The following scenario is derived from Leadership Theory and Practice, 5th Edition by Peter G. Northouse. (Case 3.1)
Dear Abbey,
My colleague, Dr. Adam Wood is the main investigator on a 3-year, $1 million federally funded research grant. Dr. Wood usually works alone, but for this project, he has 11 members in his team. There are two co-investigators (with PhDs), four intervention staff (with MAs), and five general staff members (with Bas).
Dr. Wood and his team have worked together for a year. The project is obviously underfunded and overextended. Team members are working more hours than they can be paid for; they are committed to the goals of the project.
Dr. Wood has quite the reputation for research in health education. He publishes often. People seek his expertise and his advice. He is known for “big picture thinking.” Dr. Wood has become frustrated by his team. He dislikes many of the daily tasks that he is forced to do. Recently, he lashed out at our project meeting. He threw his notebook down and yelled at his colleagues for not doing their “fair share.” He is negative and demoralizing. He can never spare a complement. The team feels like they have received more work, but less credit and pay than they are entitled to and feel burnt out. (Northouse 2010)
Is there anything that can be done to turn this team around? What should Dr. Wood do?
—A Colleague
Based on the skills approach, I would assess Dr. Wood’s leadership as poor. Dr. Wood has conceptual knowledge in health education and demonstrates problem solving skills in that area, that is he can see the big picture and plan for it. (Northouse 2010) Obviously, he was able to define a behavioral problem, gather information to formulate a hypothesis and generated a plan for completing his study. He obviously is very knowledgeable about his subject area. He is known to be a competent researcher. He is the foremost scholar on health education research. People come to him for advice about design methodologies, and theories.
However, despite his knowledge and expertise in his field and his ability to problem solve there, Dr. Wood isn’t able to define a problem outside of his limited scope and devise a solution. He doesn’t recognize the problems with his study, or the problem that he is aggravating with his staff. He hasn’t thought about the fact that his staff are spending 20-30% more time on tasks. He is annoyed that he is doing most of the work, but he could try to adjust schedules, set up the field research data collection more efficiently, and talk to his staff to come up with a solution. He incorrectly identifies his staff as the source of his distress, “I wish I had never taken this project on. It’s taking way too much of my time. The rest of you aren’t pulling your fair share.” He doesn’t see the lack of resources, or the study and therefore budget design. (When Dr. Wood submitted his RFP, he would have had to include a sample budget.) Dr. Wood has a lot of health education knowledge, but I’m unsure about his amount of technical skill. He is a PH.D, so he would have worked his way up through testing new theories methodologies, to whatever degree technical skills are used in his research, he might have them. However, I think they are probably limited.
Dr. Wood has almost no human skills – the knowledge about and the ability to work with others. He doesn’t have “people skills.” He can only see his perspective having to do grunt work. He is unable to see the work his staff produces. Dr. Wood does not perceive that his staff is feeling unappreciated, over worked and underpaid. He doesn’t offer encouragement or coaching to assist with their work, but sulks about doing it himself. He also displayed a lack of professionalism during his dramatic entrance. His social judgment skills, the capacity to understand people and the actual social system wasn’t “turned on.” It showed that he could not get along with others. (Northouse 2010)
I don’t think Dr. Wood has the ability to lead the team effectively. I think that the work, to the extent that it’s possible, will get completed. I don’t think that the other workers will feel empowered. He doesn’t give them a voice in solving problems. For example, instead of just getting the money for the brochure, Dr. Wood could have introduced his contacts, or talked about organizations that offer low cost printing, or brainstormed a solution with his staff. He’s not helping them to expand or develop their skill set. Dr. Wood also lacks social perceptiveness. He knows how he functions, but he doesn’t understand how his team does. They are frustrated that he does not notice their hard work and dedication. They are under a lot of pressure and feel burnt out. Dr. Wood social performance is pretty lousy. His team would say that he doesn’t know how to communicate with them. Dr. Wood could have described his frustrations in a different way. He doesn’t seem to communicate well at all. Because of this, Dr. Wood doesn’t seem to operate with any behavioral flexibility (the capacity to change and adapt one’s behavior in light of understanding of other’s perspectives in the organization. (Northouse 2010) He doesn’t recognize other feelings besides his own. Plus, he team worried that he would use the brochure as evidence and “just another example,” which indicates that Dr. Wood’s behavior and lack of leadership skills are consistent.
If I were coaching Dr. Wood, I would address both problem-solving skills and social judgment skills. Dr. Wood needs to learn how to address problems with his team and resolve them in a non-combative, un-passive-aggressive way. This would include recognizing the real problem. (For example, is he stressed? Is he afraid he won’t meet a deadline? Did a specific person not complete a task and he had to step in? How will they close the hole in the budget?) Then I would work on how to talk to his colleagues to discuss trigger or volatile issues. He would also learn how to include others in brainstorming and problem solving. Right now, reading his history, it sounds like his colleagues use him as a trusted advisor, but he works alone in that respect. He comes up with the strategy and gives the solution to his colleagues. But he doesn’t work with them to achieve that outcome.
Dr. Wood and I would work on his social judgment skills because he would need them as he problem solves. He needs to be able to understand his staff and respect the attitudes that they have toward a problem or solution. He needs to be able to see through their eyes. If he learns how other people work best and what motivates them, he will make a happier and more productive work place for everyone.
Reference:
Northouse, P.G (2010). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Lost Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.