THE HELLER SCHOOL AT BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY2.53 Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Instructor: Jon Chilingerian, Ph.D.Fall Semester: 2015Class time: Tuesday 09:00AM – 11:50AM (G4) Office Hours: Monday 2-5; Tuesday 12-2, Wednesday 9:00-12:00 PM and by appointmentPhone: (781) 736-3828 (W); (617) 965-8009 (H)MBA Program Coordinator: Norma DeMattos, (781) 736-3866 (ndemat@brandeis.edu)E-mail: chilinge@brandeis.edu ________________________________________________________________________I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

OVERVIEW: This course has a dual focus: (1) leadership; and (2) managing organizations. The purpose is to increase your understanding of behavior within organizations and to improve your effectiveness in analyzing, diagnosing, and leading organizations. As a course in applied behavioral science or organizational theory, you will be building upon your understanding of how managers in organizations can improve performance and how leaders can become the instrument of fair process and justice. The course can become an opportunity for you to develop your leadership skills through group work and reflection.

Course Focus 1

Effective managers must not only develop winning strategies, but they must also design an organization that can execute strategy. To do so, managers must understand the full complexity of organizations and implementation science, adopt appropriate tactics, and apply appropriate tools to get things done. The goal of this course is to prepare you to effectively lead and manage organizations and decision-making units, such as teams and informal networks. This entails developing knowledge and skills to analyze key issues in organizational design, leadership, power and influence, culture, change, and performance management.

The course takes three different perspectives on organizations: the strategic design perspective, the political perspective, and the cultural perspective. Each offers a different angle on what is an organization, and each offers different tools for action. We can illustrate the value of these three perspectives by taking decision-making as an example. You as a leader may be confronted with having to take too many decisions – this structural problem can be solved by changing the design of the organization, and in the course of doing this you’ll be acting as the architect of the organization. The problem plaguing your unit or organization, however, may be that decisions are not implemented because of contradictory sets of interests – in this case you have to address issues of power and politics, and act as a politician. Finally, you may be confronted with difficulties in implementing decisions because the assumptions that your co-workers hold about the work and the organization do not coincide with yours – in this case you will need to understand and take into account cultural issues and act as an anthropologist.

1. NOTE: EXTRA REQUIRED MATERIALS (IN CLASS AND PURCHASED FROM NORMA DEMATTOS):SUB-ARCTIC SURVIVAL BOOKLET , MBTI (SELF-SCORABLE FORM M), LEAD QUESTIONNAIRES

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The course combines conceptual and experiential approaches. We draw on four sources of knowledge to accomplish the course objectives: (1) conceptual frameworks and research findings from organization studies, sociology, political science, anthropology, and psychology; (2) business cases and media accounts; (3) simulations and exercises; and (4) your own work experiences. The class will be interactive, and active participation in discussions is expected.

II. Course Objectives The main objective of this course is to help you to understand individual, group, and organizational issues from a behavioral point of view.

Working FrameworksYou will develop conceptual frameworks for analyzing organizational structures, power and politics, culture, and change, with a focus on the interplay of rules, resources, and relationships in managing interdependencies. By identifying critical sources of tension in organizations, you can learn to harness them to produce beneficial outcomes for you and your organization.

Course Outcomes (CO): CO1: Evaluate individual, group, and organizational issues from a behavioral science point

of view CO2: Apply strategic, political, and cultural perspectives to the analysis and redesign of

organizations and teams CO3: Reflect upon how to build, participate in, and lead collaborative teams more

effectively through the evaluation of the science of collective intelligence CO4: Examine the roles of a leader as a strategic thinker and instrument of justice to ensure

that decision makers diagnose micro situations and organizational systems prior to determining goals, alternatives, risks, and trade-offs

CO5: Assess your personal leadership style to increase personal growth and your effectiveness in contributing to high performance teams and organizations

CO6: Analyze the relationship between macro and micro leadership behaviors and models of leading change to the fit/congruence of an organization’s strategy, people, and structures and critical tasks

CO7: Apply tools and tactics for attaining organizational goals such as mapping the social networks, assessing power and politics, aligning stakeholders, and interpreting and managing cultures

Acquire Diagnostic SkillsYou will increase your skills in diagnosis that enable you to analyze the fit of an organization’s structure to its goals, to map out the networks of the organization, to assess the political landscape, and to interpret culture and identities.

Learn Key Concepts, Strategies, Tactics, and ToolsYou will begin to build a repertoire of strategies and tactics to increase your effectiveness in varied situations, induce and lead change initiatives, and use politics in pragmatic ways to get things done. You will learn and apply tools and tactics for attaining organizational goals effectively.

