Entering The Fundamental State of

Leadership

Based on “Moments of Greatness: Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership”, by Robert E. Quinn, HBR, July-August

2005, p.75-83

Introduction

Leaders are at their best when they base their actions on their deepest

values and instincts

This can done not only during a crisis but at anytime – with the right frame

of mind

Leadership Development Programmes

Based on the assumption that by studying the behaviour of successful leaders, people can be taught to emulate themBut successful leaders do not copy anyone, but depend on their own fundamental values and capabilities – operating in a frame of mind that is true to them yet paradoxically, not their normal state of beingThis is known as the fundamental state of leadership

The Fundamental State of Leadership

How we confront a crisis and move forwardWhen faced with a significant life challenge – a promotion, a professional failure, a serious illness, a divorce, the death of a loved one –making decisions not to meet others’ expectations, but to satisfy what you believe is fundamentally rightBeing at your best and raising to the task, when tested

Can we enter the fundamental state of leadership without crisis?

Yes, can be done at any timeBy honestly answering just four questionsEntering the state makes us more capable, and also elevate the performance of our co-workersWe can deliberately choose to enter the fundamental state without having to wait for a crisis to occur

What is the Fundamental State?

The Normal StateA healthy and necessary conditionNot conducive to coping with crisisRemaining in your comfort zoneAllowing external forces to determine your behaviour and decisionsLosing moral influenceRelying on rational argument and authority to bring about changeComplying with leaders out of fearUnimaginative and incremental reproducing what exists

Moving into the Fundamental StateA shift along four dimensions

1. Moving from being comfort centered to be results centered

2. Moving from being externally directed to being more internally directed

3. Moving from being self-focused to being more focused on others

4. Moving from being internally closed to being externally open

Normal versus Fundamental State

I block out external stimuli in order to stay on task and avoid risk

Externally OpenInternally closed

I put the collective good firstI placed my interests above those of the group

Other-focusedSelf-focused

I behave according to my valuesI comply with others’ wishes in an effort to keep the peace

Internally DirectedExternally Directed

I venture beyond familiar territory to pursue ambitious new outcomes

I stick with what I know

Results CenteredComfort Centered

In the fundamental state, I amIn the normal state, I am …

1. From comfort centered to results centered

Comfort centered is safe but leads to a sense of languishing and meaninglessnessTo move from the normal reactive state to a more generative condition, we need to ask a single question – “What result do I want to create?”Pushes us from the path of least resistanceLead from problem solving to purpose finding

2. From externally directed to internally directed

Stop complying with others’ expectations and conforming to the current cultureClarifying core values and increasing integrity, confidence and authenticityBehaving differently as we become more confident and authenticBeing true to our values and willing to confront any conflict that rises

3. From self-focused to focus on others

Self-focus over time leads to isolationOther focus – by putting the needs of the organization above our own – we are rewarded with their trust and respectEmpathy increases, cohesion follows and tighter and sensitive bonds are formedAn enriched sense of community is createdConflicts which take place in high-performing organizations can be transcended

4. From internally closed to externally open

When we are internally closed, we pay attention to signals that we know to be relevant; if incremental adjustments are required we respond, but if dramatic changes are called for, we become defensive and are in a state of denial – a mode of self-protection and self-deceptionIf we are externally open, we can do things that we are not comfortable doing; we are more aware, more adaptive, credible and unique

Entering the Fundamental State of Leadership

The four qualities – being results centered, internally directed, other focused and externally open - allows us to enter the fundamental stateWe become generative and attractiveWithout these we can be highly influential, but our influence is somewhat limitedWe attract others to perform better and even if we are no longer present a high-performance state is sustained

How Do We Prepare for the Fundamental State?

By asking four awareness-raising questions

They help transcend our natural denial mechanismsBy being aware of our hypocrisies, we are more likely to changeFor those of us new to the “fundamental state” concept, we need to take two preliminary steps before we understand and use it

Step 1: Recognize that we have entered the fundamental state of leadership before

We have all faced great personal or professional challenges, at one time or anotherBy working through them, we inevitably enter the fundamental stateOur painful experiences often bring out our best selvesIn recounting our experiences, we become more purposive, authentic, compassionate and responsive(See the following self-assessment tool to find out if we have entered the fundamental state; you can use it to analyze how you overcame your most significant challenges)

You Have Already Been There: A Self-Assessment Tool

Description (Examples)

“I tried new approaches. I paid attention to feedback. I was eager to get it right. There was a lot of discovery.”

How did you become more externally open?

“I become more concerned about people. I was better able to hear what they were telling me. I talked from my head as well as frommy heart.”

How did you become more focused on others?

“I stopped worrying so much about how people will judge me. I start operating from my own values. I feel more self-empowered tan before.”

How did you become more internally directed?

“I keep trying to escape doing what was required, but could not stand the guilt. I envisioned what success might look like, and committed myself to make the necessary changes.”

