Three Perspectives Of Leadership

Templum Fidelis No. 74615 Jan 2011

R.W. Bro. Bill Lewis

Metaphors for Leadership• Which of these examples reflects the true

nature of leadership?

• Social activist• Servant• Hospice Volunteer• Squadron leader• Student Body Pres.• CEO - Enron• Gang Leader• H.S. Principal• Sorority President• Babysitter• Drum Major

• Jazz-band Conductor

• Teacher• Therapist• Team Captain• Priest• Project Manager• Union Steward• Sales Manager• Sunday Sch.

Teacher• Head Nurse• Shepherd

• K-Mart Supervisor• Camp Counselor• x-country Coach• NBA Star• Civil Rights Leader• Cop• 747 Captain• Baseball Manager• Military leader• Fireman• President. USA

• What do these choices say about your view of leadership?• Which leadership theory best explains the leadership process in the

examples you selected?

How Do We Conceptualize Leadership?

• the perspective of group processes

• a personality perspective

• the perspective of bases of power

• the perspective of shared power

• a behavioral perspective• the perspective of

change agent• a skills perspective• an ethics perspective

• an instrument of goal achievement

• a political process• community action• an assigned or emergent

process

FROM: AS:

Assumptions about Leadership

• Leadership is not a mystery• Leadership is available to everyone• Leadership does not reside in the individual• Leadership involves influence• Leadership has an ethical responsibility• Leadership means focusing on goals

Ten Basic Premises Of Leadership• Where we are in our understanding of

leadership is a function of where we have been.

• There is no one formula for leadership.• Leadership is not differentiated by setting.• Our understanding of leadership requires

the vantage point of multiple perspectives.• Studying leadership across a range of

human differences is the only way to approach the subject in the 21st Century.

Basic Premises (continued)• Leadership can best be understood

through metaphors & described indirectly through paradigms.

• The only leadership is ethical leadership.

• Good leaders are good followers.• Every leader leads differently.• Leadership is a verb.

What Should be Taught in Leadership Programs?

• Selected theories of Leadership• Decision-making skills• How to handle conflict• How to tolerate differences & appreciate diversity

• Teamwork• Communication• Civic responsibility• Planning & goal setting• Listening• Creative problem solving

Philosophical Presuppositions• Behind any model are fundamental,

philosophical presuppositions– Tao of Leadership: unites leadership skills

& leader’s way of life (“our work is our path”) (concept of ‘servant leader’)

– Leader must be a facilitator of the same growth & transformation experienced

– 2 distinct areas of expertise required: technical & people skills

Bennis & Nanus

• Leadership competencies have remained constant throughout the years, but our understanding of what it is, how it works & the ways in which people learn to apply it has changed over the past decades

As a culture, we have outdated notions of

leadership:• Just about everything we were taught

about traditional management prevents us from being effective leaders.

• Just about every popular notion about leadership is a myth

Our first challenge is to rid ourselves

of these outdated

traditions and myths

Myth: Leaders are visionaries with Merlin-like

powers Fact: Leaders must have a vision, a sense of direction, but not psychic foresight. It can be their original thinking or someone else’s.

Five Fundamental Practices of Exemplary Leaders

• Model The Way• Inspire A Shared Vision • Challenge The Process• Enable Others To Act• Encourage The Heart

The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner

Two hardest areas also bring the greatest results: Encouragement

Credibility

Leadership In The Canadian Forces

& The Effect of Culture

Background

• Majority of leadership writing focused on the Army, specifically on the “combat warrior”

• Majority of Air Force writings on the USAF• To date, a lack of investment in the Canadian Air

Force on examining its own culture & leadership• Leadership writings focus on traditional operator

roles of all services, with little attention paid to the large population that support ops.

Culture• Understanding of culture key to understanding the

evolution of leadership & development of leaders

• Every organization has a culture

• Schein “a pattern of shared basic assumptions that was learned by a group as it solved its problems of external adoption & internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid &, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, & feel in relation to those problems”

Three levels of Culture• Artifacts – symbols, structure, language,

ceremonies & rituals

• Espoused beliefs & values – originate with the individual who is the founding leader

• Underlying assumptions – level from which future behaviour can be most accurately predicted

Why Is Culture Important?

• Schein argued that “the only thing of real importance that leaders do is create & manage culture… the unique talent of leaders is their ability to understand & work with culture”

• Culture guides the behaviour of members by establishing a set of structures, routines, rules & norms

CF Leadership Model• Introduced in 2005• Based on Transformational Leadership• Leading People & Leading The

Institution• Defines 5 dimensions & prescribes

responsibilities for each dimension

Canadian Forces Leader Framework

Leader Development Framework

Leader Framework Elements

Lead

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Leadership In The Lodge

• One of the elements of the DDGM Course

• Discussed in many Masonic books, including the Information Booklet for perspective DDGMs, The Masonic Manual, Beyond the Pillars, etc.

Information Booklet For Perspective DDGMs

• The Second Section, behind Personal Requirements

• “As District Leader, you must understand what, when, how and why you are leading. A good leader demonstrates understanding, compassion, justice, charity and discipline. Above all he must develop a thorough understanding of the job.”

The Masonic Manual• “The leadership function consists not only of innate

qualities of judgement and perception, but also of various skills. These skills need to be learnt.”

• The general functions of a leader:– To lay out a broad outline to tackle a problem– To break it down into smaller segments– To assign the control and conduct of these

segments to others– To ensure that each fulfills his tasks– To be ready to step in when needed– To offer encouragement to those that seem to be

faltering

Leadership Training Programs Offered By Grand Lodge

• The Mentor Program• Towards The Square• The Team Management Program• The College of Freemasonry• The DDGM Preparatory Course

Summary

• Leadership is not magical.

• Leadership is guided by theory.

• Leadership skills can be learned.

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