Blogcritics Author: Scott J. Allen

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

The Elusive Nature of Leadership

Scott J. Allen — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:57:40 EDT

In his seminal book Leadership (1978), scholar James MacGregor Burns wrote that leadership is “one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth” (p. 4). As many would imagine, when I share this quote in classes or seminars almost all participants agree.Effective leadership is an elusive concept. It’s like when we are moved by an incredible actress or performer. Beyond knowing we have been moved, many find it difficult to describe why. Describing why we were moved by a performance is another level of awareness – a level with a great deal of complexity. It could be her technical skills, the story, the music accompanying the performance, the viewer’s life experience, and so forth. In the end, the performance resonates with some and not others. What moves one individual to tears has a different effect on another. In many ways, leadership is a similar construct.The purpose of this article is to share three reasons leadership can be so elusive. In the end, if we have a better understanding of the complexities of leadership, we will be in a better position to more critically analyze the phenomenon. Ideally, we will better understand the “why” behind our perceptions of effective or ineffective leadership.1. Scholars have a difficult time agreeing on what leadership actually means. In fact, we all do. Some scholars have compiled the many definitions in an attempt to link similarities. Yet there is no common definition. Some feel that to simplify such a complex phenomenon is an impossible task, while others feel a widely agreed upon definition of leadership is needed as the field of leadership studies evolves.In his book Leadership in Organizations, Gary Yukl (2002), suggests that most definitions of leadership “reflect the assumption that it involves a process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person over other people to guide, structure, facilitate activities and relationships in a group or organization” (p. 2). An important word in Yukl’s definition is “influence.”Professor Peter Northouse and others emphasize the necessity for influence rather than coercion. In other words, the followers have a choice in the matter, and have the ability to choose to follow the leader. In Leadership for the 21st Century, leadership scholar Joseph Rost (1993) takes a similar approach and defines leadership as “an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purposes” (p. 102).Regardless of the specific definition, all of us construct what it means to be an “effective leader” in a different manner. For instance, some may value a leader who yields results while another may want a leader who makes them feel good. Some want both! It’s like asking seven people what makes an effective coach, teacher, mentor, or supervisor. Moreover, it’s likely the seven people would value and construct “effective” in different ways. This is an important concept for which all of us should be aware. In part, the leader needs to have an understanding of how followers value and construct effective leadership to be viewed as effective.2. We also construct “how” to best lead others in a different manner. For instance, in the world of parenting, some feel that spanking is an effective and time-tested way to discipline children. Proponents of this approach may suggest that a little swat on the behind is a good way to shape and model a young child. Of course, others would disagree vehemently.Another example is former Indiana University basketball coach, Bobby Knight. Some dislike his approach to coaching and view it is demeaning, belittling or unprofessional. They might ask, “Did he really need to throw a chair across the court to make his point?” Others may feel that his behavior is okay and yields results so “how he gets there” is less important. A little yelling never hurt anyone, right?Returning to leadership, we all define effective leader behaviors in different ways. Some may not mind a “command and control” approach while others appreciate a coaching or “supportive” approach. All of us know individuals who do the “command and control” approach well but have difficulty switching to a “supportive” approach which leads to my third point.3. Leadership is a relationship between (1) the leader, (2) the followers and (3) the context. So what does this mean? Let’s examine Ronald Reagan. President Regan (leader) was elected at a time (context) when his personal leadership attributes and his message aligned with that being sought by the people of the United States (followers). Would President Reagan be elected today? No one knows. However, based on theory and research on leadership, one thing is certain – were he to seek election today, Reagan would need to align his message with issues that mesh with our current reality and context.Martin Luther King Jr. had a wonderful message and the ability to communicate it (leader). Had he lived 50 years earlier (context), he may not have lived in a context that would have allowed him to speak at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.A final example can be found in current President George W. Bush. Many would agree that his leadership style has been consistent in that he approaches leadership with the mantra “I am the decider.” After 9/11, this command and control approach seemed to resonate with the American people – his popularity was widespread. As the context changed throughout his presidency however, this approach no longer served him well.When U.S. leaders began pushing for war with Iraq its allies began to step back. If we fast-forward to the most recent elections, the approach (in part) lost the Republican’s control of the house and senate. Same approach to leadership – different context.Now, if some of you disagree with my last statement and view his approach as positive because he “stuck to his guns,” then we are constructing what it means to be an effective leader in different ways (see number one). That’s a reality. Regardless, the leader and his or her skills and competencies, the followers and their desires, wants and values in combination with the context of the organization, country or group in many ways determine success or failure.In the case of Bush, success or failure is yet to be determined – was he a man who stuck to his principles or a man blind to contextual realities? This is why successful teachers, leaders, coaches, supervisors have great success in one context and not others.The three examples I have provided are by no means a comprehensive list of why leadership is such a complex phenomenon. For example, cultural norms (see Clint Eastwood’s Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima) and time period are two other factors.Some readers may wonder what are behaviors, activities, or attitudes of effective leaders? The good news is that there are several theories of effective leadership. Within those theories exist some consistent and common themes which serve as guidelines for leaders – the topic of my next article.ReferencesBurns, J. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper and Row.Northouse, P. (2002). Leadership: Theory and Practice (2nd ed.).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Rost, J. (1993). Leadership for the 21st Century. Westport, CT: Praeger.Yukl, G. (2002). Leadership in Organizations (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Scott is a visiting assistant professor at John Carroll University where he teaches strategic management, organizational behavior, business communication, management development and human resources. In 2005, Scott formed the Center for Leader Development, an organization created to provide resources, tools, and services to businesses, organizations, and schools seeking to build leadership capacity in their employees, members or students.

