trust through

Positioning Communications of

Meaning Deployment of Self

Captures attention Important identity Widely shared

commitment and enthusiasm

Optimism about desired outcome

Duties constrain managers....Results liberate them!

Leading Vs. Directing

Pulling Planning Organizing Leading Coordinating Guiding

Pushing Planning Organizing Directing Coordinating Controlling

Transformational Leadership is: Focus through Vision

An image of a desired future state that is attainable, challenging and attractive.

Vision is:

A target that beckons An image of a possible desired future state of

affairs A state that does not presently exist and

never existed before Realistic, credible and compelling As vague as a dream, or solid as a mission

Leadership and Vision

Visions require a metaphor or slogan

A clear mental picture of a desirable future gets your hands off the rear view mirror and on to the steering wheel. It puts you in touch with future possibilities, not just the past.

Leadership is values driven...

Values are generalized beliefs, emotionally charged, highly change resistant, directors of behaviour

“A culture is a community of shared values”

A leader's values are...

Clear Few in number Publicly declared And consistently applied in words and deeds

Transformational Leadership is... Trust through positioning

with a visible niche in the external environment that satisfies all stakeholders.

The organization’s vision and core values must be meaningful at the emotional level. They have to tug at your employees’ heartstrings - make them want to belong

Transformational leaders are trusted because they are predictable, their positions are known, and they keep at it.

Transformational leadership is... Communication of Meaning

with metaphor or values and unbridled clarity, intensity, reliability, persistence, precision, and consistency.

If you do not provide service directly to the customer, you better service the Hell out of someone who does.

Transformational Leadership is... Deployment of self

with positive self regard and interpersonal sensitivity to model the values

Deployment of Self

Select, develop and retain the right people Architects and developers of strong teams Treat all people with courteous attention Aware of your influence as a role model Take and encourage risks Perceive desired outcomes with optimism Seek/value personal learning opportunities

Transformational Leaders don’t use the word “failure” “If I have an art form of leadership, it is to

make as many mistakes as quickly as I can” Whenever I make a bum decision, i just go

out and make another one” It’s like learning to ski. If you’re not falling

down, you are not learning If I haven’t ever made a mistake, i haven’t

been trying hard enough” “A mistake is another way of doing things”

Management by Walking Around

Communicating the vision Modeling the values Rewarding the behaviour that fits Disciplining behaviour that doesn’t fit Learning about people, opportunities, and

problems

Empowerment is:

• Empowerment is the collective effect of transformational leadership.

Empowerment is the reciprocal of exercising power.

Transformational leaders empower others to translate their intention into reality and sustain it.

This IS Larry Prusak’s “Idea economy”

Effects of Transformational Leadership People feel significant Learning and competence matter People are part of a community Work is exciting

Just imagine for a moment what would happen if every employee understood where you wanted to go and was eagerly striving to make the impossible happen.

Transformational Leaders

concern themselves with the organization’s basic purposes, vision, and value system (culture), and general directions

They lead by:

Pulling rather than pushing Using a carrot instead of a stick Creating achievable, challenging

expectations and rewarding progress toward goals rather than manipulation of power

Enabling people to use their own initiative and experiences rather than denying or constraining their experiences and actions

Paradigm Shifts

Everything and everyone goes back to zero - Your past

success guarantees nothing

Paradigm Pioneers

In our samples I started out with, what were the qualities that

allowed them to see or create the future and embrace change?

The Paradigm Shift Question

What today is impossible to do in your business/industry, but if it

could be done would fundamentally change what you

do?

The $60 Million Dollar Question

How do we more speedily process our organizations

through this cycle?

The Classic Corn Research

Innovators Early Adopters Early Majority Middle Majority Laggards Non-Adopters

2.5% 13 % 17 % 34 % 17.5% 16%

The Classic Corn Research

What Favours Rapid Adoption? Relative Advantage Compatibility Complexity Trialability Observability

The Market Adaptation Sequence Product Acceptance Motivation Confidence Level Education / Attitude Acceptance Criteria Selling Strategy

The Five Stages of Technology Adoption

Awareness Interest Evaluation Trial Adoption

Personal Skills for Leadership: Transferable to Our Work

Professional & ethical behavior Public speaking Working with teams Influencing – groups, policies Communicating Action orientation, initiative Planning & strategy creation Developing programs, services Big picture Process awareness Networking

Geeks & Geezers: How Era, Values & Defining Moments Shape Leaders by Warren Bennis & Robert Thomas

Era Defining moments; transformational

experiences; the crucible as a training ground for future leaders

Practicing while performing

The ability to learn is a defining characteristic of being human; the ability to continue learning is an essential skill of leadership

Learning to learn is key to becoming a leader

Leadership in this world of ever-accelerating change requires both the wisdom of our elders & the insights of younger people

Era-Based Differences Analog Digital Linear Maps Mechanics COP (Command, order,

predict) Experience Conventional warfare specialist

Nonlinear Compasses Living systems ACE (align, create,

empower) Beginner’s mind Terrorism & cyberwarfare Deep generalist

Crucibles & Defining Moments It is a defining moment that unleashes

abilities, forces crucial choices, & sharpens focus

Leaders

create meaning our of events & relationships have the ability to process new experiences,

to find their meaning & to integrate them into their own life – adaptive capacity

have courage, optimism, tenacity & self-confidence

are first class noticers – can recognize talent, identify opportunities, & avoid pitfalls

have neoteny – retain youthful qualities as adults (curiosity, playfulness, eagerness, fearlessness, warmth, energy)

Needs & Wants Geezers Geeks

Stability/security Control over my space

(mine not someone else’s)

Hard work will lead to just rewards

Identity Meaning/significance Developmental

experiences Building a resume Making a difference balance

Character Geezers Geeks

Making a living Command & control

leadership style Entrepreneurship as a

way to control one’s own space/destiny

Making history Participatory, engaging,

collaborative approach to leading

Entrepreneurship as a form of self-expression

Counter-organization man (i.e., why be loyal?)

Maturation Process Geezers Geeks

Learning to organize Regard for subordinates

(sometimes paternalistic) Patriotism, love of

country, defense of values

Experimenting more Exposure to a wider

variety of themes/ideas at an earlier age

Already expert at things their parents barely understand

Sophisticated tourists

Strategies for the Future Focus on: Collaboration Culture Contentual AND

Contextual Leader as Catalyst

Lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Thank you!

Stephen Abram

stephen.abram@sirsi.com