Mastering the Art of Leadership: Essential Foundations for Success

Summary

This article serves as a concise summary of the course “Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles”. It covers the core principles and strategies explored in the course, including identifying complex challenges, understanding the role of authority, considering stakeholders’ perspectives, building trust relationships, addressing conflict, and adapting to change. By delving into these essential foundations, aspiring leaders can develop the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their leadership roles.

Learning and Leading through Experience

Experiential learning and practice are emphasized as important in various fields. Simply reading about a subject is not enough for deep learning; active engagement and real-world application of knowledge are necessary. This applies beyond leadership and can be applied in different areas. By using personal experiences and sharing them with others, individuals can learn valuable lessons and explore different approaches. Reflecting on past experiences and considering new ideas allow for exploring different options that can have a significant impact on personal and professional life.

In addition to using our own experiences, we will also use a method called “Get on the Balcony”. This means taking a step back from the immediate situation and looking at the bigger picture. It helps leaders understand the current situation and take effective action. Switching between action and reflection is important to avoid making mistakes and make informed decisions. It’s worth noting that many leadership failures happen when problems are misunderstood, leading to ineffective actions. By finding a balance between action and reflection, leaders can improve their effectiveness and handle challenges better.

Understanding Leadership in the Face of Challenges

When exploring the concept of leadership, our focus often shifts towards exceptional individuals who possess qualities that distinguish them as great leaders. We are intrigued by what sets them apart and how they acquire power. However, it is important to recognize the fundamental purpose of leadership: addressing challenges. Leadership becomes invaluable when we face difficulties that necessitate guidance and direction. In an ideal world where everything runs smoothly, leadership may not be essential, but when confronted with obstacles, understanding the role of leadership in overcoming them becomes crucial. Let us reflect on the significance of leadership in the face of challenges and its contribution to progress.

The confusion surrounding leadership arises from mistakenly regarding personal abilities and tools as the essence of leadership. To gain a clearer understanding, we must distinguish these factors from the actual work that needs to be accomplished. By shifting our focus to the tasks at hand, we can develop a more accurate perception of leadership.

The reason we anchor our understanding of leadership in the work to be done is that personal abilities alone are not exclusive to leadership. Different tasks require distinct skills and expertise. Solely emphasizing personal capacities without considering the challenges at hand leads to a subjective interpretation rather than a practical approach. Similarly, defining leadership based on tools of power and influence can be misleading because possession of these tools does not guarantee effective leadership. Qualities like courage and conflict management associated with leadership hold value in various aspects of life, extending beyond specific leadership roles. Numerous studies have attempted to identify definitive characteristics of leaders, but they often select individuals already equipped with tools of power, resulting in a skewed understanding. To develop a clearer comprehension of leadership, our focus should be on the work to be done, the challenges to be met, and the goals to be achieved.

Identify the Work to Be Done

Work can be understood through two fundamental components: problem definition and problem solution. Problem definition involves identifying the gap or challenge that needs to be addressed, while problem solution focuses on finding effective ways to overcome the gap and solve the problem. By examining these elements, we gain insights into the nature of various types of work and the essential process of problem-solving.

Technical Problems

Technical problems can be defined as challenges that lie within our existing capacity to solve. These problems are typically routine and often involve using established systems and knowledge to address gaps between our desires and current situation. Examples of technical problems include everyday tasks like getting lunch, commuting to work, or seeking medical treatment for common ailments. These problems can be efficiently solved because individuals and society already possess the necessary know-how and systems. Technical problems do not necessarily require leadership but rather rely on individuals with specific expertise to provide authoritative and managerial solutions. The expertise to solve technical problems has been developed over time and can be found within our communities or groups, allowing us to turn to others who possess the required knowledge and abilities.

Adaptive Challenges

Adaptive challenges are situations where we need to learn and develop new skills because our existing knowledge is not enough. In nature, organisms face adaptive challenges when they have to change and adapt to survive. Similarly, as humans, we face challenges that require us to grow and find new ways of doing things. These challenges come from both the world around us and our own desires to live meaningful lives and achieve our values.

These challenges can come from changes in our surroundings, like technology or society. For example, new technology might require us to learn new things or change the way we work. Adaptive challenges can also come from within us, driven by our goals, values, and the desire to live a meaningful life. We set goals for ourselves and work to bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to be.

Dealing with adaptive challenges means we need to learn, try new things, and adapt. It involves being okay with not knowing everything, taking risks, and being open to new ways of thinking and doing things. We might need to come up with new ideas, question old beliefs, and find new solutions. By facing and overcoming these challenges, we can learn, grow, and succeed as individuals, families, organizations, and societies. Adaptive challenges help us learn, evolve, and thrive by pushing us to develop new capacities and find innovative solutions.

