Leadership Without Easy Answers Leadership Without Easy Answers Chapter 6: The Razor’s EdgeChapter 6: The Razor’s Edge

Presented by:Presented by:Jare AkchinJare Akchin

Michael CornwellMichael CornwellBen LeroiBen Leroi

Jeff ShieldsJeff Shields

The Razor’s EdgeThe Razor’s Edge

Expectations of leadersExpectations of leaders

Sensitivity to the electorateSensitivity to the electorate

What happens when there are no easy What happens when there are no easy answers?answers?

Technical vs. AdaptiveTechnical vs. Adaptive

Technical: Technical: Band-Aid solution (quick fix)Band-Aid solution (quick fix) Leadership as a panaceaLeadership as a panacea

Adaptive:Adaptive: Questions, not necessarily answersQuestions, not necessarily answers Leadership as an agent of changeLeadership as an agent of change

Promoting Adaptive WorkPromoting Adaptive Work

Leading in times of transitionLeading in times of transition

Challenging perceptions and normsChallenging perceptions and norms

Five Leadership PrinciplesFive Leadership Principles

Identify the Adaptive Identify the Adaptive ChallengeChallenge

Recognize when there is no technical Recognize when there is no technical solutionsolution

Consider the impact on valuesConsider the impact on values

Differentiate between symptoms and Differentiate between symptoms and root causeroot cause

Regulate DistressRegulate Distress

Gauge followers’ tolerance for distressGauge followers’ tolerance for distress

Develop appropriate pace to Develop appropriate pace to accommodate changeaccommodate change

Apply enough pressure to promote Apply enough pressure to promote change without overwhelming followers change without overwhelming followers (Maintain tolerable level)(Maintain tolerable level)

Focus on the IssuesFocus on the Issues

Avoid stress-reducing distractionsAvoid stress-reducing distractions Denial, internecine conflict, inappropriate Denial, internecine conflict, inappropriate

diagnosisdiagnosis

Tend to ripening issuesTend to ripening issues Direct attention to problems while Direct attention to problems while

mitigating impact of distractions on mitigating impact of distractions on adaptive workadaptive work

Give Work Back to the Give Work Back to the PeoplePeople

Return responsibility to followers without Return responsibility to followers without abdicating leadership roleabdicating leadership role Deepens the meaning of adaptive workDeepens the meaning of adaptive work Reinforces the notion of adaptation as a Reinforces the notion of adaptation as a

work-in-progresswork-in-progress

Maintain pressure to promote outcomesMaintain pressure to promote outcomes

Protect Voices of Protect Voices of Leadership Without Leadership Without

AuthorityAuthority Identify informal leadershipIdentify informal leadership

Promote diverse opinionsPromote diverse opinions Dissenters as agents of changeDissenters as agents of change

Non-authoritative voices can affect change Non-authoritative voices can affect change that authorities often cannotthat authorities often cannot

Identify the Adaptive ChallengeIdentify the Adaptive ChallengeIssue:Issue: What are people really fighting about?What are people really fighting about? Does it call for an authoritative Does it call for an authoritative

response?response?

President’s ResponsePresident’s Response Adaptation is necessaryAdaptation is necessary ““I understand that a law doesn’t change I understand that a law doesn’t change

people’s feeling. But it’s a beginning. It people’s feeling. But it’s a beginning. It shows the way.” (LBJ)shows the way.” (LBJ)

Regulating DistressRegulating Distress

IssueIssue Can the nation sustain the storm without Can the nation sustain the storm without

breaking apart?breaking apart?

President’s ResponsePresident’s Response Hold steady and contain himselfHold steady and contain himself ““Now that Wallace… it’s his ox that’s in Now that Wallace… it’s his ox that’s in

the ditch, let’s see how he gets him out.” the ditch, let’s see how he gets him out.” (LBJ)(LBJ)

Keep Focused on the IssueKeep Focused on the Issue

IssueIssue Potential distractions: State vs. Federal rights Potential distractions: State vs. Federal rights

and marching rightsand marching rights

President’s ResponsePresident’s Response Allow tensions to thicken and allow issue to Allow tensions to thicken and allow issue to

present itself organicallypresent itself organically “… “… I may have to send in troops. But not until I may have to send in troops. But not until

I have to, not until everyone can see I had no I have to, not until everyone can see I had no other choice.” (LBJ)other choice.” (LBJ)

Give Work to the PeopleGive Work to the People

IssueIssue Potential trap: shifting all responsibility to the Potential trap: shifting all responsibility to the

highest authority.highest authority.

President’s ResponsePresident’s Response Asked black leaders to carry major Asked black leaders to carry major

responsibility for provoking change responsibility for provoking change Waited for Governor Wallace to request Waited for Governor Wallace to request

federal troopsfederal troops The solution would thus come from the peopleThe solution would thus come from the people

Protect Voices of LeadershipProtect Voices of Leadership

IssueIssue Civil rights activists and sympathizers are in Civil rights activists and sympathizers are in

dangerdanger

President’s ResponsePresident’s Response Provided protection to Martin Luther King and Provided protection to Martin Luther King and

followersfollowers Encouraged, guided, and warned them when Encouraged, guided, and warned them when

necessarynecessary

Framing LeadershipFraming Leadership

Leadership as a FrameLeadership as a Frame:: Ability to understand and use multiple Ability to understand and use multiple

perspectivesperspectives

Leaders are often in “psychic prisons”Leaders are often in “psychic prisons”

Effective leaders match frames with Effective leaders match frames with situation, float between framessituation, float between frames

Four Frames Frames

StructuralStructuralFormal relationshipsFormal relationshipsRules, policies and Rules, policies and proceduresprocedures

Human ResourcesHuman ResourcesExtended familyExtended familyTailor the organization Tailor the organization to the individualto the individual

Political Political Arena, contest, jungleArena, contest, jungleBargaining, Bargaining, negotiation, coercion & negotiation, coercion & compromisecompromise

SymbolicSymbolicCulture, theaterCulture, theaterRitual, ceremony, Ritual, ceremony, stories and mythsstories and myths

Johnson in the Four FramesJohnson in the Four Frames

StructuralStructuralFederal interference Federal interference in state mattersin state mattersSpeech to CongressSpeech to Congress

Human ResourcesHuman ResourcesEncouraged MLK, Jr.Encouraged MLK, Jr.Wallace’s needsWallace’s needs

PoliticalPoliticalBalance of powerBalance of power“…“…it’s his ox that’s in it’s his ox that’s in the ditch”the ditch”

SymbolicSymbolicTelevised marches, Televised marches, public consciousnesspublic consciousnessSouthern politicianSouthern politician

The American PromiseThe American PromiseMarch 15, 1965March 15, 1965

LBJ and MLKLBJ and MLK

Voting RightsVoting Rights

Summarized PointsSummarized Points

Leadership in times of changeLeadership in times of change Technical vs Adaptive WorkTechnical vs Adaptive Work A situational approachA situational approach The process of adaptive workThe process of adaptive work