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III. Coursework and Grading

Grading Scheme (explained in detail on next page)

A. Class Participation, On-Line Polls, posted reflections & leadership reflection paper on a management book (see below)

40%

B. Team performance scores & Executive Summaries 10%C. Team Midterm 30%D. Team Presentations of Keeping Google “Googley”

on November 1820%

A. Class Participation 40% (see “Tips on Preparing Cases” on page 20 )

The character of the course naturally lends itself to active exchange among participants. The most important preparation is to have read and studied the cases. In the classroom, the expectations are relatively simple: be well-prepared, arrive punctually to class, and actively participate. There are several ways in which the materials in this course help you to do this.

Short Introduction or overviews provide background on, and an introduction to, the session’s materials. Read first – these provide contextStudy Questions guide you through each session’s content. Read second - these help you focus on what is most importantAssignments & Required Readings (incl. cases and articles) provide the content for our class discussion. If time do he optional readings--Read and study the cases – these provide content (you can’t participate in class discussions without them)

How do I get a high grade for class participation? Individual contribution consists of; Attending classes on time, coming prepared to listen and build on the ideas of others; Quality of individual comments in class discussions; Post your reflections (1 or 2 key take-aways) after every class and engage in after-class

on-line discussion with at least 2-3 students On-time submission of four online questionnaire/case polls;

Attending Class (In-class comments/contributions). There are many ways to participate, beyond showing-up, speaking, and not surfing the internet in class. Listening carefully to what your colleagues are saying in class and building on their ideas is critical. Listening for understanding is critical to good leadership. If you do not understand what your colleagues are saying, raise your hand, and ask them to clarify. Quality and clarity are more important than quantity – one insightful, concise comment that builds on the ideas of others and advances the learning could create more value than speaking five times in one session.

Missing class: Please note the only “excused” absences are those due to uncontrollable events (e.g. medical/family emergencies or critical personal events). Prioritizing your time is

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part of your Brandeis experience. If you decide it is in your best interest to miss or be late to class your professor won’t take it personally, but it may negatively affect your participation grade. Please notify your professor ahead of time if you will miss class.

Polls: The polls should be no more than 1,300 characters with spaces. Use word count. Polls will not be graded, but they will count towards your class participation. Be ready to defend your positions in class. They are due the evening before class. Submit via LATTE (for help ask Norma DeMattos - ndemat@brandeis.edu).

Leadership reflection on management book: Students will write a 1- 2 page reflection paper on any one of the following books. These focus on key lessons you take away from the book that could be put into practice. The essay should begin by framing some key ideas the leadership challenge, and setting your objectives for improving your performance as a leader and explaining how the concept or tools would help you in practice.

Book Choices:1. Sheryl Sandberg. 2015 Lean-In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. New York: Alfred

Knopf.2. Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg. 2014. Google: How Google Works. Boston:

Grand Central Publishing3. Tina Fey.2011.Bossy Pants. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company.4. James Kouzes, and Barry Posner. 2012. The Leadership Challenge 5th edition, , San

Francisco: Jossey Bass.5. Dale Carnegie. 1936/2010. How to Win Friends and Influence People. NEW

YORK: POCKETBOOKS

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B. TEAM PERFORMANCE AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF TWO BOOKS (10%)

• Team Performance: During the first class, each student will self-select into a small (5-7 persons) diverse group to work together on several assignments and class exercises. You are responsible for building your group into an effective learning team over the course of the semester. You are responsible for managing relationships and productivity on your team, including helping other team members to learn.

• Executive Summary: Each group will write a 2-3 page (<8000 characters with spaces) executive summary and review both of the two assigned books.

Due October 13 Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivate US

Due November 17 Crucial Accountability: Tools For Resolving Broken Promises, Violated Expectations and Bad Behavior.

How can we use the ideas and tools from the book? These summaries will be posted on LATTE and shared with the other teams. To get “extra credit” teams can add a third book due by November 4.

How do I get a high grade for team performance? The team grade consists ofa. Implementing the “Tips on Teams” on page 21, and agreeing to use it.

Read tips on Teams page 21.

b. Doing reasonably well on simulations and showing improvement as a team. I do not grade the performance of the team based on the simulation but on your ability to help each other as a team. When you are on a team, some people do more work than others. Complaining about that to the professor is not effective. Create a safe space for each member of the team and learn how to communicate and work together.

c. Doing team process checks after class. Do process checks after each meeting and keep the team results. See page 21.

d. On the last day of class I would like each team to reflect on your team’s experience. Prepare and submit a powerpoint and include the quantitative data from the process checks in good visual display. Did your group progress? Why or why not.

C. TEAM MIDTERM (30%)

• The midterm exam will consist of a case study that your team will analyze. It will be an open book, group exam on November 3.

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D. Group presentation: Keeping Google “Googley” (20%)

You can’t know what to analyze until you know what you are trying to achieve. So the presentation should start with a statement of what you believe are the most pressing performance problems and misalignments for Google, and based on this, what the key goals are that the organization should try to achieve. Each group will get 15 minutes to present their diagnosis, analysis and recommendations of the Goggle Case.