Corporate Leadership Development: 10 Crucial Questions (Part Two)

Scott J. Allen — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 06:30:57 EDT

Is your organization planning to create a leadership development program? Does your organization already have a program in place? If so, this is the second article in a two-part series designed to help you plan or quickly decide if you are on the right track. (Please review the first five crucial questions before proceeding.) If not, take a look and please provide feedback. Here are the final five (I added one more) questions to ask:6. The Pause. How are we doing at this point in the process?Before reviewing questions seven through 11, I suggest creating a document with five columns, each labeled with a title related to each of the first five crucial questions. An example of these headings would be Organizational Goals, Leadership Defined, Skills for Development, Sources of Learning, and Linkage to Organizational Systems.List the major components for each on the document. This information should be placed in one location and program architects should review it prior to answering question six (How are we doing at this point in the process?). Additional questions may be: (1) Does our theory of action (map of how it is all supposed to work) work at face value? (2) What questions still exist for each of the first five categories? 7. How will we gain feedback from others in the organization?At this point, individuals in the process need to take some time to float the draft program by others in the organization. This does not need to take a lot of time and may include feedback from three or fewer people per committee member. Sample questions may include: (1) From your perspective, what do you see as potential challenges within our leadership development plan? (2) How should we think about implementing this program? What have you seen fail and why? (3) How should we approach marketing this program? What have you seen fail and why? (4) Does the organizational culture value what we hope to produce? If not, why?8. How will the program be implemented/rolled out?The implementation phase of building a leadership development program can be a challenge. We need to ensure that the strategy for implementation is realistic and manageable.There are three primary ways to roll out the program: (1) The Pilot – A pilot study is one route for implementation and carries with it inherent benefits and drawbacks. One benefit is that it is relatively safe and manageable. On the downside, it takes extra time; (2) Gradual Implementation – A process of gradual implementation is another route for implementation and like “the pilot” carries with it inherent benefits and drawbacks. This approach gets more people involved quickly, but likely accentuates unforeseen “fires” that will need to worked through; (3) Full Implementation – A process of full implementation involves the entire organization. A number of people will be involved quickly but bugs and issues will also be more prevalent.9. How will we market the leadership development program?Although a part of the implementation (question 8) process, I highlight this crucial question on its own because communicating to your entire workforce can be a tremendous challenge. I would recommend working closely with those in marketing to craft an approach and determine which other large-scale communications have worked within the organization. 10. How will the training be delivered?Training must be in alignment with several tenants of adult learning theory. Catering to one style of learning and one teaching methodology (only using PowerPoint) is a sure way to have people leaving feeling underwhelmed. It is crucial that the organization place trainers and individuals responsible for the education and coordination into the hands of high quality individuals who quickly connect and gain credibility with participants.Most important, participants must feel like the information will help them in their day-to-day roles as leaders within an organization. The information must be relevant and timely. In addition, who will coordinate the program? Clarify specifics such as budget and staffing.OK, so there was an eleventh! Here it is:11. How will you evaluate/show return on investment?How will organizational decision makers determine the program has been a success? This question needs to be clear from the onset if the organization wants its program to weather potentially lean times. A first step is for the committee to ask decision makers what they think.By some estimates, organizations in the United States alone are spending billions on leadership development. At times, this programming does not necessarily yield the desired results. These crucial questions are sure to set you on the right path to creating a powerful development program that not only benefits participants but your organization as well!

