Saturday, September 26, 2015

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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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