Here is the assignment:

You have been asked by Google’s Kim Scott to help her understand and solve the company’s organizational problems. She will select the team with the best understanding of Google, and the most innovative ideas that aligns with the organization’s mission and strategy. You are expected to produce a report that will diagnose Google’s situation and make some prescriptions. A good analysis will outline the key performance problems facing this company, and based on these, articulate the goals that the division should try to achieve. Importantly, the report should provide thorough and well-argued explanations for why the identified problems exist. It will then offer some clear prescriptions, both for what to do and how to implement the proposed solutions.

Some things to keep in mind:

Be sure to think through what each of the three perspectives presented in class (Strategic Design, Political, Cultural) would have to say about the causes of the problems and the effectiveness of your proposed solutions. You can use the congruence model to help organize your analytical thinking.

Any changes that you suggest must be supported by realistic, reasoned implementation plans. Moreover, you should also consider the downsides and potential side-effects of your solutions.

Be clear about the assumptions underlying your analysis and action recommendations. When making claims about the company, back those up with evidence from the case.

Above all, be specific and concise. You only have 15 minutes to present,

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Grading Rubic

During the sessions that you will attend for this course, you will engage in a number of very important in-class activities that will allow you opportunities to apply the knowledge gained through the course material. Throughout this course, you will be asked to engage in various discussions with your peers in the online environment through the discussion board. These discussions will build on the information presented in each topic and will ask you to take this information one step further by making connection between the material and your own workplace, including your own personal leadership style.

Each of these discussion activities will be graded separately using something similar to the rubric below.

Demonstration Criteria Proficient (100%)Needs

Improvement (88%)

Not Evident (80%) Percentage

Quality of Response

Contributions to the in-class activities are well-thought out and professional in nature; it is evident that readings were completed and preparations to participate in class were in place before coming to the sessions

Contributions to the in-class activity lack preparation

Does not attend some residency sessions/does not contribute to the in-class activity

40

Connections to Professional Life

Makes connections between the class material and application to leadership in the field, supported by evidence

Attempts to make connections between the class material and application to leadership in the field, but does not support connections with evidence

Does not attend some sessions or does not make connections between the class material and application to leadership in the field

30

Participation

Engages in discussion with peers and the instructor, responding to peer and instructor contributions to the class

Participates in class, but does not engage in discussion with peers and the instructor

Does not attend some sessions or does not participate in the in-class activity

30

Total: 100%

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III. COURSE MATERIALS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

READINGS ON LATTE. LATTE CONTAINS required reading, cases, and other materials.

REQUIRED BOOKS: Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivate US, (2009) By Daniel

Pink, New York: Riverhead Hardcover

Crucial Accountabilty: Tools For Resolving Broken Promises,Violated Expectations and Bad Behavior. Second editon By Kerry Patterson, Joe Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler. New York: McGraw Hill. 2013 *ISBN:* 0071446524

NOTE: EXTRA REQUIRED MATERIALS (IN CLASS AND PURCHASED FROM NORMA DEMATTOS):

SUB-ARTIC SURVIVAL BOOKLET , MBTI (SELF-SCORABLE FORM M), LEAD QUESTIONNAIRES

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CASES (PURCHASED THROUGH THE COURSEPACK AT HBS PUBLISHING): https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/38554183. Marie Trellu-Kane Wolfgang Keller at Königsbräu-TAK (A) Elizabeth Parker (A) and (B). Keeping Google “Googley” Reverend Jeffrey Brown: Cops, Kids, and Ministers

CommunicationAn important source of communication is the course web site. After each session, you will find there a summary of the main learning points and annotated versions of each session’s slides. It will aid your learning if you briefly review the summary after class. Please talk with me in class or make an appointment to talk if anything is unclear.

Although there are office hours, I am happy to meet with individuals or small groups by appointment.

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Assignments and Key Due Dates**

September 1 I. Introduction to Leadership and OB: Managing People in Organizations Cases: (1) Barbara Norris Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit; and (2) Terror at the Taj (in class video)

September 8 IIa. Organizing People: Diversity and Individual Differences MBTI**Self scored MBTI MBTI due

September 8 IIb. Strategic Thinking: The Underlying Science of Decision Making

September 22 III. Strategic Thinking: Individual & Group Decision Making

**Online Poll Question Case: Speed Ventures (A), (B), and (C)

October 6 IV. Strategic Design of Organizations: Formal and Informal Structures**Online Poll Question Case: Marie Trellu-Kane

October 13 V. New Leadership Challenges: Teams and Collective Intelligence**Team performance Simulation: Sub-Artic Survival

October 20 VI. Exercising Power and Influence in Organizations**Online Poll Question Case: Elizabeth Parker (A) and (B)

October 27 VII. Organizational Culture and Leadership **Team presentation Case: Keeping Google “Googley”

