Leadership

PSYCH 485 blog

Be True To You

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The story has been told over and over again throughout the ages. One of the more humorous versions of the story is portrayed by Steve Martin and Darryl Hannah in the movie “Roxanne”.  Girl dreams of being swept off her feet. Girl meets boy that is handsome but not exactly able to woo the girl with his words. Boy enlists help of a less attractive friend to speak for him. Girl falls in love with friend’s words thinking they are the words of the boy. Chaos ensues. Girl finds out the words belong to the less attractive friend and is able to look past the exterior to the heart of the matter. Truth wins. Inauthenticity loses. Roxanne Movie PosterDifferent versions of this story play out in movies and reality each day. Somewhere along the line, managers (leaders) were told to keep their private lives separate from their work lives. There is a certain amount of logic to this scenario. Protecting your private life can ultimately prevent your team from possibly using information against you later – not a pleasant thought, but it happens more often than you might think.  However, if you are a completely different person at work than you are at home, you might have some explaining to do.

According to Merriam-Webster, “authentic” means “real or genuine, not copied or false” (Merriam-Webster, 2015).   Subordinates and employees are perceptive and know when someone is not exhibiting their true self.  If it is not in a leader’s character to be empathetic or confident, and the leader tries to be empathetic or confident, the employees will be able to tell right away. I once had a manager that read a book about management and then tried to implement each tactic and approach that the book suggested. The problem was, none of those activities or styles fit the woman’s true self. She was much more dynamic and empathetic than the activities she was trying to execute. We could see right through it and as such, we were less-than-enthused to participate. Our manager was much more effective when she was relaxed and in her wheelhouse of a compassionate and intelligent woman. She had great knowledge in our field and she gave wonderful suggestions for how we could best succeed in our jobs. Silly games and communication changes were less effective because they did not come from her.

The theoretical approach to authentic leadership says that an individual needs to develop certain moral reasoning and internal skills to handle situations. Once those skills are developed, the individual will be able to progress to the personal skills needed for authentic leadership: self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing, and relational transparency (The Pennsylvania State University, 2015).  I think there is a certain validity to that. Sometimes those life events happen later in life so a person isn’t capable of true authentic leadership until they have gained a certain number of years. However, if someone goes through a significant life event at an early age, and is able to process the event in a healthy manner, they would be more likely to learn hope and resilience. Those are essential building blocks to self-awareness and the other traits of authentic leadership. I do think that you have to be open to learning the lessons from life-events in order to grow in authenticity. Many scoff at that openness. I can assure you that openness to new ideas and the subsequent self-awareness that develops is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. Employees will react to that self-awareness often by growing in their own authentic selves. Not to mention the fact that being your true self is much easier than keeping track of the stories you tell when pretending to be someone that you’re not.

Merriam-Webster. (2015). Dictionary. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authentic

The Pennsylvania State University. (2015). Lesson 12: Authentic Leadership: Authentic Leadership Approaches. Retrieved from PSYCH485: Leadership in Work Settings: https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su15/psych485/001/content/12_lesson/04_page.html

 

An Honor To Serve

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I am a very fortunate person. I grew up in a loving home with parents that took excellent care of us (my brother, my sister and I).  I had access to excellent schools and a supportive community that worked together to provide opportunities for all of its citizens. I have very clear memories of my parents volunteering wherever and whenever they could to support endeavors that their kids enjoyed, or that would serve the community at large. My father was a volunteer with the local election board (and still works the polls every election day).  My mother was a volunteer with the Girl Scouts of America. She was my troop leader from the time I was in 4th grade until I graduated from High School. She continues her volunteer work today within our church and by extension, with a local support group for women and families that are struggling to get back on their feet after setbacks of homelessness and unemployment (my father helps with that as well).  I remember asking them when I was a kid why they do it.  They reminded me that it was important to give back to the community that provided so much for us. My parents were clear examples of servant leaders and I found myself drawn to the concept.

Servant Leadership may sound like an oxymoron to most. In many instances, people think that followers serve the leaders – by fulfilling some vision that the leader has for the group.  Servant leadership is about so much more than that. It is an attitude or approach to leadership that involves wanting to serve others and essentially putting the needs and feelings of others first so that they grow and evolve and go on to serve others themselves (Northouse, 2013).  Larry Spears, a former CEO of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, has documented ten characteristics of a servant leader. They include: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Spears, 2010).  As a Girl Scout Leader, my mother exemplified each of those ten characteristics.  She understood that the girls involved in the program came from varied socio-economic backgrounds, religious faiths, and education levels. She listened to each girl with an empathetic ear. She knew that some of the girls in her troops came from broken homes. Many times I would hear the girls in my troop express envy toward me that my mom was so great they wished she was their mother too.  My mom created a safe place for these girls to express love and fear and joy and pain. She helped to heal those hurts and in doing so, created awareness in other girls that not everyone was dealt the same hand in life.