How did you become more results centered?

“I was thrust into a job that was crucial to the organization butgreatly exceeded my capabilities. I had to get people to do things they do not want to.”

The pivotal crisis

Step 2: Analyze Your Current State

When we are in the fundamental state, we possess clarity of vision, self-empowerment, empathy and creative thinkingWe wish to display these characteristics all the time but we really do so sporadicallyBy comparing our normal performance with what we did when we are at our best creates a desire to do betterIt gives us more confidence that we can do it again, stops us from the fear of the unknown and the risks(See the following “Are You in the Fundamental State of Leadership” checklist)

Are You in the Fundamental State of Leadership? A Check List

Think of a time when you were at your best as a leader –when you reached the fundamental state of leadership –and use the check list to identify the qualities you displayedThen check off the items that describes your behaviour todayCompare the past and presentIf there are significant changes, what changes do you need to take to get back to the fundamental state?

Engaging in urgent conversations

Feeling a sense of a shared purpose

Capturing people’s attention

Disrupting the status quo

Challenging people

Initiating actions

Holding high standards

Knowing what results I’d like to create

RESULTS CENTEREDToday I am …

At my best I was …

Engaging in authentic conversations

Feeling a sense of a shared reality

Expressing what I really believe

Bringing hidden conflicts to the surface

Leading courageously

Feeling self-empowered

Finding motivation from within

Operating from my core values

INTERNALLY DIRECTEDToday I am …

At my best I was …

Engaging in participative conversations

Feeling a sense of a shared identity

Supporting people

Expressing concern

Empathizing with people’s needs

Trusting others and fostering interdependence

Seeing the potential in the everyone

Sacrificing personal interests for the common good

OTHER FOCUSEDToday I am …

At my best I was …

Engaging in creative conversations

Feeling a sense of a shared contribution

Growing continually

Watching for new opportunities

Learning exponentially

Paying deep attention to what’s unfolding

Inviting feedback

Moving forward into uncertainity

OTHER FOCUSEDToday I am …

At my best I was …

Asking Four Transformative Questions

Understanding the fundamental state of leadership is not the same as entering itTo do so we must ask four questions that correspond to the four qualities of the fundamental stateAsking them leads to high-performance outcomes, and repetition of high performance outcomes can lead to a high performance culture

Am I results centered?Most of the time we are comfort centered – doing what we know how to doBeing comfort centered is hypocritical, self-deceptive, and normalIn pursuing new outcomes, if it means leaving our comfort zones, we resist and find ways to avoid changingBeing results centered is to be proactive, intentional, optimistic, invested and persistentWe become more energized and our impact on others become more energizingIt means leaving our comfort zone – behaving in new ways and generating new outcomes

Am I internally directed?

In normal state we try to avoid conflict by complying with social pressuresWe end up feeling less connected because we make political compromisesWe lose our uniqueness and our sense of integrityWe begin to lose hope and energyWe need to be fully focused on doing hard work by operating from our core values and finding motivation from within We must challenge people we are leading with courage

Am I other focused?

Most of the time we put our own needs ahead of the wholeIt is healthy and it’s a survival mechanismBut if our self-interest controls our relationships, others trust us less; they no longer derive energy from their relationships withus and over time move awayBeing other focused means commitment to the collective good in relationships, groups or organizations, even at your own personal expensesWhen a leader put the good of the organization first, people notice and the leader gains respect and trustGroup members in turn are more likely to put the collective goodfirst, and tasks that seems impossible become doable

Am I externally open?

If we are closed to external stimuli, we are focused on our task, but we are ignoring signals that suggest the need for changeDenying these signals are self-protective while at the same time self-deceptiveBeing externally focused, we shift from controlling our environment to learning from it and recognizing the need for change We depart from established routines and we genuinely seek honest feedbackA cycle of learning and employment is created and we see things people normally cannot see and formulate transformational strategueds

Entering the fundamental state of leadership (1)

We have new thoughts and engage in new behavioursBut we cannot remain in this state foreverIt can last for hours, days or sometimes months, but eventually we return to our normal stateAlthough the fundamental state is temporary, each time we enter it we learn more about people and increases our chances of returning to itWe also inspire others to higher levels of performance

Entering the fundamental state of leadership (2)

The team comes to life, infused with renewed energy and visionEven if the leader had left the fundamental state, the group sustained a higher level of performance and continues to flourishIt did not happen because the leader read a book about the best practices of some great leader or was imitating someone elseIt happened because the leader was jolted out of the comfort zone and was forced to enter the fundamental stateThe leader clarifies the results that need to be created and actcourageously from core valuesThe leader surrender self-interest to the collective good and is open to learning in real time

By challenging ourselves – a painful process – and entering the fundamental state of leadership, we can make a positive impact on our own lives and

on the people around us