November 3 VIII. Diagnosing Complex Organizational Problems**Group Mid-term In-Class Case

November 10 IX. Adaptive Leadership and Fair Process (self-managing teams)Video: Twelve Angry Men

**Lead Self 12 question Lead Instrument due

November 17 X. Effective Leadership Styles and Performance Management Case: Wolfgang Keller at Königsbräu-TAK (A)

November 24 XI. Leading Project & Global Teams Without Authority **Online Poll Question Case: Nestles (A)

December 1 XII.. Leading Change**Team performance In Class Simulation: Change Pro

December 8 XIII Strategic Thinking Aimed at Solving Social ProblemsCase: Reverend Jeffrey Brown: Cops, Kids, and Ministers

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SESSION I. TOPIC:September 2 Introduction to Leadership and OB: Managing and Leading

People So They Can Manage and Lead Themselves

Overview In preparation for the first session, read the case of Barbara Norris. This new manager is overwhelmed by the scope and depth of problems of the unit. She must learn how to diagnose and analyze the need to manage up, down and across. What are GSU’s problems?

The second part of the session will focus on what has been called a terror attack or India’s 26/11. On the night of November 26, 2008, 10 armed individuals from “the Army of the Righteous” entered Mumbai, India (formerly Bombay) and attacked multiple locations. The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Oberoi Trident Hotel were prime targets and nearly 1800 guests and employees were captive. Over three nights and two days 159 people were killed and 211 were wounded across the city. During this siege 34 people died at the Taj Hotel.

Both the Taj and Oberoi hotels underwent devastating attacks. However, something unique happened at the Taj Hotel; they praised for strategic thinking and quick teaming. At the expense of their own safety, the Taj employees and managers acted quickly. Doors were locked to keep the terrorists at bay. Hotel guests were quickly instructed to lock-up and stay in their rooms. Banquet guests in the dining areas were protected and shielded during evacuations. Why did the people in the Taj organization behave the way they did—luck or by design?

The learning objectives are:1. To understand what we mean by organizational behavior and leadership by analyzing a

manager, Barbara Norris and the problems she has inherited 2. How can leaders design a customer centric organizational culture?3. To review the basic elements of organizational design: people, structures, and tasks

Assignments1. Prepare Case: Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit 2. In class video case: Terror at the Taj Mahal Tower and Palace Hotel in Bombay3. Please take the MBTI instrument at the class [Please fill out the Myers Briggs Indicator

hand-out before the next class, and be sure to score it. Purchase from Norma DeMattos.]

Questions to consider after class: How much of this behavior is explained by national culture, the hospitality industry, the

family atmosphere of the hotel, rules and procedures? What do the casualty rates of the two hotels teach us? How do you recruit and train such employees?

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SESSION II TOPIC: September 8 Organizing People: Diversity and Individual Differences

OverviewBefore you can manage and lead other people, you should understand your preferences for acquiring and processing information to make decisions. To help you to understand the human element and to help you to perceive people as more predictable, we will use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - the most widely used psychological instrument in the world. The MBTI is based on the work of Swiss Psychoanalyst Carl Jung.

Assignments: Hand in: MBTI (Self Scored)

Optional Reading “Managing Yourself” by Drucker “Introduction To Type” Myers-Briggs [Skim]

Study Questions1. What is your MBTI profile? Share the results with your team.

SESSION II. TOPIC: September 8 Strategic Thinking and Decision Making: The Underlying Science

of Decision Making

OverviewThe second half of the session, I will give a lecture on strategic thinking and decision making. I will highlight some interesting findings from neuro-science and social-psychology. This will give you some background for the next class.

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SESSION III. TOPIC: September 22 Strategic Thinking and Decision Making: Individual & Group

Decision Making

OverviewWe will build on what we learned in session two. The objective of this session is to get you to think analytically about strategic decision making as a leadership competency. You should think about questions such as: What processes do you use to come to your decisions? How do you differentiate facts from assumptions? How do you challenge assumptions? How do you choose from among alternatives? How do you form your ideas about what will happen in the future?

How do you evaluate the consequences and likelihood of an outcome? And how do you form judgments about the value of a particular event?

The session will be in double reflection. We will use a trivial and simple decision—whether to put a car in a race and in doing so we will try to make a high quality decision. I want to draw your attention as leaders to two processes: (1) the rational process needed to reach a high quality decision; and (2) the interpersonal process—how we engage and interact with each other to build commitment to strategic goals and decisions.

The learning goals are on several levels. First, I want you to learn something about your self—how you think. Second, learning something about how groups make decisions under uncertainty and time pressure. This runs to the heart of what is the “truth.” The truth alone is never good enough—ideas have to be explained, and people have to be persuaded. What persuades you may not persuade others. And third, how good leadership practices, employing decision models, stakeholder analysis, and SWOT analysis, can improve decision processes.

