Six Steps to Effective Six Steps to Effective LeadershipLeadership

Joyce OslandJoyce Osland

San Jose State UniversitySan Jose State University

Which is true and why?Which is true and why?

The first step in becoming a truly effective The first step in becoming a truly effective leaders is wanting to be a leader.leaders is wanting to be a leader.

Behaving as and becoming an effective Behaving as and becoming an effective leader is a secondary by-product of an leader is a secondary by-product of an intense commitment to a purpose.intense commitment to a purpose.

Why is your center or core crucial Why is your center or core crucial to your ability to lead?to your ability to lead?

More powerful influence on othersMore powerful influence on others Without it, you’ll be off-balance and can’t Without it, you’ll be off-balance and can’t

be an anchor to othersbe an anchor to others More able to withstand criticism and More able to withstand criticism and

adversityadversity

1. Clarifying Your Center. How?1. Clarifying Your Center. How?

Example of Matsushita Leadership CenterExample of Matsushita Leadership Center Determining your life’s purposeDetermining your life’s purpose What you stand for: engagementWhat you stand for: engagement Developing character: Ends versus MeansDeveloping character: Ends versus Means MeditationMeditation

““Leadership is an act of engagement.”Leadership is an act of engagement.”

Alexander HornimanAlexander Horniman

2. Clarifying What’s Possible2. Clarifying What’s Possible

Don’t let the urgent drive out the importantDon’t let the urgent drive out the important Set aside time to think and meditate – Set aside time to think and meditate –

discipline your mind to think about the discipline your mind to think about the futurefuture

Read outside your field to get ideasRead outside your field to get ideas Build scenariosBuild scenarios Don’t be discouraged by constraintsDon’t be discouraged by constraints

3. Clarifying What Others Can 3. Clarifying What Others Can ContributeContribute

Basic assumptions about others – don’t Basic assumptions about others – don’t think in limited terms about what they can think in limited terms about what they can accomplishaccomplish

Identifying the critical skills – don’t limit Identifying the critical skills – don’t limit

your thinking about what skills you really your thinking about what skills you really needneed

FMC’s Welder Selection ProcessFMC’s Welder Selection Process Assumptions:Assumptions:

Organization’s process was more important Organization’s process was more important than its technical skills (highly qualified people than its technical skills (highly qualified people who can’t work together would be less who can’t work together would be less effective than moderately talented people who effective than moderately talented people who could)could)

Social skills are harder to teach than technical Social skills are harder to teach than technical skillsskills

People trained in one technical way, People trained in one technical way, reinforced by union experience focused on a reinforced by union experience focused on a narrow range of skills would have difficulty narrow range of skills would have difficulty learning new methods.learning new methods.

FMC’s Welder Selection ProcessFMC’s Welder Selection Process

Critical Skills – selection criteria:Critical Skills – selection criteria: Self-esteem – able to accept feedbackSelf-esteem – able to accept feedback Learning attitude – eager to learn new skillsLearning attitude – eager to learn new skills Team spirit – willing to share the work and Team spirit – willing to share the work and

responsibility for resultsresponsibility for results Pride in quality – focused on improving their Pride in quality – focused on improving their

workwork

Four hour recruiting/screening process: choice?Four hour recruiting/screening process: choice?

4. Supporting Others so They Can 4. Supporting Others so They Can ContributeContribute

By redesigning work systems By redesigning work systems Information Age Organizational Stuctures Information Age Organizational Stuctures

– What did BancOne do?– What did BancOne do? Empowering Systems DesignEmpowering Systems Design

Design systems that give individuals more Design systems that give individuals more autonomy about organizing their own workautonomy about organizing their own work

Aim for rapid use of good info and multiple Aim for rapid use of good info and multiple talents of employees talents of employees

5. Being Relentless5. Being Relentless

Refers to the stamina and tenacity leaders Refers to the stamina and tenacity leaders needneed

Is your life a motorboat or a wood chip?Is your life a motorboat or a wood chip? Easily chosen goals do not lead to deep Easily chosen goals do not lead to deep

commitmentcommitment Relentlessness comes from self- Relentlessness comes from self-

confidenceconfidence

6. Measuring and Celebrating 6. Measuring and Celebrating ProgressProgress

Focusing on the right measuresFocusing on the right measures Can you think of an example of poor Can you think of an example of poor

measures of progress that harmed a measures of progress that harmed a leadership effort?leadership effort?

Focusing on the glass half-fullFocusing on the glass half-full Look for progress and celebrate itLook for progress and celebrate it Examples of celebrating progress?Examples of celebrating progress?

Leadership and IntelligenceLeadership and Intelligence

IQIQ GeneticGenetic Revealed in curiosityRevealed in curiosity Honed by discipline in studyHoned by discipline in study Supported by a range of experiences Supported by a range of experiences

Emotional IntelligenceEmotional Intelligence

1. Recognizing your own emotions1. Recognizing your own emotions 2. Managing your emotions appropriately2. Managing your emotions appropriately 3. Productive self-talk out of emotional 3. Productive self-talk out of emotional

hijackingshijackings

Emotional HijacksEmotional Hijacks

Occurs when a person begins with a little Occurs when a person begins with a little emotion that then builds and builds in emotion that then builds and builds in intensity until the person is overwhelmed intensity until the person is overwhelmed by it. by it.

