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Growing Adaptive Leadership Networks Growing Adaptive Leadership Networks in Global Organizations
Royal Roads University Leadership Conference
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Leadership. Complex. World.Mary Stacey MA
October 2015
CONTEXT’S WORK IN LEADERSHIP NETWORKSContext Clients in the Midst of Complexity
AEROSPACE What if we take a multi‐disciplinary approach to establishing a roadmap for on‐orbit servicing of the H bbl t l ?
2004
Hubble telescope?
NATURAL RESOURCES How can we transcend jurisdictional viewpoints and re‐
l f E A i l 2011
set annual quotas for Eastern Arctic polar bear management?
GLOBAL SYSTEMS What narrative around Cli t Ch g ill b ffi i t t 2013 Climate Change will be sufficient to address the complexity of the challenge we face?
BUSINESS Wh t i i f l
2013
BUSINESS What is our view of ourselves as a Global Network Leadership Team? What individual and collective capabilities do we need to help our business thrive?
2014
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p
• Today’s leaders work in a VUCA environment of escalating volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity
• Expanding capacity beyond the dominant ways of organizing—hierarchical, heroic, technical—are required to thrive in this environmentthrive in this environment
• A mindset shift toward network thinking and action is a key determinant of success
• New approaches to leadership development, including Collective Impact Initiatives, are required to help leadership teams build their capacity for adaptive network leadershipteams build their capacity for adaptive network leadership
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Volatility: Change happens rapidly and at many scales
Uncertainty: The future cannot be predicted with any precision
Complexity: Challenges arise from interrelated factors with complex causality and
d paradox
Ambiguity: Events and facts can be interpreted in
VUCA is ever‐present: challenges of reinventing a business to keep up with external factors while p
many ways, characterized by lack of clarity about possible impact in the short and long term. Often difficult to assess risk.
running existing operations on a daily basis, retaining and re‐training an increasingly mobile talent pool, being part of a value chain that is often shifting and requiring changes in direction.
VUCA isn’t something to be solved. It simply is. Attempts to simplify complexity, or to break volatility, uncertainty and ambiguity down into smaller parts in uncertainty, and ambiguity down into smaller parts in will not make them go away. There are too many elements beyond the control of traditional centers of power and authority. It is a network phenomenon and can’t be mastered through industrial age structures
dand practices.
Constant change can set people on edge because we humans crave certainty.
strategy+business, 2015
IN OVER OUR HEADS7
If our complexity of mind does not match the complexity of our environment, we may find ourselves overwhelmed, lacking
fid d th dg f b tconfidence, and on the edge of burnout.
In the words of Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey of the Harvard School of Education, most of us are in over our heads, which in turn means that we struggle to perform at our best.
EMERGING RESEARCH
Increasing numbers of leaders and researchers have found that how we
fmake sense of things is at least if not more important than what we know.know.
Kegan (1994); Rooke, D., & Torbert, W. R. (1998); Torbert W.R., Cook‐Greuter, S, Fischer, D., Foldy, E., Gauthier, A., Keely, J., et al (2004); Strang, S., & Kuhnert, K.W. (2009); McCauley, C.D., Drath, W.H., Palus, C.J., O’Connor, P.M.G. & Baker, B.A. (2006)
IBM GLOBAL CEO SURVEY
The great majority of CEOs expect that business complexity is going to increase, p y g g ,more than half doubt their ability to manage it.
Capitalizing on Complexity: Insights from the Global Chief Officer Study (2010)
Today’s global leadership teams are seeking ways to more effectively connect their y oleadership to the complex nature of their organizations. They sense a future made up of complex environments is less suited to the problem solving of lone decisive authority figures h h d b dthan it is to the distributed efforts of smart, flexible leadership networks.
Petrie, N. (2014) Future Trends in Leadership. Center for Creative Leadership
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N t k L d hi Network Leadership has an adaptive mindset, asking:“What conditions do we need for
leadership to flourish in the network?”leadership to flourish in the network?