I remember too that my mother was able to work with us as scouts to get involved in helping others as well. Our local community housed a nursing and rehabilitation center for senior citizens – the Pocopson Home. As young scouts, we decorated coffee cans and filled them with holiday cookies to be delivered to the residents there each year. As we got older, we visited the center directly and spent time with the residents – sharing songs and stories and doing crafts together. As our leader, my mom had initiated the program and knew that teaching us about the plight of those less fortunate would help us to understand Girl Scoutswhat types of services the world needs. She was creating future servant leaders through her own leadership. She knew that we each had value and skills that would benefit others. Some of the girls were better at crafts so they were in charge of the can decorating. She also saw that some girls were quiet and reserved. As a servant leader, my mom helped those girls realize that their participation of filling each can with cookies and then putting them in boxes for delivery helped the troop to realize their goals.   As we worked together to complete the cans and plan our visits to Pocopson, my mother was creating a community within our troop and she was reminding us (without us even knowing it) that we were part of a larger community. She was, and still is, the embodiment of a servant leader.

Albert Schweitzer is quoted as saying, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” (M2 Communications, 2015). Social media has allowed me to stay in touch with girls that were in those troops. There are pharmacists, stay-at-home-mothers, customer service agents, and even troop leaders themselves. My mother played a part in each of their lives by showing that leadership is not always about one person in charge of or controlling others. It can be about the greater good and keeping the focus on others. It can be about searching for positive outcomes and helping our communities to grow and nurture each other. The selflessness of servant leadership is admirable and I am truly grateful for the role model my mother provided for our family and our community. She is truly a servant leader and I could not be more proud.

 

M2 Communications. (2015). Leading Thoughts Building A Community of Leaders. Retrieved from Leadership Now: http://www.leadershipnow.com/servicequotes.html

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership Theory and Practice (Sixth ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Spears, L. C. (2010). Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 25-30.

Are you in or are you out?

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I have never been a fan of window-shopping. I often find it equates to torture. Not that I’m all that materialistic – I just don’t find standing in front of an item, a house, a piece of furniture or clothing that I would enjoy owning and then pining over the item not very enjoyable. Perhaps it’s just a reminder of my current economic situation (not the best), or another reminder of the haves and have nots. I have frequently counted myself among the have nots – in life, in work, even sometimes in my own family.   I did think that when I went out into the “real world” after high school, the delineation between the in groups and out groups would disappear. Au contraire! As it turns out, the lines are still drawn in the sand and the stakes are much higher.  The leader-member exchange theory of leadership describes the situation quite clearly. Instead of looking at leadership as a one-directional concept (from leader to subordinate), the leader-member exchange theory looks at the relationship aspect of leadership and how it impacts all parties in an organization.

Early studies of leader-member exchange found a Vertical Dyad Linkage (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995).  Imagine that you are holding one end of a paper chain – much like those used on elementary school Christmas trees as decorations.retro-paper-garland If you hold it vertically so that one end is at eye-level and the other end is on the floor, you will see the links clearly. Those are much like the “in group” links leaders create with their subordinates.  The leaders have a strong connection with each of the subordinates. They trust them more, give the subordinates more duties and rely on them for honesty and direct input to the benefit of the organization.  Conversely, the subordinates in the “in group” are more likely to go the extra mile, participate in projects outside of their general job duties and tend to be more personally connected to their leaders (Northouse, 2013).

On the other hand, those subordinates in the “out group” are still viewed in a vertical chain with the leader at the top, but the links are nowhere near as strong. They are like the parts of the aforementioned paper chain where the paste has dried and ceases to stick. One end is still connected but the other is swinging in the breeze. “Out group” members are interested in coming to work, doing their required duties and going home. This does not mean that they are unimportant, it just means that their approach is different. Perhaps they work at this job as a means to an end. They might be going to school for a different career and they are working to collect a paycheck while they wait for the schooling to be completed. They do serve a purpose in the organization. Without an “out group”, the members of the “in group” would lose their very identity (The Pennsylvania State University, 2015).