Assignment : Fill out Speed Ventures Questionnaire—online poll Prepare Case: Speed Ventures (A), (B), and (C)* Read Ancona, D. et al. 1999. “The Organization as Strategic Design,”

Study Questions for Speed Ventures:1. Analyze the Speed Ventures situation. What are the main problems? Is it “a strategically

designed organization”?2. Please be prepared to vote whether or not to run the race. Should Speed Ventures Race?3. Please fill out the questionnaire and hand in before class begins

Online Poll Question

Please fill out the questionnaire and hand in before class begins

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SESSION IV. TOPIC: October 6 Strategic Design of Organizations: Formal and Informal

Structures and the Congruence Model

OverviewToday we will use strategic design tools to diagnose organizational problems. Formal & Informal organizational structures are not just descriptions of information flows and reporting relationships in organizations; they are tools for coordination. We will discuss formal and informal ways to coordinate organizational activities, with a particular focus on alignment and the congruence model. The congruence model will become one of your most important tools.

Use the model to diagnose the Unis Cite case. Marie Trellu-Kane is the co-founder of Unis-Cite, a French non-profit organization aimed at creating a youth civilian service in France. How do we align the organization’s critical task, people culture and formal arrangements? What is the relationship between leadership style and effective performance? What roles does mission play in the non-profit sector?

Assignment Prepare Case: Marie Trellu-Kane Read: Tushman, M.L. & O’Reilly, C. A. 2007. Managerial Problem Solving: A Congruence

Approach,” Chapter 1 & Chapter 4, pp 1-44; 1-21 in Tushman, M.L. & O’Reilly Winning through innovation: a practical guide to leading organizational change and renewal. Boston: Harvard Business School Press

Read: “Domain Theory: An Introduction to Organizational Behavior” by Kouzes and Mico

Online Poll Question Develop a plan of action for Marie Trellu-Kane

Study Questions

1. What lessons do you learn about strategic design and congruence: incentives, motivation, leadership, organizational structures and managerial practices in the Marie Trellu Case?

2. What is your assessment of Unis-Cite’s action to date and its development model?3. Using the Congruence model as a general analytic can your group fix the problems?4. What should Trellu-Kane do? Develop a plan of action.

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SESSION V. TOPIC: October 13 New Leadership Challenges: Motivation, Virtual Global Teams

and Collective Intelligence Overview You cannot effectively manage people without understanding what drives people. We will explore the tools organizations have at their disposal to employees’ needs and efforts congruent with the organization’s objectives. In this session, we will watch a video in class to see an example of strategic design and alignment.

The first part of the session introduces the new science of collective intelligence, and the" new" basic work units in global organizations—virtual project teams. According to Katzenbach and Smith (2003), a team is a "small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable." How do we get people and technology to act intelligently when working together on a team?

The second part involves a demonstration of your group’s collective intelligence. You will experience a simulation first working alone as an individual and then in collectively in groups. In the subarctic simulation, you have survived a plane crash with your group. Your group must decide on a strategy. You have 15 items from the crash that you must rank in order of importance to the group’s survival. Your challenge is to rank the items based on their importance. Your group will receive an overall measure of their performance. Information is incomplete and ambiguous. You have time pressure and uncertainty. Can you make an effective group decision? We will have a plenary session to identify the main insights, with a summary.

Assignment :1. Read: Drive , by Daniel Pink (Entire)2. Post Executive Summary on Drive on Latte 3. Read: “Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human

Groups.” Woolley A.W. et al., Science 29 October 20104. Read: How to Manage Virtual Teams, Siebdrat, Hoegel, and Ernst. (Summer 2009)

Sloan Management Review 5. In-Class Video Case Two: IDEO 6. Group Simulation: Sub-Artic Survival

Study Questions1. According to Pink, what drives people? 2. What is collective intelligence? How can leaders get teams to act intelligently?3. Can we apply these ideas when designing organizations?

Optional Reading “Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups, “ by Druskat and Wolff (HBR 2001) Decisions 2.0: The Power of Collective Intelligence. Eric Bonabeau. Sloan Management

Review. Winter 2009. "The Discipline of Teams" Katzenbach and Smith (HBR March 1993)

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SESSION   VI.                               TOPIC:

October 20 Exercising Power and Influence in Organizations: Building Commitment to Goals

OverviewPfeffer says power is essential to initiate and sustain goal-directed action. Yet, organizations with scarce resources and interdependent individuals will produce different opinions on the organizational goals and how those goals should be met. Consequently, building and wielding power, negotiating and forming alliances maybe essential for any manager to be effective.

We will study how Elizabeth Parker takes control in two very different situations. Her leadership teaches some key lessons about developing and exercising power and influence. The central theme of this session is understanding the nature of power, how to get it, and how to use it.

Assignment :1. Prepare Case: Elizabeth Parker (A) and (B).