ONE NETWORK LEADER’S STORY
“When I first came to Wilh.Wilhemsen, all my managers were , y gfocused on their own positions in the hierarchy. In my prior role running Scandinavian Airlines (SAS ‐ a global maritime transport organization with 14,000 employees in 70 countries.), I learned to see operations as a web of hubs and routes. I learned to see people and their relationships like that too. Your value as a leader in a global operation comes from how you connect with others in a way that mirrors how the work actually gets done. When managers really started to grasp the network perspective, we b h i bl d i t g t d Hi h became a much more nimble and integrated company. Hierarchy mattered less, and skillful relationships mattered more.
To get to this place required extensive leadership development and a shift to a more interdependent l B i i f i i l k h l b ll b i d
Ingar Skaug
culture. By raising awareness of organizational networks, the culture became more collaborative and innovative. At the end of the day it has an impact on the bottom line.
Wilh. Wilhemlemsen is constantly looking for new ways to strengthen its clean water strategy. In order to address the pressing societal problem of clean water we partner with multiple organizations across to address the pressing societal problem of clean water, we partner with multiple organizations across sectors. These robust collaborations within networks of clean water strategies, across boundaries, contribute to successful partnerships and greater business results within Wilh. Wilhelmsen.”
Network‐Savvy Executives: Five Advantages for Leaders in a Networked World,Network Savvy Executives: Five Advantages for Leaders in a Networked World,Center for Creative Leadership
Network leadership and organizational leadership have
Organizational Leadership
Network Leadership
organizational leadership have always co‐existed. The 20th
century privileged organizational leadership, focused on Leadership Leadership
Activity and ProcessCollective
leadership, focused on organizing resources and managing delivery of goods and services. With the rise of
Role and AuthorityIndividual
FacilitativeEmergent
Relational, ConnectiveAll‐Way
globalization, greater capacity of people, resources, and ideas to self‐organize, the 21st century
ControlDirective
TransactionalTop‐Down
is increasingly seeing the power of network approaches.
Network leaders need to be as good, if not better, at influencing how stakeholders work gtogether as they are at using formal authority to drive activity
Network leadership is more about influence Network leadership is more about influence than control; it is also a more indirect than direct form of leadership, requiring leaders to create a work environment based on create a work environment based on autonomy, empowerment, trust, sharing, and collaboration
fThe introduction of network leadership requires a shift in the relative importance of many core competencies
It turns out when you take a network approach , in fact what you are doing is pp , y gemphasizing the collective dimensions of leadership. What you’re saying is leadership is not just about an individual taking action, but it’s about the dynamic that gets created when that person is engaged in a very interdependent l ti hi ith l t f th relationship with lots of others.
Ultimately what you are doing is taking leadership to the next level and making it p ga property of a system
The environment for leadership has changed—it is more complex, volatile, and uncertain and ambiguous (VUCA).
The skills needed for leadership have also changed—more complex and adaptive thinking abilities are needed.
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The most commonly cited capabilities that will be most valuable to the future leader:
• Adaptability• Self‐Awareness• Self‐Awareness• Complexity/Network/Systems Thinking• Boundary Spanning• Collaboration
Mindsets are hard to change. There are often emotional dimensions reinforced often emotional dimensions, reinforced by neural pathways in the brain. (Goleman, 2006)
Leaders need to unlearn old mindsets about leadership as well as reflexive default behaviors that adults bring to leadership. (Bertelsmann, 2010)p ( , )
+VERTICAL DEVELOPMENTHORIZONTAL DEVELOPMENT
Expand capacity Outcomes‐focused adaptabilityGreater choice and flexibility
Add knowledge and skillsProblem‐focused solutioning
Application of technical
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expertise
VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT & NETWORK LEADERSHIP
Competencies Conforming ‐ Expert Achiever Catalyst‐CocreatorCompetencies g p y
StrategicThinking
• Short‐term view
• Tactical tasks
• Black and white
• Medium‐term view
• Sees parts of the system
d
• Long‐term view
• Sees many shades of gray
• Sees many patterns and connectionsThinking
• Either/or
• High need for certainty
• Sees some patterns and connections
connections
• Accepts uncertainty as the norm
• Expects change to come f b
• Has own views about best change • Change Is a collaborative
Leading Change
from above
• Needs and trusts
authority to give direction
• High need for certainty
change
• Sees the mechanics of change needed
