Each time I take an
assessment, I think I know exactly what the outcome is going to be based on my
interpretation of myself. What ends of happening is I get gainful insight that
opens my eyes to what is actually taking place. This week was no different.
After taking the assessment I scored seven (7) points in “involve”, five (5)
points in “tell”, and two (2) points in each “devolve” and “sell”. The results
were a little revealing in that I spend to much time trying to make suggestions
and trying to lead my team to initiate contact with me to much. According to
our reading, a person in the strategy three (S3) category is used when “either
when the leader does not know or choose to hold back to allow others to
discover the solution. A variety of involve strategies exist ranging from
asking an individual “what do you think?” to running small teams focused on
problems” (Obolensky, 2014). I find myself a fit in that category because I
think it is appropriate to let people problem solve on their own. By allowing
them to explore and have some leniency, they become more independent and
assertive.
Has your thinking changed over the course of the past
six weeks, if so; why, and, if not; why?
My
thinking has changed over the last six weeks for sure. The first thing I see
that has changed is that I am thinking about how complex leadership actually
applies to a successful workplace. Do we have to have a single leader in a
hierarchal structure in today’s market? I would now argue no. Prior to this
class I still had a slight notion that people need to be told what to do and
they need to know when to do it. I would still argue in some cases that is
applicable but for employees to be successful, independent and assertive, they
need some space and room to work. They don’t need a million people to answer to
and they don’t need a direct supervisor in all situations. This plays well into
my strategy 3 case. What I have to do however is actually make sure that when I
ask for input from others, that they have the correct skill set to answer my
questions. Sometimes I find myself trying to have a very in depth conversation
with people who do not care or have no idea what I’m talking about.
Secondly,
I like to tell people. I find it hard not to, to be honest. Yes, people are
hired for their expertise and there credentials but how else can we expect
someone to fit into the culture that is already in place in the workplace? I
get ahead of myself in the sense that I take on the role of the person who is
responsible for making sure their transitions happens correctly. As a leader, I
think we have to allow people to learn and give credible feedback. How else can
we ever learn from our shortcomings if we do not allow the workers ot give us
feedback on what is actually happening? I want to encourage feedback lines and
encourage outside the box thinking, not force my way on subordinates. One
source says “Feedback is the cheapest, most
powerful, yet, most under used management tool that we have at our disposal.
Feedback is powerful as it helps people get on track, it serves as a guide to
assist people to know how they and others perceive their performance” (Lang,
2015). In my case, I think that was true until this class. I didn’t fully
understand that in complex circumstances, feedback is vital. I look forward to
using my freshly gained knowledge.
What is the significance of this in the context of
your future leadership goals and objectives?
My
objective as a leader is to understand my role in the organization, apply my
skill set to the situation and get as much feedback from the user (no matter
who it is) about how things are operating. I also think that it is important to
adapt to the culture that I am in or placed in. Once I get to a different
facility in the leadership role, I’ll have to tread lightly but ultimately
adjust the culture or procedures to a more effective operating procedure as I
see fit and inline with what I’ve learned thus far. Sometimes there are
employees in the facilities that have been there awhile and that do not like
change. Being a new leader, I have to consider their needs but look out for the
organization for long term success. I read an article this week about
facilitating change and helping new employees adapt. They stated “Through teaching and training of all employees
communicate the expected cultural change and the resultant change in values and
goals. Communicate in large settings, small groups, and one-to-one, if
need be” (Shedd, 2011). I think that fits right into my style of leadership and
S2 and S3. That is probably why those areas stood out this week. Although I
still have some learning to do, this class has already helped me see the future
in complex adaptive leadership techniques.
References
Lang, F. (2015). The
Importance of Feedback | Why Is Feedback Important? Retrieved September 25,
2015, from
http://www.fullcirclefeedback.com.au/resources/360-degree-feedback/360-power-of/
Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership is embracing paradox
and uncertainty. Farnham, Surrey : Gower
Shedd, D. (2011, April 19).
9 Keys To Driving Cultural Change. Retrieved September 24, 2015, from
http://www.businessinsider.com/9-keys-to-driving-cultural-change-2011-4
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