Adaptive challenges happen when we can’t achieve our important values and dreams with our current abilities. We need to learn new things and change to overcome these challenges and do well. It’s hard because we don’t know if we’ll succeed and we might lose some things along the way. People don’t really resist change itself, but they resist losing things because of change. Good leaders understand and respect the difficulties people face when they have to change. Dealing with adaptive challenges means accepting losses as part of the process and making tough choices. Leadership is important because these challenges don’t have easy answers. We have to find ways to keep what’s valuable, let go of some things, and come up with new and creative ideas that build on our past experiences.

To effectively lead people through adaptive challenges, it’s crucial to recognize when a challenge is adaptive rather than technical. Your leadership success depends on your ability to distinguish between problems that can be solved with expertise and management (technical challenges) and those that require developing new capacities (adaptive challenges). Just like in medicine, if you misdiagnose a problem, you’ll apply the wrong treatment. The most common reason for leadership failure is a failure to diagnose correctly. People often treat adaptive challenges as if they were technical problems, trying to solve them instead of mobilizing and organizing people to create new capacities. Additionally, there’s often pressure to find quick solutions with minimal disruption. Properly diagnosing the situation can be challenging, even for those familiar with this distinction.

People in positions of authority often misdiagnose adaptive challenges due to the expectations placed upon them and their personal pride. The pressure to provide quick solutions and restore normalcy leads them to treat adaptive challenges as technical problems. They feel responsible for meeting these expectations, as failure may jeopardize their jobs. Additionally, their identity and pride are tied to being problem solvers, making it difficult for them to acknowledge their limitations. However, effective leadership requires recognizing when a challenge exceeds their expertise and instead framing the right questions and empowering others to take responsibility. Stepping back and noticing when you’re being pushed to see a challenge as technical when it’s actually adaptive is a crucial leadership skill.

Authority

Authority is not something that exists on its own. It is a product of social interactions and depends on others’ consent and approval. We cannot give ourselves authority; it is given to us by others. We choose whom to trust and entrust with our well-being, whether they are leaders of teams, elected officials, or other important figures. We have hope that we can find or identify trustworthy individuals to fulfill the responsibilities we give them.

Authority relationships are built on a social agreement. We give individuals power and resources, and in return, we expect them to provide three important things: direction, protection, and order. They should lead us, keep us safe, and maintain structure and rules in our personal and work lives. These expectations apply to various authority figures, including leaders in government, businesses, parents, and supervisors.

Formal Authority

Formal authority means having the power and responsibilities stated in job descriptions and organizational structures. It involves specific tasks that people are trusted to do with honesty and skill. If this trust is broken by doing something wrong, they can lose their authority and job. Reporting relationships and evaluations are important in formal authority, from entry-level roles to top positions like CEOs and boards of directors. Governments and legal systems also have authority to ensure organizations follow rules and values. In simple terms, formal authority is about having assigned power in a job and society.

Informal Authority

Informal authority refers to the additional influence and power that individuals possess beyond their formal roles and responsibilities. While formal authority is granted through job descriptions and contracts, informal authority is based on broader admiration, respect, and trust from others. People with informal authority can address a wider range of topics, and their opinions carry weight with others. Some individuals gain extraordinary informal authority through charisma and moral standing, like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., who led with influence rather than seeking higher formal positions. In everyday life, many authorizations and relationships remain informal, where people look to others for guidance, representation, or support without formalizing the arrangement. Having informal authority alone can be powerful, but for those in authority positions, combining formal and informal authority is often crucial for success. They rely not only on their formal roles and powers but also on the trust, respect, and liking they receive from colleagues and others in their professional networks.

Over time, authority can change in two ways: formal authority, which remains relatively constant and is determined by job titles and positions, and informal authority, which fluctuates regularly. Informal authority is influenced by the respect, trust, and admiration gained from subordinates and lateral colleagues. This type of authority allows individuals to extend their influence beyond their job description. As people accumulate more informal authority, it can lead to greater formal authority, resulting in promotions and increased responsibilities. Managing both formal and informal authority requires tracking changes in credibility, respect, approval, and admiration over time.

Separating leadership from authority has big advantages. It helps us see and value when people lead in ways that go beyond their official roles or even without having any authority. While there can be downsides, there are also clear benefits to leading beyond and without authority. Many people wait for official power before they start leading, not realizing that leading without formal authority, in different directions, can be meaningful and important. When we understand the difference between leadership and authority, we can learn how people can lead even without formal power and gain inspiration from everyday heroes who lead with care.