• Success Is achievement of Individuals and teams
process
• Comfortable with ambiguity
• Success means realization of a shared vision
Conflict• To be avoided • Authority
is in charge
• Feels torn by conflict
• Worked out behind
closed doors
• Produces winners and losers
• Healthy way to gather more views
• Something to be encouraged
• Increases learning and y Produces winners and losers Increases learning and performance
Leading • Trust allies and people
you know
• Able to think from others' perspectives
• Sees the world through others' perspectives to understand more
acrossBoundaries
you know
• Them versus us
• Distrust of outsider
• Horse trades for favors
• Focused on success of own silo
• Share knowledge across boundaries
• Works in partnership with other functions
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DEVELOPING ADAPTIVE NETWORK LEADERSHIP CAPACITY
Capacity Building Initiative
Individual Leadership“I”
Cross‐Functional Team“I – We”
Network Level “I – We – It”
Senior LeadershipAction Learning
Develop adaptive leadership capacity for systems thinking and change leadership,
Develop the cross‐functional teams capacity to leverage peer relationships and
Not primary emphasis,but scalable
including the ability to build cross‐functional relationships
collaborate
Executive Leadership Collective Impact
Initiatives
Develop adaptive capacity to develop high trust,
ll b i i
Develop collective capacity of network leaders to align their
l d i i i
Develop adaptive capacity to align functions with shared i i d ll i l collaborative, systemic
relationshipsgoals and activities across boundaries
vision, and collectively lead systems change
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WHAT VERTICAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES GROW A NETWORK MINDSET?
• Support convening and processes that build pp g prelationships across boundaries
• Cultivate and practice with a network mindset and tools• Invest in communities of learning and practice• Re‐tool your leadership program to ‘walk the talk’• Facilitate action learning• Facilitate action learning
Leadership Learning Community (2012) Leadership & Networks: New Ways of Developing Leadership in a Highly Connected World
CASE STUDY
Life Science Leader feature article on the Allston Landing Transformation and People pPlan (June 2014)
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GROWING ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP NETWORKS
“We wanted to ensure we had the talent and that the leadership and the workforce had the capabilities to adapt to all the changes,” says Poole.
At the core of the People Plan were two initiatives: a change‐leadership capacity‐building program and the Allston DNA Cafe.
The Allston DNA Cafe gathered the plant’s 80 leaders in groups of i ht h d b l d hi d h t Th eight peers, coached by leadership and change experts. The groups
met once a month each participant would also share real‐life problems and discuss potential solutions with their peers.
Poole is effusive about the initiative “That program has been hugely Poole is effusive about the initiative. That program has been hugely successful. Testimonies from the individuals show this was impactful in their jobs and personal lives,” she says.
Giving the leadership these new skills and renewed faith in their Giving the leadership these new skills and renewed faith in their abilities helped them weather the setbacks that occur in any transformation effort……”
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CONTEXT ACTION LEARNING – AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM
Leadership Development ProfileLeadership Circle 360 CUED for Action Peer Coaching(ELT DNA C fé )
Name: Anna Sample Leadership Development Profile
Stage Sentences scored Distribution of your sentences
(ELT DNA Café 2012‐13)
Stage at each stage Distribution of your sentences
Impulsive
Opportunist
Diplomat 5 15 23 24 33
Expert 7 18 19 20 21 22 32
Achiever1 3 4 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 25 27 28 29 30 31 34 35 36
Impulsive
Opportunist
Diplomat
Expert
Achiever
Individualist 2 16 26
Strategist
Alchemist
Ironist
Date scored: 01 February 2005Profiler: EBProfile No: 2005
0 4 8 12 16 20 24Number of sentences scored at each stage
Individualist
Strategist
Alchemist
Ironist
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1. SENIOR LEADER CUED FOR ACTIONTM
• Action Learning: a systems approach to learning by doing; develops strategic leadership competencies while developing cross‐functional collaboration and addressing real business challenges
• Customized: align with business goals• Customized: align with business goals• A ‘container’ for individual and team
development; multiple elements continuously evolve to create space for y pleadership
• Achieves multiple aligned outcomes which amplify over time
Best Practice Leadership Development
Beyond the knowledge gained, we also see relationships formed that significantly
support cross‐boundary collaborations that i i d dd h b i • A proven arc of development from I’m not
alone to we can collaborate for change to it starts with me
are positioned to address whatever business opportunities and challenges emerge.