2. Submit on-line poll question

3. Read: Pfeffer, J. 1992. “Managing with Power”. Harvard Business School Press, Boston. Chapters 1 and 2.

4. Read: Ancona, D. et al. 2004. “The Political Lens,” in “Organizational Behavior and Processes”. Second Edition. South-Western College Publishing, Cincinnati.

Study Questions1. In case A, Elizabeth Parker describes her background and what she did as she started a new

job and career. Elizabeth Parker believes that her organization should be accomplishing its mission. How does she take charge of her department? What were the key factors that led to her success at the end of the case?

2. In case B, Parker faces a new challenge. What plan of action do you recommend?

Online Poll QuestionIs Elizabeth Parker building and wielding more power in case A or case B? Why?

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SESSION   VII.                               TOPIC:

October 27             Organizational Culture and Leadership

Overview There are probably more definitions of culture than there are people studying it. Culture is an elusive concept, but one with tremendous face validity—everyone understands what culture is, but that understanding is often vague and fuzzy. In this session we will discuss one useful model of culture and see how it helps us understand how to change a culture. Google is one of the best examples of an organization that had to create a culture that breaks down barriers to communication and idea formation. The designed a structure of small teams that foster innovation. People could spend 20% of their time working on anything they like. That is how Gmail was created.

We will analyze the way a corporate culture, and the core values on which it is based. With rapid growth, organizations will experience challenges to its mission and values. Where should a leader focus attention?

Assignment :1. Prepare Case: Keeping Google “Googley”2. Prepare Group Presentations (see syllabus)3. Read: Schein, E.H. 1990. “Organizational Culture”. The American Psychologist. 4. Read: Ancona, D. et al. 1999. “The Cultural Lens.” in “Organizational Behavior and

Processes”. Second Edition. South-Western College Publishing, Cincinnati.

5. Review: Drive , by Daniel Pink (Entire)

Study Questions1. What is unusual about Google as an organization? What are the problems at Google? 2. What can Google do to avoid bureaucracy and maintain rapid decision-making?3. What can Google do to remain an “entrepreneurial” organization?4. Devise an action Plan

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SESSION   VIII.                               TOPIC:

November 3              Diagnosing Complex Organizational Problems

Overview The mid-term exam will consist of a new case study. It will be an open book, group exam during class. Arrive early so you can get your team organized. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. Take on hour to read the case and 1.5 hours to respond. Your group is expected to work together to complete a single response to the exam questions. Your answers should be in English. The answers should be type written, double-spaced (12pt font). Extensive reliance on summary bullet points is discouraged. The exam must not exceed 4000 words and we assume that most exams will be shorter than this limit.

You must e-mail the exam on time (by the end of class) to me at my email: chilinge@brandeis.edu. Every copy of the exam must be returned otherwise the group will not pass.

Assignment 1. Be sure to think through what each of the three perspectives presented in class (Strategic

Design, Political, Cultural) would have to say about the causes of the problems and the effectiveness of your proposed solutions. Remember the congruence model and the key readings. Citing readings and class notes are important.

2. Any changes that you suggest must be supported by realistic, reasoned implementation plans. Moreover, you should also consider the downsides and potential side-effects of your solutions.

3. Be clear about the assumptions underlying your analysis and action recommendations. When making claims about the company, back those up with evidence from the case.

4. Above all, be specific and concise.5. Grading:

Statement of goals = 3 Points Diagnosis of situation and problems = 27 Points (Strategic design 9ts; Cultural 9 pts;

Political 9 Pts) Solutions = 11 Points Implementation = 9 Points

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SESSION   IX .                       TOPIC:                                                                                                   November 10 Adaptive Leadership, Influence and the Importance of Fair

Process

Overview

The first part of the session will focus on your leadership style and will introduce a situational leadership model that can help guide you to choose an effective leadership style. The Hersey Blanchard model is based on the idea that appropriate leader behavior depends on the readiness of the leader’s direct reports and followers. Readiness refers to the degree of motivation, competence, experience, commitment and confidence in accepting responsibility. As the readiness of followers improves, the leader’s behavior should also change. The learning objectives are: to understand what we mean by leadership style and its importance in developing people and to evaluate and assess your leadership style and to learn how to adapt your style depending on the situation.

The second part of the session will discuss the film Twelve Angry Men. Being able to influence others is one of the key aspects of being a successful manager and leader; indeed, many would argue it is THE core aspect of relational/relational success. The film portrays a group of twelve strangers who are assigned a critical work task: they must make a life or death decision.

We will have a discussion about the major scenes in the movie 12 Angry Men. You will spend the remaining class studying the influence strategies that pop up in the exercise and the movie and talk about relevant research findings on successful influence techniques.