Think Politically

Recognizing the political nature of organizations is crucial as it helps mobilize people to address adaptive challenges. Organizations consist of a network of authority positions or stakeholders, spanning from top-level to entry-level employees. Each person has a defined role and is entrusted with authority to deliver reliable services. Like politicians, stakeholders represent constituencies that have bestowed them with authority.

The intricate network of stakeholders and constituencies creates unique pressures within organizations. By identifying the essential stakeholders in a problem scenario, it becomes possible to incorporate diverse perspectives and ensure their involvement in decision-making processes. Acknowledging the political aspects of the organization enables effective management of adaptive challenges and facilitates the mobilization of individuals towards meeting these demands.

Visualization techniques can be valuable for analyzing organizational systems, and one commonly used method is an organizational chart or org chart. These charts provide a visual representation of an organization’s structure and formal reporting relationships. They typically employ a hierarchical tree diagram, with higher roles having more authority than lower roles. Solid lines indicate direct reporting relationships, while dotted lines represent indirect relationships.

Organization Chart

Another technique is the swim-lane diagram, which assigns each role a column or lane and visualizes workflow and ownership in multi-step processes.

Swim-Lane Diagram

However, when it comes to adaptive work and navigating a web of stakeholders with varying power and conflicting views, a stakeholder map is a powerful tool. It involves drawing a large circle to represent the work or challenge at hand, with stakeholders represented by smaller circles placed within the large circle. Constituencies, the groups represented by stakeholders, are positioned outside the circle, adjacent to the related stakeholder. Factions can be identified by drawing ovals or curved lines around each stakeholder and their associated constituencies, creating distinct groupings. The stakeholder map helps to understand the perspectives, values, potential losses, and loyalties of each stakeholder and faction.

Stakeholder Map

Creating a stakeholder map is an iterative process, providing increasing insights as you work on it. It enables exploration of critical diagnostic questions such as how each group perceives the work, their values, potential losses, and loyalties. By visualizing these dynamics, the stakeholder map facilitates a deeper understanding of the adaptive challenges and helps guide decision-making and problem-solving.

Build Trust

Trust is incredibly important in our lives. We rely on each other every day for help and support. Managing trust is crucial in all areas of our personal and professional lives, including how we lead and manage others.

Trust is like a balance between power and the services we expect. When we give someone authority, we trust that they will provide valuable services based on their good values and abilities. If someone breaks our trust by not living up to these expectations, it can hurt us deeply and make it hard for us to trust them or others in the future.

We are born trusting and dependent on others, so it’s especially painful when someone in a position of authority lets us down. Betrayal can make us feel angry and resentful, and it can leave lasting scars that make it difficult for us to trust or take charge ourselves. Trust is fragile, and we need to handle it with care in our relationships and roles of authority.

The Relationship Between Authority and Trust

Authority relationships are important for building diverse organizations and solving complex problems. However, they can become inflexible or damaged by distrust, leading to chaos. There are two ways this can happen. First, some people rely too much on others and don’t believe in their own abilities. They need to find their voice and demand more from those in authority. Second, some people have high expectations and trust others too easily, even when they make false promises. This creates a market for dishonest authorities and makes it hard for honest ones to gain trust. To address these issues, we need to speak up, organize together, and expect more from those in power.

When we feel let down by people in positions of power, we may start to lose trust in authority altogether. This can lead to a counter-dependent mindset, where we automatically reject anyone who speaks with authority, regardless of what they say. Counter-dependence may seem like independence, but it actually limits our ability to form healthy relationships with authority figures. These disappointments can happen early in life if our close family or community members fail us. Some people, due to past experiences of abuse or betrayal, have low expectations of those in authority and hesitate to give them power. This distrust can hinder our ability to function effectively in organizations, social settings, and families, where authority relationships are necessary for collaboration and coordination.

Counterdependence may seem like being independent, but it’s not the same. When you’re independent, you don’t automatically react to authority figures. Instead, you think for yourself and respond in a thoughtful way. You can look at each situation and decide how it’s different from the past. Independence allows you to rely on others in a healthy way and have them rely on you too.

Moving from dependence to counterdependence might feel like finding your own voice, but it keeps you in a reactive state instead of being truly free. It’s not a good place to stay stuck. Losing trust in authority is a big problem in our society. It’s important to build positive relationships with authority figures. While it’s okay to be cautious and not depend too much on others, imagine if you couldn’t trust anyone to do what they’re supposed to do. We need each other. Trusting others may have risks, but always distrusting others hurts us even more.

