The Importance of Leadership Role Models in Organizational Transformation
In this interview excerpt, the discussion centered around the critical role of leadership in driving organizational transformation. The conversation highlighted that while being a role model is a common theme in leadership courses, its significance is magnified during times of change.
Key Takeaways
Role Model in Transformation: The concept of being a role model takes on a deeper meaning during organizational change. Leaders must embody the change they wish to see, as emphasized by the famous quote from Gandhi.
Challenges for Leaders: It’s not always easy for leaders to recognize their own need for change. One CEO, who had been part of the company culture for 20 years, realized that their own behavior was a barrier to the transformation they were advocating.
Feedback and Reflection: The CEO received feedback that employees would only change when they saw changes in the CEO’s behavior. This led to a period of reflection and personal change for the CEO.
Practical Steps: To facilitate this change, the organization implemented leadership scorecards. These scorecards tracked how leaders spent their time and with whom, and were displayed publicly to encourage accountability and peer review.
Conclusion
The interview excerpt underscored the necessity for leaders to “walk the talk” and truly become the change they wish to see in their organizations. This approach not only sets a powerful example but also fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
References
The concepts presented in the video are from my CEO Leading Transformation research. For more on these concepts, check out the two papers that describe and discuss all the concepts included in the leadership framework.
Latham, J. R. (2013a). A framework for leading the transformation to performance excellence part I: CEO perspectives on forces, facilitators, and strategic leadership systems. Quality Management Journal, 20(2), 22.
Latham, J. R. (2013b). A framework for leading the transformation to performance excellence part II: CEO perspectives on leadership behaviors, individual leader characteristics, and organizational culture. Quality Management Journal, 20(3), 22.