Corporate Leadership Development: 10 Crucial Questions (Part One)

Scott J. Allen — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:18:48 EST

Is your organization planning to create a leadership development program? Does your organization already have a program in place? If so, this article will help you plan or quickly decide if you are on the right track. Five crucial questions to ask:1. How does the program link to organizational goals/strategic objectives?Question number one. Why/How will leadership development help us get where we want to go? Is it the answer? In other words, what are our organizational objectives and how will leadership development assist an organization in meeting those objectives? Defining the strategic imperative for leadership development is an important step in the overall process. In addition, what organizational resources are being committed to the project? Moreover, who will be developing the program? Is it an individual who will get to it “when they can” or an individual who truly knows leadership development?2. How are you defining leadership & leadership development?Each theory of leadership has inherent benefits and drawbacks. Regardless, leadership development initiatives should rest upon solid theory of leadership. The theory provides the roadmap for what you hope to develop in others. A leadership development initiative not built on a theoretical foundation is at a disadvantage and, in extreme cases, may teach concepts and topics having little to do with leadership. A few theories to investigate are transformational leadership, situational leadership and emotional intelligence. If nothing else, be cognizant of how you define leadership and leadership development. I often encounter leadership development programs that focus very little on leadership development. For instance, they focus on functional tasks and management duties rather than leadership. To learn more about theories of leadership, please visit The Center for Leader Development Leadership Wiki.3. What are the competencies/skills you hope to develop?In his book Learning to Lead, Jay Conger (1992) outlines four categories of leadership training. These include: personal growth, conceptual understanding, feedback and skill building. Personal growth programs are “based, generally, on the assumption that leaders are individuals who are deeply in touch with their personal dreams and talents and who will act to fulfill them” (p. 45-46). Essentially, the purpose of these programs is to increase self-awareness and emphasize self-exploration. The second category is conceptual understanding, which primarily focuses on theories of leadership. Leadership development through feedback is the third category and instruments such as the MBTI and 360-degree instruments are used in an effort to help individuals locate areas for improvement. Conger’s final category is skill building. According to Conger, this is the most common method utilized in leadership development training and has grown increasingly difficult to teach as our thinking about leadership has progressed. However, to truly develop skills, it takes a great deal of time and must be reinforced back on the job; Conger (1992) asserts that “a four or five-day program can introduce the basics of a skills set to participants, but cannot truly develop it for most of them” (p. 179). 4. What sources of learning will you use?Sources of learning (also called development tools) are the primary vehicles for delivering leadership development learning activities before, during and after the leadership development program. In essence, once you have determined the skills/competencies for development sources of learning are the activities that foster learning (we hope!). Organizations often use one or two sources of learning for leadership development, when in fact, a combination will likely yields better results. There are more than 30, however some common sources of learning include:• Outdoor Management/Leadership Development—a set of carefully sequenced and integrated physical activities conducted (primarily) in the outdoors and designed to facilitate participant behavior change. • Simulations—management games are used to create experiential environments within which learning and behavioral changes can occur and in which managerial behavior can be observed. Simulations require trainees to analyze complex problems and make decisions. • Individual or Group Reflection—a formalized opportunity for individuals and/or groups to reflect on events, activities and experiences. • Just-in-Time Training (JIT)—JIT is designed to provide the learner with information at the time of “need.” • Individual Development Plans—a personal development plan is a process through which the individual prepares a training and development plan, and for which the individual takes responsibility. • Developmental Assignments/Job Assignments—these are on the job placements that have two attributes (1) challenge and (2) an opportunity to learn. • Job Rotation—managers are assigned work in a variety of different functional subunits of the organization for periods of time varying from six months to three years. • Developmental Relationships/Mentoring—occurs through an interpersonal relationship where a more experienced manager helps a less experienced protégé; the mentor is usually at a higher managerial level and is not the protégé’s immediate boss. • Networking with Senior Executives—marked by exposure to, and relationship building with, senior executives in an organization. • Action Learning—action learning, in brief, is learning from concrete experience and critical reflection on that experience – through group discussion, trial and error, discovery, and learning from and with each other. • Classroom-Based Training—learning that is bound to the confines of a formal classroom. Often led by an instructor or facilitator. • E-Learning—the use of computer network technology, primarily over an intranet or though the Internet, to deliver information and instruction to individuals. • Executive Coaching—a relationship formed between a client who has managerial authority and responsibility in an organization and a consultant who uses a wide variety of behavioral techniques and methods to help the client achieve a mutually identified set of goals to improve his or her professional performance and personal satisfaction. • 360s or Multi-Rater Instruments—managers receive information about their skills and behaviors from standardized questionnaires filled out by other people such as subordinates, peers, superiors and sometimes, outsiders such as clients. Again, each source of learning differs in its difficulty to administer, cost, return on investment and effectiveness. However, it is likely that a combination of approaches will work best. A more in-depth discussion of the various sources of learning can be found at the Center for Leader Development's Leadership Wiki.5. How will the leadership development program link to organizational systems?Once the leadership development program is finished, how will it link to other aspects of the organization? For instance, performance management systems can link to leadership development and not solely measurable business objectives such as widgets sold, budget, and the like. If an organization hopes to develop leaders, an evaluation of leadership abilities is an important metric. In addition, organizations that espouse a belief in leadership development but in practice only reward individuals for “making goal” are sending a mixed message. Other examples of business systems may include staffing, succession planning and personal development plans. In their Handbook of Leadership Development the Center for Creative Leadership suggests, “To be fully effective, a development system must be integrated with the organization’s other processes: management planning, performance management, job selection, reward and recognition systems, and even mistake systems. The confluence of these processes determines the relative effectiveness of any one development activity” (p. 228-229). This article highlights a number of concepts examined in depth by the author at the Center for Leader Development Leadership Wiki. Check back in a few weeks to read part two of “Corporate Leadership Development: 10 Crucial Questions.”