Action Learning: A Recipe for Success
Marshall Goldsmith, Harvard Business Review
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MONTHLY SESSION
PEER COACHING DEBRIEFCHECK‐IN ACTION REPORTS SKILL BUILDING
Cross functional Leaders learn & Leaders provide Leaders share Leaders critique the Cross‐functional peers coach each other on leadership challenges
Context’s Collective
Leaders learn & practice skills effective for leading change ; explore how to use them to navigate complexity
Leaders provide updates on actions they’ve taken, based on outcomes of peer coaching.
Leaders share stories about what’s going on for them at work and how it is affecting their motivation to lead
Leaders critique the session and practice giving feedback about ways of working together; state intentions to
Impact method facilitated by experienced coach deepens insight.
g p ythey face at work.and learn apply learning
“This is the first opportunity I’ve had in my career to truly talk about leadership in real situations”
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ADDRESSING NETWORK LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES
How do I approach my role, with highlevel stakeholders holding
different ideas of the ideal outcome? How can I micromanageless and coach to build
it ?capacity more?
How do I manage up to get what I need and be more creative with what I have?
How can I shift my style from caretaking to leadership?
How can I ensure my groupcontinues to play a strategic role
What creative options are
How do I deliver a site‐critical project & maintain commitment to developing Genzyme employees, when contract
p y gdespite reduced visibility because of recent organizational changes?
How do I think differently and continue to push myselfto prepare for future roles at Genzyme?
What creative options are available for me to manage an employee
who has both attitude and performance issues?
resources currently outperform them?
How can we authentically understand the employee engagement survey and ensure
the outcome is better employee engagement?
How can I keep a new group engaged and performing at a high level as
change takes place?
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EMERGENCE OF NETWORK THINKING AND ACTION
Steering Committee
Integrating patterns from DNA sessions,
ELT, and broader
organization
Building facilitation capacity by apprenticing with Coach
Group Facilitators Group
Facilitatorsorganization
Skill Building
k h
ELT
SLTEL
TELT
ELT
ELT
ELT
ELT
ELT
Workshops
Action Learning Coaches
Action Learning CoachesProcess Facilitators, Action
Learning Coaches Learning Coaches, Skillbuilding Guides
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2. EXECUTIVE COLLECTIVE IMPACT INITIATIVES
A systemic approach to achieving results around a common change agenda. Through learning by doing, builds capacity to lead in complexity. Solutions continually evolve within an ever‐hchanging environment.
Leaders of successful collective impact initiatives have embraced new ways of initiatives have embraced new ways of seeing, learning and doing that marries emergent solutions with intentional outcomesoutcomes
‐ Stanford Social Innovation Review (2014)
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DEVELOPING NETWORK CAPAICTY VIA COLLECTIVE IMPACT INITIATIVES
Common Agenda: Talent DevelopmentCommon Agenda: Talent Development
1. COMMON AGENDAChange goal is meaningful to each leader, lies within their sphere of influence, and would have real
2. SHARED MEASUREMENT Agreed upon ways to determine outcomes
and promote alignment and accountability among participants
5. BACKBONE SUPPORT Specific expertise is applied to frame
and support the initiative & toCoordinate other principles
ue ce, a d ou d a e eaimpact for the organization if
addressed
Five Conditions for accountability among participants
4. Continuous communication.Leaders use open communication to build
Coordinate other principles for Collective Impact
3. Mutually reinforcing activities Leaders take action that is differentiated yet
trust, coordinate activities, and create common motivation
coordinated through a mutually reinforcing plan of action
• Define common agenda
Offsite 1
•Explore my part
In Function•Set mutually reinforcing activities
Offsite 2
•Self Organize and take action
In Function
Process