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EDGE – Mastering Change and Complexity

Horizontal Leadership – mastering challenges

Gunnar Westling, Ph D, Centre for Advanced Studies in Leadership at the Stockholm School of Economics

 

• Why is it so, that today's challenges increasingly fall between stools?

• How to lead horizontally across organizational boundaries without a formal authority and mandate?

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• Assistant professor, Centre for Advanced Studies in Leadership, Stockholm School of Economics

- Research focus on leadership when facing complex challenges

• Program Director IFL Executive Education

• Strategic advisor and change catalyst

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Challenges during the ”Good ol’ times”

”I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth”

President John F. Kennedy's A Special Address to Congress On The Importance of SpaceMay 25, 1961

Eight years later…

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⇒In the new era of exploring space, the biggest challenge is on ground rather than in space.

“In some ways it was easier to go to the moon, because we had total control,” Cabana (Astronaut) said. “We didn’t have to ask, ’What is your opinion on this? How do you want to do it? You know, we just dictated to ourselves how we are going to do it.’ But those days are gone. (O’Brien, M. “Earthly Woes Mount for International Space Station” CNN.com, May 29, 2000.)

International space station – cooperation between 15 nations

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To Master Challenge – Understand Your Network

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“Vertical leadership”Manage a group, unit, or functionDefined responsibility - authorizationAllocated resourcesRoutines + processes + problem solving

“Horizontal leadership”Manage tasks laterally across the organizationOften challenges of great importance – unclear who is responsibleResource allocation based on negotiation/consent of othersSencemaking+ network + prototypes

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Cooperation and leadership across organizational barriers. Is it a good idea?

•Overall, research recommends:

”Don’t do it, unless you have to”

(Huxham och Vangen, 2005)

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More ”wicked” problems?

CrisisExtraordinary situation

”Tame”

”Wicked”

Type of problem• The problem itself appears as fragmented• The problem cannot be understood before solutions are tried out in practice

• Solutions often create new problems

• The problem can not reach its final solution, There is not “stop rule”

• Different stakeholder have different views and ways to understand the problem

• Sound solutions can be worked out through analysis• Couse-effect relationships hang together• It is possible to organize ways to solve the problem

• Act fast and bring more resources

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Addressing a challenge often looks like an attempt at reducing FRAGMENTATION

•HOW DOES FRAGMENTATION OCCUR?

•Forces which pull apart something which is potentially whole

•Fragmentation gives the players involved a sense of being separated from one another

•Knowledge and information on the situation become chaotic and incoherent

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Problem

Solution

Time

Linear ”tame” problem solvingWorking on ”wicked” problems

Gather data

Analyze data

Formulate solution

Implement solution

13Källa http://icasualties.org/

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Adoption curve

Number of ”supporters”

Time

Typically expected

Typicallyexperienced

(S-kurva)

Source: Bresman, INSEAD

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The ant perspectiveWhen we’re totally absorbed by the challenge

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Solution 1: Zoom out

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Solution 2 Change perspective

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Solution 3Variation

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Conclusion - The leadership challenge

 Challenges faced by organizations are foremost found in the hinterland between units and organizations (rather than falling neatly into boxes in the organization ready to deal with them)

It is thus as important, or more important, to understand and manage the social complexity of a problem as it is to solve the problem operatively/technically

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Conclusion: How to lead horizontally?

1.Big enough idea or vision and yet focused enough to create action2.Understand links between the challenge and the organization’s mission and competitiveness3.Carefully map stakeholders and their interests4.Find a sponsor (insurance in bad times)5.To be influenced is the best method to influence others. 6.Variation, innovation and “language games”7.Respectful collaboration in small groups (create a “fellowship”8.Early, hands-on prototypes! 9.Dare to confront10.Endurance (”S-curve”) 

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Business and personal results

EDGE – Mastering Change and Complexity

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2 3 3Follow-Through: Put Learning to Work

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Follow-Through: Put Learning to Work

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EDGE – Mastering Change and Complexity, Modules

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MODULE 1 RelevanceExplore and (re)define the challenge. Focus on WHY • Factors for competitiveness • The business context and individual connections to the challenge • Meaningful assignment

MODULE 2 Innovative solutionsFind and test solutions together with others. Focus on HOW• Build alliances and involve stakeholders• 360° interviews, based on the challenges• Personal leadership

MODULE 3 Action!Prepare and carry out concrete actions. Focus on ACTION• Support for successful mastering • The tool box • Learning around critical events

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Examples of Tools for Handling Challenges

•Story-boarding•Strategic analysis (the world around us and the relationship to your own resources)

•Visualization•Art•Think tank•Network analysis –partners and critics•Divergent and convergent thought processes – the Solution Matrix•Development Engine (web-based follow-up tool)•Consultation•Endurance, Profile of Mood State (POMS)•Learning around critical events

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Practicing new behaviors over time is essential to developing new skills or changing old habits.

Action is required!

Practicing new behaviors over time is essential

to developing new skills or changing old habits.