Welcome to the eleventh application lab in the [Re]Create Application Lab Collection. The lab includes a downloadable workbook (PDF), a video, and editable worksheets (PPTX).
Introduction
Organization design is a collaborative process. No single individual knows enough to design an organization by themselves, although many try. Even if there were such an individual, involving others in the design helps reduce resistance to implementing the new design. In many ways, a collaborative leadership style is the art of leading transformation.
There are nine leader behaviors in the framework that support the system for leading design and transformation including (1) role model, (2) respect for people, (3) collaborative, (4) communication, (5) persistence, (6) hold accountable, (7) systems thinking, (8) personal involvement, and (9) personal learning (Diagram 11-1). Together these nine behaviors form a collaborative leadership style that supports the nine leadership activities in the leadership system (Labs 2 through 10).
Role Model – To be credible, the leader as an organization designer must change first. Without credibility, the new design will not result in different behaviors throughout the organization. Effective leaders role model the other eight behaviors that make up the leadership style of the organization architect.
Respect for People – If you want people to collaborate and change, then, you must treat them with respect. Successful organization architects treat people with respect and dignity regardless of position or status.
Collaborative – Organization transformation is complex, and the odds of success are low. Creating sustainable excellence requires a collaborative leader and a team-based approach.
Communication – Part of organization design and transformation is frequent communication using both formal and informal media and methods to convey the need for change as well as the approach to change.
Persistent – Most employees have seen a wide variety of change initiatives come and go. Leaders often have difficulty following through with the actual change. Why? One reason might be that developing strategies is a lot more fun than the hard work of actually implementing the strategy and running the organization.
Hold Accountable – Successful organizational transformation requires leaders to follow through and hold people accountable. Many organizations develop compelling visions and strategies but fail to follow through and implement the changes needed to make the vision a reality.
Systems Thinking – Not only are successful leaders skilled at systems thinking, but they are also strongly motivated to work with systems and processes. Successful leaders of change are systems thinkers and able to “connect the dots” to create an aligned and congruent organization.
Personal Involvement – Personal engagement in the organization’s design or redesign and transformation is required. You can’t delegate the overall design and integration of the organization system.
Personal Learning – Successful leaders of transformation are never satisfied with themselves or their organization. Coming “full circle,” the successful leader of change becomes the change they want to see, and they do this through reflection and learning from experience.
Read Chapter 11, Collaborative Leadership, in the [Re]Create Book.
Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Audible (Audiobook)
Application
Objective – Understand Collaborative Leadership concepts, components, and relationships and how they contribute to leadership and organization [re]design for sustainable excellence.
What is the ideal leadership style for your organization? In this lesson, you will apply the key collaborative leadership concepts to your organization. Specifically, describe the ideal leadership style that fits your unique organizational context like a glove.
Part One
Collaborative Leadership Style Video 0:35
Objective – Describe the “ideal” leadership style that fits your unique organizational context “like a glove.”
The ideal collaborative leadership style from the previous key concepts video consists of nine individual behaviors. This worksheet is focused on the desired leadership style for the overall organization. In the next lesson, you will assess your leadership style. For this worksheet, think about your organization, the organization’s context, the strategy, the mission, the vision, the values, and the culture you are trying to create. What would a leadership model or style look like that you could deploy throughout the organization?
1. Respect for People
Describe what it means in your organization to respect people and treat them with dignity, regardless of position. Be as specific as you can in describing behaviors and situations.
2. Collaborative
Describe what it means to be “truly” collaborative in your ideal organization. What does that look like?
3. Communication
Describe the communication behaviors that support a frank two-way dialogue with stakeholders.
4. Persistent
What does it mean to be persistent? What distinguishes persistent from close-minded arrogance?
5. Hold Accountable
Describe the ideal leadership style for holding people accountable. How would that best be done throughout the organization?
6. Systems Thinking
Describe what it means for a leader to be a systems thinker. What does that look like? What does that entail?
