Political & Directive Leadership

Lecture 1 & 2 Notes

Fundamental Assumptions

• People act out of self-interest and personal pursuit of power, wealth, and influence

• Careerism-focused on their own needs• Scarcity of resources-zero sum game• Intensifying competition outside and

complexity inside companies call for increased specialization

• Organizational units are embedded with Localitis

Political LeadershipCentral tenets

• Move forward in small incremental steps

• Orchestrate change from behind the scenes

• Selective use of shared information

Setting and Communicating Goals

• Keep your goals flexible, sometimes vague

• Broad goals minimizes the likelihood that opposition will mobilize

• Involve as many as possible to maximize creativity and innovation

• Communicate the strategy over time

Formal Systems and Structures

• Value loyalty in key positions

• Staffs can be a powerful resource to review and evaluate results for “contamination”

• Tilt towards greater dependency on staff assessment

Resolving Conflicts

• Don’t signal your position pre-maturely• Negotiate compromises that are most

likely to reduce and defuse opposition to objectives

• Save face for those that might lose in the situation, if necessary

• Since compromise is likely, answer the question what am I willing to give up?

Directive LeadershipFundamental Assumptions

• People are also motivated by a drive to realize their potential

• They want to take responsibility for their decision and enjoy the satisfaction of success

• Believe people are willing to meld self-interest with corporate interest

• Organizations need strong pushes toward coherence and goals

• Coherence and substance are more important than style

Setting and Communicating Goals

• Leaders strive to embrace a clear vision

• Encourage open debate grounded in facts

• Prone to act and set the agenda

• Strive for internal cooperation

• Embrace consistency of purpose and action

Formal Systems and Structures

• Systems and structures are not ends in and of themselves

• Rather should be adapted to meet the needs of the business

• Design and redesign systems and structures consistent with means and ends

Resolving Conflicts

• Demand open and frank exchanges• Some disagreements reflect fundamental

differences in knowledge, assumptions, and view of risks

• Information is a powerful tool to build a commitment for shared purpose, goals, and actions

• Once the issues have been aired and the strategy is set, everyone pulls together

Political vs. Directive

• P-Bias toward being led by bottom-up influence over DM

• P-More willingness to rely on corporate staff

• D-Bias toward top-down influence over DM distinguishes strategic from tactical

• D-Fully engaged at all necessary levels