Even though the research on leader-member exchange theory began in the early 1970’s, “in groups” and “out groups” are still evident.  I was exposed to a clear example of this in a previous job. There were several opportunities for employees to represent the company at national conferences.  Those that were chosen to attend were often those that had the closest ties to the leaders in the organization.  They were clearly members of an “in group” and this fact was not lost on the members of the “out group”.  Additionally, the management team would conduct meetings each month to go over goals and expectations for each group.  Oftentimes, the meeting would digress into snide comments about members of the “out group” – not unlike a lunch table in a middle school cafeteria.  If a member of the “in group” called to question the nature of these “discussions”, they would suddenly find themselves uninvited to future meetings and reassigned to different positions within the company.

The leader member exchange theory is one worth studying further. In the case of my previous job, the upper management would do well to look at the relationships they develop with the “in group” as well as the “out group”.   Realizing that every relationship a leader develops has an impact is critical to mean non-essential.  By showing the members of the “out group” some of the same courtesies and respect as the do the “in group”, leaders may tap into previously unmined talents, which could lead to breakthroughs for their organization. I have been in both the “out group” and “in group” at different times in my employment history. I can tell you honestly that neither one was better than the other. I can also tell you that there’s nothing worse than being in the “out group” and wanting desperately to be in the “in group” – much like window shopping and feeling frustrated that what is behind the glass is somehow unattainable. Leaders and managers would be wise to understand who on their team is window shopping and to identify those that are willing to walk by and those that would do anything to buy what they are offering.

 

Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. The Leadership Quarterly, 219-247.

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership Theory and Practice (Sixth ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Pennsylvania State University. (2015). Lesson 8: Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX). Retrieved from PSYCH485: Leadership in Work Settings: https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su15/psych485/001/content/08_lesson/03_page.html

Manager Styles – The Good and The Bad

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Steno Pool     High-rise office buildings are a standard fixture on most city skylines. The sun glistens on their glossy exteriors like a beacon to the gods of business and commerce. To those that have never spent time in one, office buildings illicit images of mahogany board rooms, company presidents making high-pressure decisions, and elevators delivering catered lunches and employees to their “very important” jobs. Behind the gloss and glitz, there are often infinite rows of cubicles – stone colored walls and desks that can be configured into one of a dozen shapes.  The occupants of these cubicles are the rank and file of the corporations. Not the faces on the cover of Forbes magazine, but the faces of those that help the company afford the rent in the glass and steel structure the company calls headquarters.  The leaders of those companies come in all shapes and styles. The differing styles lead to different outcomes, and some styles should be avoided to prevent failure.   The style approach to leadership involves two types of behaviors: task behaviors and relationship behaviors (The Pennsylvania State University, 2015).

Leadership styles are about behaviors. Oftentimes, if you ask someone what makes a good leader, they will describe traits of a person: intelligence, confidence, friendliness, assertiveness.  Since the 1940’s however, there has been much research done into leadership styles. Three major studies came to conclusions that are still looked at today.  Ohio State researchers interviewed subordinates about a series of behaviors that their managers had exhibited.  The researchers then compiled the answers and noticed two major trends: 1) the managers exhibited behaviors that focused on task completion, and organization of tasks (Initiating Structure) and 2) the managers exhibited behaviors that were focused on the subordinates themselves, their well-being, and establishing relationships with the subordinates (Consideration) (Northouse, 2013).  Interestingly, researchers at The University of Michigan conducted similar research and found similar behavior clusters. They identified them as Employee Orientation and Production Orientation (Northouse, 2013).  Later in the 1960’s further research was completed by Blake and Mouton. They elaborated on the research completed years earlier by Ohio State and The University of Michigan and created a grid that assigns points to how much a leader is concerned with the people in their organization and how much a leader is concerned with the production of their organization (Edwards, Rode, & Ayman, 1989).

So, what does all that research mean? According to the style approach, leaders will do well to be mindful of the emphasis they place on task behaviors and people behaviors. I had a manager (actually the owner of the company) who was extremely mindful of how he treated his employees. He made a point of walking the floor each day that he was in the office to personally greet each person by name. This behavior gave a clear indication to each of us that we were valued and appreciated. He was also very savvy. He partnered with a woman who was clearly focused on the task organization and completion of the organization. She understood that the employees needed certain tools to assist them in completing their duties which would then lead to the success of the company. Their self-awareness of their personal styles helped the owners to create a positive atmosphere and successful company. On the other hand, there are certain behaviors that will almost always contribute to the failure of a company.