Strategies for Renewing Trust

When trust in an authority figure decreases, it can have negative consequences. You may lose your job or face resistance from those who no longer trust you. To repair trust, address people’s concerns honestly and reset unrealistic expectations. It’s important to take responsibility for mistakes, involve others in the process of change, and be patient with their trust issues. Renewing trust is crucial for the health of organizations and your professional life.

Distrust in authority shows that things aren’t working well. Trust is important to get people to work together and take risks. Fixing trust means supporting others, learning from mistakes, and changing how authority works. We need to learn to trust authority and be trustworthy ourselves. People who have been hurt sometimes hurt others. Scarred authorities have often broken trust. We need to build trust by managing expectations and changing how we see authority.

The list below provides a summary of several strategies that can be employed to renew trust.

1. Model the Change: Be an example for others by actively engaging in new learning, and being honest about the difficulties you encounter.
2. Maintain Focus on the Context: Remind others of the conditions and goals that led to the need for adaptive work to help them reconnect and recommit.
3. Recognize Your Contribution to the Issue: Start by acknowledging the role you played, taking responsibility for your part in the problem.
4. Manage Expectations with Candor: Be honest when communicating potential outcomes and losses, including being willing to say, “I don’t know”.
5. Don’t Conceal or Diminish Losses: Recognize and publicly acknowledge the real losses people may experience, and be honest about the sacrifices required for adaptive work.
6. Meet Anger with Patience and Understanding: Use your diagnostic efforts to understand the context and perspective behind anger, seeking to better understand the pressures at work on people within the system.
7. Promote Public Learning: Create conditions that allow stakeholders and groups to learn from one another instead of struggling privately.
8. Engage Your Allies: Actively involve your allies in the work, drawing upon their sources of trust and strengthening the network of bonds of trust.
9. Stay Close to the Opposition: Engage key stakeholders regularly, including those with differing perspectives, to gain a fuller and more honest view of the work to be done, and show appreciation for the losses they may need to accept.
10. Listen: Value the opinions and experiences of participants across the system by actively listening, seeking to understand as many perspectives as possible, and regularly engaging in feedback.

Orchestrate Conflict

The term “orchestrating” means using the creative abilities of people in a system to manage tensions and consider different perspectives. It’s like a composer using discordant sounds in music to add complexity and move the piece forward. Leaders must also handle conflict in an organization to generate new ideas and energy by acknowledging these differences.

If we ignore conflict and the potential losses it represents, we miss out on involving everyone and lose the chance for creative solutions.

The following strategies outline a process for managing conflict. While they’re presented as steps, even using one of them can help you start using conflict as a positive resource.

1. Do Your Homework: Before bringing different groups together, make sure you understand their viewpoints and what they have to lose. Talking to individuals separately can give you useful information and help you gain influence.
2. Gather All Views: Let each group share their thoughts on how to solve the common challenge. Understand their perspectives, commitments, and their willingness to change.
3. Create, Share, and Enforce Ground Rules: Establish clear and consistent rules for the group. This helps keep the focus on the work and makes sure everyone knows what is expected. Decide what information should be kept private and who decides the agenda.
4. Orchestrate Conflict: Share the different perspectives, values, and skills of the groups. Recognize when people are avoiding conflict and address it. Remind them that it’s important to discuss tensions openly.
5. Promote Honesty About Losses: Instead of downplaying losses, help the group see and think about what each group could lose. Think about how their members might react to those losses.
6. Experiment: Come up with different experiments to try out possible solutions. Get agreement on what will be tested and be open to different ideas. The goal is to learn, even if an experiment doesn’t work.
7. Harness the Power of Peer Consulting: Encourage individuals to ask their peers for advice throughout the process. By showing this behavior, you help create new ways of working together that value analyzing the situation and taking action.

Recognizing Common Patterns

et’s begin by introducing a new term: disequilibrium. We use this term to describe the state of disruption in an organization. Conflict is one factor that creates disequilibrium, but it’s not the only one. Other factors like fear, confusion, and uncertainty can also contribute to disequilibrium, such as during a high-stakes crisis like the coronavirus pandemic.

When it comes to adaptive challenges, we can expect the patterns of disequilibrium to be different from technical problems, and indeed they are.

In both technical and adaptive problems, the onset of the problematic situation triggers a state of disequilibrium. If the situation is severe, the level of disequilibrium can be quite high. However, in the case of technical problems, the immediate response of people in the organization to solve the problem is usually enough to restore equilibrium. This problem-solving response can be quick and effective.

