Assessing and Developing Adaptable Leaders for an Age of Uncertainty

Transcription

1 Assessing and Developing Adaptable Leaders for an Age of Uncertainty Institutionally, the ability to be agile enough is the gut issue in leading an organization today. James McNerney CEO

2 Assessing and Developing Adaptable Leaders for an Age of Uncertainty Relax, It's Only Uncertainty Randall P. White The Many Faces of Learning Agility Kenneth P. De Meuse, Guangrong Dai, & George S. Hallenbeck Assessing Flexible Leadership as a Mastery of Opposites Rob Kaiser & Darren Overfield Handouts available at

3 Assessing Flexible Leadership as a Mastery of Opposites Robert Kaiser Darren Overfield In concurrent session, Assessing and Developing Adaptable Leadership for an Age of Uncertainty Flexibility is crucial But how to assess it? Yukl & Lepsinger (2004). Flexible leadership. Jossey-Bass.

4 The obvious answer Trait flexibility as a generic tendency to adapt behavior to changing circumstances Items Varies approach with the situation Makes adjustments in behavior Takes ideas different from own seriously Not set in his/her ways Thinks in terms of trade-offs Not compelling conceptually Not behaviorally precise; hard to act on Weakly related to effectiveness Kaiser, Lindberg, & Craig (2007). Assessing flexibility. Int l Journal of Selection & Ass t An Alternative Mastery of Opposites capability and skill with complementary behaviors that seem incompatible Conceptual/theoretical basis Behaviorally specific/prescriptive More predictive of effectiveness Kaiser, Lindberg, & Craig (2007). Assessing flexibility. Int l Journal of Selection & Ass t

5 Wisdom of opposites Competing Values Framework People & Relationships Human Relations Open Systems Adaptation to External Environment Process & System Efficiencies Internal Processes Rational Goals Production & Results Quinn, R.E. (1988). Beyond rational management.

6 Tough-Love Human Relations Rational Goals Push for productivity while also building cohesion & morale Quinn, R.E. (1988). Beyond rational management. Practical-Vision Open Systems Internal Processes Adapt/introduce change and maintain stability & predictability Quinn, R.E. (1988). Beyond rational management.

7 playing multiple, even competing roles, in a highly integrated & complementary way Hooijberg & Quinn (1992). Behavioral complexity leader effectiveness entails the mastery of countervailing behavior patterns Zaccaro (2001). Nature of executive leadership using opposing approaches, unrestricted by bias for one and prejudice against the other. Kaplan & Kaiser (2006). The versatile leader Assessment Behavioral content Measurement method Quantifying a higher-order concept integrating opposing scores

8 Behavior Tough-Love Initiation Autocratic Task-oriented Transactional Short-term Stability Efficiency Consideration Participative People-oriented Transformational Long-term Change Innovation Practical-Vision Management Realizing efficiency through command and control Leadership Inspiring people with a vision for change Self-assertive and directive Taking Charge and Initiative Autocratic and Decisive Expectations and Accountability Collaborative and supportive Empowerment and Delegation Democratic and Participative Supportive and Considerate Interpersonal How Short-term execution Implementation and Tactical Details Efficiency and Conservation Stability and Reliability Long-term strategy Vision and Direction Setting Growth and Expansion Innovation and Adaptation Organizational What

9 Measurement 1-to-5 rating scales Opposites are positively related Task-oriented r = People-oriented N = 493 executives Kaiser & Kaplan (2005). The folly of linear scales. Performance Appraisals: A Critical View New response scale Too little The right Much Barely too little too little Barely Much too much too much Kaiser & Kaplan (2005). Overlooking overkill? Human Resources Planning Journal

10 Polarity effect Forceful Too little The right Too little The right Enabling r = -.59 Strategic Too little The right Too little The right Operational r = -.21 N = 484 middle to senior managers Methods Matter Task-oriented r r = People-oriented Forceful Too little The right Too little The right Enabling r = -.59

11 Integrating opposing scores Different response scales, different methods not Once in Sometimes Fairly Frequently, at all while often if not always Too little The right Much too little Barely too little Barely too much Much too much Kaiser, Lindberg, & Craig (2007). Assessing flexibility. Int l Journal of Selection & Ass t 1-to-5 Ratings Integrative balance = [(k-1) ( X Y )] * [(X + Y)/2] X and Y are opposites to be integrated X and Y are measured on a k-point scale COLLABORATIVE DIRECTIVE Bobko & Schwartz (1984). Integrating related constructs. Journal of Personality Assessment

12 /Too little Ratings Too Much DIRECTIVE Too Little COLLABORATIVE -4 C A B Too Much COLLABORATIVE Too Little DIRECTIVE Kaiser, Overfield, & Kaplan (2010). Leadership Versatility Index 3.0 Facilitator s Guide Too Much DIRECTIVE +4 Too Little COLLABORATIVE -4 50% 75% % 100% % +4 Too Much COLLABORATIVE Too Little DIRECTIVE Kaiser, Overfield, & Kaplan (2010). Leadership Versatility Index 3.0 Facilitator s Guide