Researchers have found five self-defeating behaviors that contribute to failure as a leader:  inability to build relationships, failure to meet business objectives, inability to lead and build a team, inability to adapt, and inadequate preparation for promotion (The Pennsylvania State University, 2015).  Before my current job, I was an occupant of more than one of those aforementioned cubicles. At one point, I worked for a company whose president called the cubicles “corrals”. I can assure you that referring to our desks in the same vernacular that a ranch farmer would use, was no way to endear his subordinates.  This most certainly qualifies as a self-defeating behavior that contributed to the failure of his leadership style.  A different manager was not successful in leading and building a team. She was young and lacked a certain confidence. As a result, she micromanaged every assignment she delegated, making her subordinates feel useless and unimportant. The department eventually had a major walk-out with employees leaving en masse.

The faceless millions living in cubicle-land each day have a front row seat to leadership styles that run the gamut. Their stories could (and do) fill blog entries and social media posts each and every day. Managers and leaders would do well to pay attention to these posts – both the good and the bad. A manager style adjustment might be just the thing to take their group to the next level – and maybe to another floor of that big, shiny high-rise.

 

Edwards, J. E., Rode, L. G., & Ayman, R. (1989). The construct validity of scales from four leadership questionnaires. Journal of General Psychology, 116(2), 171-181.

Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership Theory and Practice (Sixth ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

The Pennsylvania State University. (2015). Lesson 5: Style and Situational Approaches; Description of Style Approach. Retrieved from PSYCH485: Leadership in Work Settings: https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su15/psych485/001/content/05_lesson/03_topic/02_page.html

More Than Just Another School Band

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I have a great job. I really do. I coordinate competitions for elementary, middle school, junior high school and high school music groups such as bands, choirs, orchestras, etc. I travel as part of my job and I get to see students from all parts of society that come together to make music and compete against other groups. While the competition is a great measure for the directors and schools to see where their program rates, we have one award that we give out that has nothing to do with on-stage performance. We call it our “Esprit de Corps” trophy. Anyone at the festival can win the award. The staff at our event watch the groups. They watch and listen. Did the choir from this school behave in a positive manner? Did the orchestra from that school stay and listen to ensembles from other schools? The staff notices if the students acknowledge kindnesses like door-holding and then if they go on to extend kindnesses to others. The staff looks to see who followed directions and who cheered for the school that might have edged them out in competition.

In our experience, we have noticed that schools that exemplify our “Esprit de Corps” message influence other groups. Their behaviors are contagious. In a sense, our exceptional groups act as transformational leaders within the 10 hour event that is our festival. They inspire other ensembles to elevate to another level of behavior and decorum. How did the groups learn this behavior? What are the chances that all of the students from a certain school were born with the leadership traits to make them successful transformational leaders?

Much of what they know, they learned by watching their leaders – their band, choir and/or orchestra directors. These men and women inspire and teach their students to reach just a bit higher and expect just a bit more from themselves and each other. In fact a recent study from the University of St. Thomas indicates a positive relationship between band director leadership and student leadership. Leaders beget leaders it seems – and if the band director exhibits facilitative leadership, the students are more likely to respond in kind (Davison, 2007).

These students also tend to exhibit great emotional intelligence. They are keenly aware of controlling their emotions to maintain poise in a competitive situation. By cheering enthusiastically for underdogs or competitors, they also are aware of their ability to cheer up other people, enhancing the moods of students in other groups (Psychology Today, 2015).  These behaviors also lend themselves to the concept of social intelligence – in particular the idea that the “Esprit de Corps” students understand that others will react to them in kind. If they cheer one group, the others will likely cheer for them. If they say “thank you” when someone extends a courtesy, other students will be more inclined to say the same to other groups as well.

Watching students as young as elementary school exhibit these leadership skills is heartwarming and encouraging. Knowing that I have assisted in providing an environment for them to practice and hone their leadership is extremely rewarding. It no doubt has a ripple effect into my personal life and how I exercise my own emotional intelligence and social intelligence.

Works Cited

Davison, P. D. (2007). The Effect of Band Director Leadership Style and Student Leadership Ability on Band Festival Ratings. Research & Issues In Music Education, 5(1).

Psychology Today. (2015). Emotional Intelligence. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/emotional-intelligenceEsprit de Corps

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