Assignment:1. Fill out 12 item “Lead” Questionnaire in “So You Want to Know Your Leadership

Style” and Directions for self-score (purchased from Norma D.)2. View Film: Twelve Angry Men (will be discussed in class)3. Read: Fair Process: Managing in the Knowledge Economy. (Jan 2003) W. Chan

Kim & Renee Mauborgne. HBR

Study Questions What are your preferred and dominant leadership styles? Are you an adaptive leader? How can we connect fair process models of leading with the science of collective

intelligence? What do leaders do? What does the architect do in the film? Observe how the leader guides and motivates the group and adapts his style to deal

with the ability and willingness of the group in 12 Angry Men.

Optional Reading:

“Enhancing the Benefits and Overcoming the Pitfalls of Goal Setting” By Locke and Latham

“Leadership that Gets Results” by Goleman “Goal-Setting-A Motivational Technique That Works” by Latham and Locke

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SESSION   X.                               TOPIC:

November 17 Effective Leadership Styles and Performance management

Overview

This session will focus on leadership, developing people, getting results and managing performance. The case is about a leader who is trying to change the strategic direction of his organization. Was he an effective leader? We will apply the ideas from Crucial Accountabilty, especially giving negative feedback, to the case.

Assignment 1. Read : Wolfgang Keller at Königsbräu-TAK (A) 2. Reading: Crucial Accountabilty [Entire]3. Post Executive Summary for Crucial Accountabilty Due

Study Questions

1. From Wolfgang’s perspective, how well is Brodsky doing? From your perspective, should Brodsky be fired?

2. Be prepared to use the tools from Crucial Accountability to demonstrate a crucial confrontation between you and Brodsky.

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SESSION   XI.                               TOPIC:

November 24 Leading Project & Global Teams without Authority

Overview Organizing on a global scale is among the most difficult managerial challenges. Different multi-national designs will lead to wide variations in the distribution of power. In the past, the design choices were either a) country-subsidiary structures, or b) business-unit structures. Today a simple either-or organization design seems impossible. How do we differentiate and integrate the activities that take place in different country and subsidiary cultures? Companies like Nestle not only find themselves in hundreds of countries, but also are dealing with different languages, cultures, currencies, tax systems, and regulatory agencies, their key customers have also globalized. Serving a CarreFour in Taiwan, Mexico or Brazil, requires Nestle to undertake new initiatives: making purchases across business-units, common order-fulfillment processes, common supply-chain process, and coordinated buying. To deepen its global organizational capability, Nestle has decided to put all of these new projects and initiatives in enterprise software from SAP. We will learn how Chris Johnson manages this GLOBE project. To succeed, Chris Johnson must not only understand strategic design, but also understand power & politics, and culture.

Assignment :1. Prepare Case: Nestlé’s GLOBE program (A): The early months

2. Read: Harnessing the Science of Persuasion. R. Cialdini. HBR (October 2001)

3. Read: Beer, M. & Nohria, N. 2000 “Cracking the code of change”. Harvard Business Review

Study Questions1. On a scale from one to ten (ten being very difficult), how difficult will it be for Chris Johnson to

make a success of his new job?

2. What and who will be the keys to success for Chris Johnson in his new job?

3. What would you advise Chris to prepare for his upcoming meeting to discuss staffing with Mario Corti? What should he ask for? On what issues should he be willing to compromise? Why? If he follows your advice, what will be the risks and ramifications for him, and how should he deal with them?

Online Poll Questions: Answer A, B or C On a scale from one to ten (ten being very difficult), how difficult will it be for Chris

Johnson to make a success of his new job? Just post your number 1-10.

Mario Corti has suggested an organization and 12 people to begin your team. None of them checked out. Would you take all 12 people on Mario Corti’s list? Would you negotiate to take some of the 12, or would you not take any?

A) I would take all 12. B) I would take some but not all. C) I would not take any on his list.

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SESSION   XII.                               TOPIC:

December 1          Leading Change

IntroductionToday will summarize everything you have learned about leading change. It will test your team’s ability to diagnose and take action. Computer simulations are growing in popularity as practice fields for organizational learning. Today you will be using a computer simulation developed to challenge your change management skills. You will spend most of the class working in your teams trying to lead a change initiative in a simulated organization. Then, we will collectively compare how you performed in leading change.

Assignment : The ChangePro Simulation Abridged User Manual. “Informal Networks: The Company Behind the Chart” by Krackhardt and Hanson

Study Questions1. The ChangePro instructions detail the various tactics available to you in the simulation.

Review them and consider how and when each tactic might be appropriate.

2. What, in your view, are the three biggest challenges facing a manager charged with leading change?

 

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SESSION   XIII.                               TOPIC:

December 8              Leadership Aimed at Solving Social Problems

Assignment:1. Prepare Case: “Reverend Jeffrey Brown: Cops, Kids, and Ministers”*2. Read: “Managing Strategic Issues and Stakeholders” by Chilingerian3. Class Party—Bring some food and Drinks!!