Driving the Leadership Development Process

Scott J. Allen — Tue, 6 Feb 2007 07:27:01 EST

Imagine sitting in driver's education training. Remember sitting through horrible films like Blood Runs Red on the Highway or Mechanized Death and listening to a boring instructor drone on about highway safety and strange street signs? You sat through this training because doing so meant you could receive your driver's permit. Once you received your permit, you spent hours behind the wheel with instructors, parents, and friends learning on the streets, perhaps even practicing maneuverability in an empty parking lot. Fast forward a few weeks and you found yourself at a computer taking a written test and behind the wheel taking a road test. While tedious, the driver education process makes pretty good sense: you learn from a teacher, study on your own, and practice with someone more experienced. Switch gears (pun intended) with me to leadership. All too often, we only provide the in-class portion of leadership education and training within the context of our programs. Sure, there may be one or two exercises that allow participants to practice what has been learned, but more often than not, participants are not given the chance to practice "on the road" where it is messy and confusing, and where oftentimes there are no clear cut solutions.On the opposite end are those programs that develop leaders through activities. It is almost as if these participants have not received the in-class portion of drivers ed: They simply learn behind the wheel (good habits, bad habits, and everything in between). Take the Boy Scouts for example. Boy Scouts arguably provide an incredible opportunity for people to develop and learn. Much of the learning is based on first-hand experience, however, if no one is there to help connect the dots or help participants reflect on what is happening, myriad opportunities for leadership learning and growth are missed.It seems to me the answer is a both/and approach to leadership development. Leadership cannot be taught in the classroom any better than driving. At some point, you just have to go out and do it. Even if the classroom does offer opportunities to "practice" (the drivers education equivalent of a driving course), it is not the same as truly being in the thick of a difficult leadership challenge that on-the-job experiences offer.I came across a quote by Jay Conger a few years ago that really struck me. The quote is from his book, Learning to Lead: "Most would agree that to seriously train individuals in the arts of leadership takes enormous time and resources - perhaps more than societies or organizations possess, and certainly more than they are willing to expend." There are a lot of leadership camps and sporadic trainings available, but to seriously train someone in leadership, a camp (one-six day experience) simply will not do. It can only be a part of a larger process.Could attending a three-to-six day piano camp develop a world-class pianist? It's doubtful unless you are working with Mozart. Developing leadership capacity is in some ways similar to developing other skills, competencies, or behaviors. It takes time, consistent practice, coaching, and reflection. Many organizations, divisions, and departments are not structured to facilitate this work. As a result, individuals spend years in organizations with few opportunities to truly grow as an effective leader in a variety of contexts.One thing is for sure: Leadership development is a challenging endeavor. Conger suggests, "The development of leadership ability is a very complex process. It starts before birth, with a prerequisite of certain genes that favor intelligence, physical stamina, and perhaps other qualities. Family members, peers, education, sports, and other childhood experiences then influence the child's need for achievement, power, risk taking, and so on. "Work experiences and mentors shape the raw leadership materials of childhood and early adulthood into actual leadership by providing essential knowledge and behavioral skills. Opportunity and luck are the final determinants of who gets a chance to lead." I think he is right and wonder if our driving students would agree.So how do we move past the superficial experiences, fads, and drive-by approaches and get to the deep work needed to help people be more successful when serving as a leader? Organizations have one half the equation figured out - the experiential opportunity. It seems the other half -- the consistent coaching, feedback, and a culture of development -- may be lacking. In this arena, it seems as if the DMV has done it better than most. Scary, huh?