Leading adaptive work, which involves mobilizing people to tackle challenging problems and learn from their differences to find innovative solutions, can be likened to cooking with a pressure cooker. Just as in cooking, finding the right balance is crucial.

If the heat is too low, nothing will cook, meaning that progress and learning will be stagnant. On the other hand, if the heat is turned up too high, people will become overwhelmed and unable to handle the intensity.

As a leader, it is important to regulate the level of disequilibrium to keep the parties involved within the productive range of stress. This range is bounded by two limits: the threshold of learning at the bottom, which is the minimum level required to stimulate new learning, and the limit of tolerance at the top, which is the maximum level that parties can endure before disengaging from the problem and each other. Finding the right balance within this range is essential for effective leadership in adaptive work.

Strategies for Increasing the Heat

1. Directing the Focus of Attention to the Tough Issues: In meetings, it’s common for important decisions or topics to be avoided or postponed. However, it’s crucial to address these difficult conversations and prioritize them.
2. Surfacing Conflicts: Instead of hiding or downplaying disagreements, it’s important to bring them to the surface. This helps understand how different stakeholders perceive the work and the adjustments required from each party.
3. Allowing Provocative Statements: Using strong and thought-provoking language can be effective in managing the intensity of discussions. Don’t shy away from statements that elicit strong responses.
4. Knowing and Using the Room’s Dynamics: Rather than ignoring or fearing potential tensions in the room, leverage them to gain insight. Observe and listen to understand the core issues, especially when certain parties seem to be in conflict.
5. Exceeding Comfort Levels: To drive progress, it’s necessary to challenge individuals’ comfort zones, particularly when it comes to taking responsibility. Encourage others to step out of their safety zone and take ownership of their part in the work to be done.

Strategies for Decreasing the Heat

It can be difficult to determine when a group has reached its limit of tolerance, as people have varying levels of comfort with conflict and the potential losses associated with change. If you believe that your group has exceeded this limit, you can consider using the following strategies.

1. Redirect Focus to Technical Work: To reduce tension, shift the attention back to the technical aspects of the problem, as most challenging situations involve a mix of technical problems and adaptive challenges.
2. Assume Responsibility for the Tough Issues: If you hold an authority position, taking responsibility for solving the situation can provide time for people to adjust to the difficult issues and allow you to find a new approach to engage them in meeting the challenge.
3. Divide, Distribute, and Pace the Work: Breaking the work into smaller tasks, distributing it based on each party’s capacity, and pacing the rate of change can give people the necessary time to emotionally accept losses and experiment with innovative adaptations, thereby reducing stress.
4. Pause and Take Breaks: Recognize that adaptive work is emotionally and intellectually taxing, and provide regular pauses and breaks to allow individuals to rest and reflect. Moving slower and more carefully can lead to faster progress.
5. Create More Structures and Processes: Establishing clear structures and processes for problem-solving can help alleviate stress by providing individuals with a sense of orientation and clarity in the midst of a challenging situation.

The Discipline of Leadership

Hold Steady: Leadership requires the ability to manage oneself, listen, stay quiet, and wait for the right moments and responses. It involves holding steady, exercising self-discipline, and focusing on what truly matters.

Reflect on Ambitions and Aspirations: Imagine looking back on your life and make a list of ambitions (what you wanted to get for yourself) and aspirations (what you wanted to give and breathe life into). This exercise helps provide perspective and discipline, guiding your actions and priorities.

Find Your Sanctuary: Create a personal sanctuary, a space where you can detach from external pressures and reflect. It can be a physical place or an activity that allows you to hear yourself think and find clarity.

Seek Confidants: Nurture relationships with confidants who can provide support and guidance. These individuals are outside the system and can listen without competing stakes. They help you sort out what truly matters, manage your ego, and make wise decisions.

Value Allies: Allies within the organization or political system are crucial. They strengthen your position and offer diverse perspectives. However, remember that allies also have their own constituencies and interests to consider.

Avoid Isolation: Isolation can be dangerous for leadership. It’s easier for others to neutralize your point of view if you’re isolated. Engage with others, build alliances, and seek support to navigate challenges effectively.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this article gave you a brief overview of the “Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles” course, which explored important aspects of effective leadership. However, to fully understand each topic in depth, I encourage you to take the course. By participating in engaging lessons and practical activities, you will gain valuable skills to navigate complex situations, inspire others, and create meaningful impact. Don’t settle for a summary when you can dive into the course and unlock your true leadership potential. Enroll today and begin your transformative learning journey.

References

https://www.edx.org/course/exercising-leadership-foundational-principles