13 Predicting effectiveness Too little The right Much Barely too little too little Barely Much too much too much Forceful taking the lead and pushing for performance Enabling creating conditions for others to lead and contribute Operational focusing the organization on the short term Strategic positioning the organization for the future Copyright Kaplan DeVries Inc. All rights reserved. Forceful Leadership taking the lead and pushing for performance Takes charge Declares/decides Pushes Operational Leadership focusing the organization on the short term Execution Efficiency Order How You Lead What You Lead Enabling Leadership creating conditions for others to lead and contribute Empowers Listens/includes Supports Strategic Leadership positioning the organization for the future Direction Growth Innovation Kaplan & Kaiser (2006). The Versatile Leader. Pfiefer/Wiley.

14 Effectiveness indicators Perceived overall effectiveness Single-item rating on 10-pt scale, 5 = adequate, 10 = outstanding (peer ratings) Team performance Vitality (subordinate ratings of morale, engagement, & cohesion) Productivity (superior ratings of quantity, quality, & overall output) Kaiser, Hogan, & Craig (2008). Leadership and the Fate of Organizations. American Psychologist Research method 484 managers 126 GM or Executive 204 Functional head, Middle manager 110 Manager or supervisor 44 did not indicate level Mostly N. American (<20% EU, AP) Each rated by avg of 13 coworkers 2 Superiors 5 Peers 6 Subordinates Method Use avg. All Coworker ratings of behavior to predict effectiveness Peer ratings of Overall Effectiveness Subordinate ratings of Team Vitality Superior ratings of Team Productivity

15 Flexibility & leader effectiveness How What Forceful-Enabling Versatility Strategic-Oper l Versatility Model R Overall Effectiveness (peers).30***.38***.64*** Team Vitality (subs).32***.16*.46*** Team Productivity (boss) ***.36*** N = 484 middle to senior managers. Versatility based on average rating across all coworkers. Effectiveness based on peer ratings; Team Vitality based on subordinate ratings; Team Productivity based on superior ratings. 78% Copyright Kaplan DeVries Inc. All rights reserved.

16 1o. Pays attention to detail has a finger on the pulse of day-to-day activities. The right Too little D P S Y 1s. Thinks broadly takes a big-picture perspective. Y S P Shortcoming D Strength Strength overused Copyright Kaplan DeVries Inc. All rights reserved. Relative Advantages Trait Approach Simple and intuitive, familiar method Requires fewer items, esp. important if required to use elaborate competency model Straight forward computation of scores (compared to black box in Mastery of Opposites methods) Mastery of Opposites Reflects the tensions and tradeoffs managers are familiar with More highly related to leadership effectiveness Behaviorally specific; more diagnostic value Dovetails with theory Situational ( when to do what ) Developmental (Jung, Erickson)

17 Applications Use existing tools based mastery of opposites Human Relations Internal Processes Open Systems Rational Goals Apply methodology to existing competency models/360s Competency Model 1. Drive Action for -oriented results 17. Resourcefulness Upward influence 2. Team player 18. Political Public speaking savvy 3. Visionary 19. Delegation Business acumen 4. Upward influence 20. Participative Empowering 5. Political savvy 21. Stress Networking tolerance 6. Decisive 22. Integrity Honesty 7. Drive Action-oriented for results 23. Master Visionary complexity 8. Customer focus 24. Manage Decisive self 9. Delegation 25. Action Composure -oriented 10. Participative 26. Drive Emotional for results IQ 11. Networking 27. Learning Customer agility focus 12. Integrity 28. Diversity Sfds afsd fds 13. Sfds Mentoring afsd fds 29. Dsfasdsd Culturally Aware 14. Coaching Dsfasdsd 15. Opeofweio Negotiation 16. fsaopjojpldfopdpas Interpersonal skill 30. Opeofweio Change agent 31. Fjojpldfopdpas Courage 32. Sadfasdlk Creativity Create your own assessment protocol Create your own Construct leadership models in terms of opposites Cover interpersonal how and organizational what Management Leadership Realizing efficiency through Inspiring people with a command and control vision for change Self-assertive and directive Collaborative and supportive Taking Charge and Initiative Empowerment and Delegation Interpersonal Autocratic and Decisive Democratic and Participative How Expectations and Accountability Supportive and Considerate Short-term execution Long-term strategy Implementation and Tactical Details Vision and Direction Setting Organizational Efficiency and Conservation Growth and Expansion What Stability and Reliability Innovation and Adaptation Don t assume more is better assess for too little and too much Too little The right Start Stop Continue

18 The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. F. Scott Fitzgerald "The Crack-Up" (1936) Handouts available at