7. Personal Involvement
Describe what it means for a leader to be personally engaged and leading the transformation.
8. Personal Learning
Describe the behaviors that make up personal reflection and learning.
9. Role Model
There are two old sayings, “a leader is always on parade” and “actions speak louder than words.” In addition to the other eight behaviors, what are the behaviors essential to being a role model leader in your ideal organization?
Part Two
How does your leadership style reflect the nine leadership behaviors of a leader as an organization designer? This lesson aims to assess your collaborative leadership style and develop a personal leadership improvement plan. Specifically, you will assess your collaborative leadership style on all nine collaborative leadership behaviors then you will analyze your results and identify themes. Finally, you will develop a personal, collaborative leadership improvement plan.
Leadership Assessment Video 0:48
Objective – Assess your collaborative leadership style on ALL nine collaborative leadership behaviors.
We begin with a comprehensive leadership assessment. The leader as organization designer (LAOD) 9×9 self-assessment was originally developed based on research with CEOs who led successful organizational transformations, resulting in recognition as a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The assessment was developed further based on experience over the past 25-plus years of working with transformational leaders. The LAOD 9×9 is an 81-point diagnostic that assesses the 81 intersection points between the nine leadership activities and the nine leadership behaviors or styles.
The assessment is organized based on the nine leadership behaviors. For example, you will begin with the worksheet addressing leader role model behaviors and go through each question. There are nine of these worksheets, each with nine questions for a total of 81 questions. Once you finish the role model worksheet, move on to the next one: respect for people, and so on until you have completed all nine.
Leadership Assessment 9×9 Matrix Analysis Video 3:55
Objective – Analyze your results and identify the themes.
Once you have completed all nine assessment worksheets, analyze the results. To analyze the results, use the nine-by-nine matrix (Table 11-21). Once the matrix is populated with data, you can explore the themes related to leadership style (behaviors) and leadership system (activities).
Assessment Results – Questions 1 through 81 are listed in each cell. Take your first worksheet on role-model behaviors, and working across that row, insert your answers to questions one, two, three, and so forth. To make this a bit easier, download the PowerPoint version of the matrix worksheet in the sidebar. A color-coded matrix makes it easier to analyze and identify the themes.
Assessment Themes – Starting with the behaviors, look across the rows for the themes, and four themes stand out as scoring relatively low. In other words, a lot of yellow, pink, and some red. In the example, the four behaviors that score low include collaborative, persistent, systems thinking, and personal learning. The four themes are easier to see when we remove the color coding from the scores not included in the four themes.
Once you have analyzed the themes for the behaviors (rows), you can do the same thing for the leadership activities (columns). In this case, there are again four columns that score relatively low. In other words, a lot of yellow, pink, and red. Once again, the themes are even easier to see if we remove the other color coding.
When you combine the two types of themes, four behavior (rows) themes, and four activities (columns) themes, there are eight potential opportunities to work on.
Collaborative Leadership Improvement Plan Video 7:57
Objective – Develop a personal, collaborative leadership improvement plan.
1. Strengths to Leverage – What works well with your Collaborative Leadership Style? What behaviors should you keep and reinforce?
2. Opportunities for Improvement – What needs to be fixed or added to your Collaborative Leadership Style? What needs to change?
3. Development Activities – What are some things that you could do to improve the areas identified in Step 2?
Worksheets
- Complete – Complete the worksheets by yourself or with your group.
- Review – Present and explain your worksheets to your colleagues and boss and get their feedback.
- Revise – Incorporate their feedback into your worksheets.
Conclusion
The nine behaviors of collaborative leadership combined with the leadership system activities (Labs 2 through 10) make up the core of the leadership approach to organizational [re]design and transformation. On the surface, it seems like a lot to remember. The good news is the nine leadership activities are systematic approaches that are made explicit and described in formal documents; they do not need to be remembered. The nine leadership behaviors can be learned to the point that they become a habit. Both the leadership system and collaborative style influence the culture of the organization.