Usually related to anger, fear, and Usually related to anger, fear, and depressiondepression

At its height, people cannot think clearly or At its height, people cannot think clearly or make good decisionsmake good decisions

Blame the amygdala Blame the amygdala

EQ TipsEQ Tips Improving your ability to recognize your emotions Improving your ability to recognize your emotions

Reflection: “What am I feeling now?”Reflection: “What am I feeling now?”

Managing your emotionsManaging your emotionsPeople in successful firms don’t “act out” their feelings; People in successful firms don’t “act out” their feelings; they discuss them.they discuss them.Productive self-talk (“I can’t control his behavior, but I Productive self-talk (“I can’t control his behavior, but I can control my own attitude towards him.”)can control my own attitude towards him.”)Decide you want to be in control of your emotions and Decide you want to be in control of your emotions and set your goals accordingly (“I want to learn how not to be set your goals accordingly (“I want to learn how not to be jealous/irritable/depressed.”)jealous/irritable/depressed.”)Which behavioral option do I want to Which behavioral option do I want to choose, choose, rather rather than be at the mercy of my emotions?than be at the mercy of my emotions?Use of meditation, prayerUse of meditation, prayer

SOCIAL QUOTIENTSOCIAL QUOTIENT

Has to do with recognizing and managing Has to do with recognizing and managing the emotions in othersthe emotions in others

The better you are at understanding your The better you are at understanding your own emotions, the more likely you are to own emotions, the more likely you are to be adept at picking up on others’. be adept at picking up on others’.

SOCIAL QUOTIENTSOCIAL QUOTIENT Recognizing the emotions of othersRecognizing the emotions of others

Picking up nonverbal cuesPicking up nonverbal cues Listening actively and attentivelyListening actively and attentively Caring about others’ emotional statesCaring about others’ emotional states

Empathy – share their emotional experienceEmpathy – share their emotional experience Be concerned for themBe concerned for them

Helping others manage their emotionsHelping others manage their emotions Coach them out of emotional hijackingsCoach them out of emotional hijackings Help them identify why they feel as they do and Help them identify why they feel as they do and

examine their assumptionsexamine their assumptions Resolve conflictsResolve conflicts

Video Recognition TestVideo Recognition Test

What emotions can you observe in these What emotions can you observe in these two men, Carlos and George? What cues two men, Carlos and George? What cues did you use?did you use?

Diagram the interplay between their Diagram the interplay between their emotional responses.emotional responses.

CarlosCarlos GeorgeGeorge

cue--emotioncue--emotion cue—emotioncue—emotion

cue--emotioncue--emotion cue—emotioncue—emotion

Video Recognition TestVideo Recognition Test

How did Carlos exhibit emotional How did Carlos exhibit emotional intelligence:intelligence: With the female subordinate?With the female subordinate? With his boss, George?With his boss, George?

How did George exhibit emotional intelligence?How did George exhibit emotional intelligence?

Conducting a Stakeholder DialogueConducting a Stakeholder Dialogue Dialogue is about listening and learning. You Dialogue is about listening and learning. You

have had an opportunity to learn about the goals have had an opportunity to learn about the goals and perspectives of the other stakeholders. and perspectives of the other stakeholders. Your task in the next 45 minutes is to engage in Your task in the next 45 minutes is to engage in a dialogue to deepen understanding and a dialogue to deepen understanding and discover areas of common ground. discover areas of common ground.

Suspend judgments, clarify assumptions and Suspend judgments, clarify assumptions and communicate clearly and respectfully.communicate clearly and respectfully.

At the end take 5 minutes to:At the end take 5 minutes to: Describe 3-5 areas of agreement or directions in Describe 3-5 areas of agreement or directions in

which solutions might be foundwhich solutions might be found Describe 3 areas of disagreement that any solution Describe 3 areas of disagreement that any solution

will have to creatively address.will have to creatively address.

Finding SolutionsFinding Solutions

In this exercise, the focus shifts from dialogue to In this exercise, the focus shifts from dialogue to discussion as your group attempts to find discussion as your group attempts to find solutions to the dispute. Discussion is needed solutions to the dispute. Discussion is needed when you must evaluate options and develop when you must evaluate options and develop agreements and action plans. You have 30 agreements and action plans. You have 30 minutes to:minutes to:

1. Generate a list of innovative ideas for ways to 1. Generate a list of innovative ideas for ways to move forward in resolving this conflict. Come up move forward in resolving this conflict. Come up with win-win ideas acceptable to everyone. Try with win-win ideas acceptable to everyone. Try to get a lot of ideas on the table first without to get a lot of ideas on the table first without judging them as good or bad.judging them as good or bad.

Finding Solutions…Finding Solutions…

2. Once you have enough ideas on the table, 2. Once you have enough ideas on the table, pick at least 5 ideas that seem most promising. pick at least 5 ideas that seem most promising. Remember that the solution must be acceptable Remember that the solution must be acceptable to the broader stakeholder group members not to the broader stakeholder group members not just those at the “table.”just those at the “table.”

3. Explore the most promising ideas and write a 3. Explore the most promising ideas and write a brief one-sentence description of each that you brief one-sentence description of each that you can all agree to support and a brief action plan. can all agree to support and a brief action plan. All representatives must sign this document. All representatives must sign this document.