it leadership conference 2008 - mor associates · 2008 it leadership conference 21 implications for...

Leadership as Performance Art

2008 IT Leadership Conference 1

Harry L. Davis([email protected])

Roger L. and Rachel M. Goetz Distinguished Service Professor of Creative ManagementGraduate School of Business

University of Chicago

IT Leadership Conference 2008

Why a Performing Arts Metaphor?

1. Universality“All the world’s a stage…”




2. AgilityLeaders appear in many “plays” at the same time, and playmany different roles throughout their careers.





3. Practical The complex role of a leader can be decomposed into manageable pieces and practiced.





3. Practical The complex role of a leader can be decomposed into manageable pieces and practiced.

4. ImpactOne’s power and influence derives from the performance ofone’s role.


Clearing up Two Misconceptions

1. Acting is the opposite of beingfake—pretending to be someone thatyou are not. Acting is a journey towardauthenticity.


Clearing up Two Misconceptions

1. Acting is the opposite of beingfake—pretending to be someone thatyou are not. Acting is a journey towardauthenticity.

Process acting, as opposed to productacting, means that every performance isin some ways unique and deeplyresponsive to the context. Spontaneityis key.


Guiding Perspectives

People, similar to actors, have manypossible selves

No one self is any more real than anyother

High performance in any role requiresbringing the appropriate self to specificperformance occasions


Personal Qualities as “Characters”

How someone plays any role can be understoodby the set of personal qualities that they chooseto display to others

Perspectives Talents Values Behaviors Skills

These qualities can be captured by the idea of“characters” on stage

Viewing qualities as “characters” providesobjectivity and avoids stereotyping



Illustrative Characters

The Adventurous One The Focused One The Playful OneThe Analytic One The Generalist The PoliticianThe Anthropologist The Idealist The Problem SolverThe Artist The Impatient One Quick StartThe Collaborator The Introvert The RebelThe Controller The Intuitive One The Relentless OneThe Curious One The Judge The SalesmanThe Cynic The Loner The SkepticThe Detective The Mad Scientist The SpecialistThe Dreamer The Optimist The StorytellerThe Energizer The Passionate One The TinkererThe Experimenter The Patient One The TricksterThe Expert The Perfectionist The VisionaryThe Extrovert The Planner The Workaholic


An Aerial View of a Theater Stage

Upstage

Downstage

Audience

ProsceniumArch

Wings

Stage Door


Five Possible Locations for Characters

1. Center Stage

2. Peripheral

3. Marginal

4. Back Stage

5. Stage Door


The Stage Page**©The Stage Page Tool, Barbara Lanebrown, 2007

Center-Stage CharactersPersonal qualities that I am very

comfortable showing to this audience



Peripheral CharactersPersonal qualities that I am less

comfortable showing to this audience



Marginal CharactersPersonal qualities visible tothis audience but not to me



Back-StageCharacters

Personal qualitiesthat I hide fromthis audience



Stage-DoorCharacters

Personal qualitiesunknown to meand to others

??

??

Stage Page 1: A Picture of the Present____________________ as _________________


Upstage

Downstage

Why do I now set my stage in this way?

Key: Center Stage Peripheral Marginal Back Stage

(How I currently set my stage in relating to an audience that is important to me )


Implications for Leaders

1. The way in which someone relates to the outsideworld and to themselves is greatly influenced by theposition of characters on stage




2. Characters are not inherently “good” or “bad”





3. A necessary prerequisite for effective leadership:♦ Access to a large and diverse inventory of characters

♦ Flexibility in bringing the right characters center stage given thetask and the audience





3. A necessary prerequisite for effective leadership:♦ Access to a large and diverse inventory of characters

♦ Flexibility in bringing the right characters center stage given thetask and the audience

4. Leadership skills improve through repeated practiceand performance opportunities

Defining Transition

“Transition is the process of letting go of theway things used to be and then taking hold ofthe way they subsequently become. Inbetween the letting go and the taking holdagain, there is a chaotic but potentiallycreative ‘neutral zone’ when things aren't theold way, but aren't really a new way yeteither.”

William Bridges, The Way of Transition, 2001


Becoming an EX*

“Disengagement from old roles is a complex

process that involves shifts in reference

groups, friendship networks, relationships

with former group members and, most

important, shifts in a person’s own sense of

self-identity.” [italics added]

Helen Rose Fuchs Ebaugh, Becoming an EX: The Process of Role Exit, Chicago, 1988


Changing from an “Old” to a “New” Identity** Adapted from: Gilmore, Shea and Useem, “Side Effects of Cultural Transformations”


Time

Legi

timac

y

High

Low

Loss of the “old”identity

Zone of Reduced Competence(“I’m trying to master new skills yet I’m fearful of

acknowledging my lack of these skills.”)

Emergence of the “new” identity


Introducing IU’sDennis Cromwell

Stage Page IDennis as Technical Manager (1994-1998)

What characters were center stage; what characters were peripheral; what charactersmight have been marginal; what characters were either back stage or stage door?


Upstage

Downstage

Key: Center Stage Peripheral Marginal Back Stage Stage Door

?

?

?

?

The Expert The Controller

The Problem Solver

The Planner

The Workaholic

The PoliticianThe Analytic One

The Tinkerer

The Experimenter

The Salesman

The Perfectionist

The VisionaryThe Intuitive One

Stage Page IIDennis as Director (1998-2006)

What characters were center stage; what characters were peripheral; what charactersmight have been marginal; what characters were either back stage or stage door?


Upstage

Downstage


?

?

?

?

The Collaborator The Problem Solver

The Analytic OneThe planner

The GeneralistThe Passionate One

The Optimist

The Politician

The Salesman

The ExpertThe Workaholic

The Controller

The Visionary

The Intuitive OneThe Tinkerer

Stage Page IIIDennis as AVP (2006 – Present)

What characters are now center stage; what characters are now peripheral; what characters, if any, remain marginal or back stage?


Upstage

Downstage


?

?

??

The Generalist

The Salesman The Collaborator

The Visionary

The Analytic OneThe Impatient One

The Planner The Playful OneThe Experimenter

The WorkaholicThe Passionate One

The Intuitive One

The Politician

The Controller

The Anthropologist

The Storyteller

The Detective

Stage Page 2: A Picture of the Future____________________ as _________________


Upstage

Downstage

Why do I want to set my stage in this way?

Key:Center StagePeripheralBack Stage

(How I would like to set my stage in relating to this important audience )

Getting Started

• Make a commitment to practice and obtainfeedback:


Getting Started

• Make a commitment to practice and obtainfeedback:– Work on one new character at a time



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT_CHj78jUE

Getting Started


– Ask others for feedback using the stage pagetool


Getting Started


– Ask others for feedback using the stage pagetool

– Write things down


Some Readings

• Books:– William Ball, Relation to Actors, 1984– Uta Hagen, The Challenge for the Actor, 1991– Paul Woodruff, The Necessity of Theater, 2008

• Articles:– Frank Barrett, “Creativity and Improvisation in Jazz and

Organizations,” Organization Science, Vol. 9 Issue 5, 1998– Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, “The Dangers of Feeling Like a Fake,”

Harvard Business Review, September 2005– Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, “Managing Authenticity,” Harvard

Business Review, December 2005


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