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PLEASE READ: Tips on Teams

• A diverse team brings many points of view, which sometimes creates conflict and misunderstanding. Listening to understand a person is not listening to refute or argue. Manage your team members by listening-to-understand each person’s feelings and perceptions. Once you analyze their perceptions, you can understand different assumptions that are being made. Listening to understand and connecting with people is fundamental to good leadership. See Crucial Accountability.

• A second way to work with a diverse team is to use the MBTI as a tool. Explore the MBTI personality types on your team and read the MBTI descriptions of each other. Learn how to talk with each other. Opposites (for example--ENFPs and ISTJs) will have a hard time communicating, connecting and cooperating. Learn how to communicate with diverse personality types.

• There are four key roles and responsibilities: – Someone to facilitate or chair the process (helps with the rational & relational)– Someone to take minutes – Someone to keep time – Someone to harvest the learning

• Develop ground rules for your team– Rotation of 4 roles so everyone plays each role– No interrupting/no one dominates, etc.– Keep 10-15 minutes at end to do process checks– Agree to call a time-out or say “I am not getting it”

• Process Checks for every team meeting: use a 5-point scalevery poor very good

1 2 3 4 5

– Did we achieve the objectives of the group today?1-5– Evaluate the rational process. 1-5

• Did we analyze the situation separating facts from assumptions? 1-5 • Did we set clear, engaging objectives?1-5• Did we discuss the full-set of consequences?1-5

– Evaluate the relational process. 1-5• How well did the team work together? Listening, deep engagement?1-5• Did the group confront and challenge each other respectfully? 1-5• How well did each individual participate in/contribute to the meeting?1-5

– How can we improve our performance as a team?(qualitative comments)

Agree to discuss low scores to capture learnings.

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PLEASE READ: Tips on Preparing Cases

We will discuss the cases in class. Here are my recommendations—You should study the cases and prepare a 1-3 page “brief” on the case. The brief is intended to organize your ideas and facilitate class presentations. You should write the brief after you have studied the cases and readings.

After you have studied the case and read the readings use the following format:

1. Frame the problems/issues into a decision question: frame the major leadership or organizational issues and/or problems around a key goal or objective, differentiating the long from the short-run. The question might be—”What is the best course of action for this case in order to achieve X”? In some cases the goals may not be clear.

2. Analyze the problem/situation by identifying the pertinent facts vs. assumptions. Ask yourself three questions: where did the facts come from, how do I know they are correct? Are they a final, reliable reality or an interpretation or an assumption? Be sure to identify your assumptions explicitly. What OB models or concepts are most useful to understand the problem?

3. Alternatives and consequences: think about the alternatives courses of action and the full set of consequences. Analyze each alternative and consider what the trade-offs are. What are the risks and uncertainties? Remember to relate your analysis to your recommendations.

4. Recommendation: identify, justify, and support your recommendations, giving careful consideration to rebuttals from your classmates.

5. Implementation: (if applicable) assess the feasibility of your solution by developing a plan of action necessary to implement the recommendation.

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RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR ADVANCED STUDY AND MASTERY: The Leadership Challenge (2012). 5th edition, James Kouzes, and Barry Posner,

San Francisco: Jossey Bass. Essentials of Organizational Behavior. Stephen P. Robbins, Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Prentice Hall (2007). Ninth Edition NOTE (If you do not have a strong background in Organizational Behavior, you should read this book, otherwise it is optional)

Why Great Leaders Don’t Take “Yes” For an Answer. Michael Roberto. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Publishing (2005)

The Tipping Point. Malcolm Gladwell London: Little, Brown, and Company (2000)

Breaking Through: Making of Minority Executives in Corporate America David A. Thomas and John J. Gabarro, Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing Press (1999)

The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations. Dietrich Dorner, Reading, MA: Perseus Books (1996)

Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices. Paul Lawrence and Nitin Nohria, San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass and Son (2002)

Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation. William Ury, New York, NY: Bantam Books (1993)

The Leadership Challenge. James Kouzes and Barry Posner, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (2002)

Action Coaching. Peter Cairo and David Dotlich, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-bass (1999)

Competing by Design: The Power of Organizational Architecture. David Nadler and Michael Tushman, New York, NY: Oxford University Press (1997)

The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making. Scott Plous. New York, NY: McGraw Hill (1993)

Organizing Genius. Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman, London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing (1998)

Organizational Culture and Leadership, Second edition. Edgar H. Schein, San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass Inc (1992)

Managing Conflict, 2nd Edition. Richard E. Walton, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company (1987)

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Roger Fisher and William Ury, New York: Penguin Book. (1992)

Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role. Dan Ciampa and Michael Watkins, Boston: Harvard Business School Press (2005)

Primal Leadership. Daniel Goleman, Annie McKee, and Richard E. Boyatzis, Boston: Harvard Business School Press (2002)

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