Agility: Develop Managers for a Complex World

© Herrmann Global 2013

Developing Managers for a Complex World:

Why Thinking Agility

is Critical to the Success of Leaders


• Introductions • Today’s business

environment • Implications on

organizations & leaders • How to navigate • The missing element • Next steps

Today’s Agenda

Mark Barrett, COO Herrmann International

Orin Salas, VP Sales Herrmann International


How would you characterize today’s business environment?


• Volatile • Uncertain • Complex • Ambiguous

Coined by the US Army War College

VUCA


Complicated Complex


Why is this?

• Speed of innovation • Expanding global

markets • Digital revolution • Efficiencies • Ever increasing,

extensive knowledge • Talent shortage –

talent diversity


What are the implications for your Leaders?

Source: Center for Creative Leadership

Leadership was defined as… A Position

Functional orientation Happens at the top

Rewarded for being a star Independent decision making

Develop via individual competencies Power lies in position

Competitive Stay the course strategy

Sells their opinion

Today leadership is defined… A Process

Boundary-less orientation Throughout the organization

Success of others Interdependent decision making Develop via groups & networks

Collaborative Feeling & emotional

Emergent/flexible strategy Inquires for buy-in


What are the implications for the organization: Survive & Prosper

or Wither & Die?

http://www.kn-portal.com/index.html


In today’s world, what is the core leadership capability

that is needed?


Proficiently move, change, and evolve with the organization

Creative thinkers with a deep sense of purpose

Propensity and ability to move into action, make decisions, and implement, which results in greater learning

Actively engage stakeholders Not average employee -“seek pain

to learn” Expand knowledge; question status

quo Migrates to challenges; thrive off of

solving difficult problems Source: Forbes.com article, June 2012, Agility: The Ingredient That Will Define The Next Generation of Leadership

Enjoy getting through in deep end of problems Move quickly, remaining both, nimble and responsive Think and draw conclusions quickly Run within shifting policies, regulations, mandates, budgets, priorities with changing missions and charters Change tactics or direction quickly –to anticipate, adapt to, and react decisively to events in the business environment Modify to circumstances

EXERCISE: In today’s complex world, what do you think leaders need to be able to do? Check all that apply.


So, how do you develop leadership agility in your

managers?


Development of skills,

knowledge, and behavior

Improvement in Leadership

Agility

The Typical Leadership Agility Assumption

Source: People & Strategy, 2010,“Leadership Agility: A Business Imperative for a VUCA World”




Missing Element


Agility

After all the actions you are taking, why does agility still come up

short in your leaders?





Agility

The Development of Leadership Agility Reality


Thinking is the Catalyst for Leadership Agility.


And there is a lot to think about….


What the leader is thinking, and their focus, can be different from…

…what you and the organization is thinking and their focus.


Efficiency Financials Technology Past trends Performance Analysis Critical Indicators Goals – Objectives

Innovation Environment Future Trends New Concepts National – World Issues Vision – Purpose Long-term Strategy

Regulations – Legal Safety – Risk Reduction Quality – Perfection Critical Resources Control Timing Policies

People Development Teams – Relationships Community Relations Customer Relations Communications Culture – Values Recognition

Whole Brain® ROI Scoreboard Check the 8 items that receive the least

attention from your leaders.


Efficiency Financials Technology Past trends Performance Analysis Critical Indicators Goals – Objectives

Innovation Environment Future Trends New Concepts National – World Issues Vision – Purpose Long-term Strategy

Regulations – Legal Safety – Risk Reduction Quality – Perfection Critical Resources Control Timing Policies

People Development Teams – Relationships Community Relations Customer Relations Communications Culture – Values Recognition

Whole Brain® ROI Scoreboard Circle the 8 items that receive the most attention from your leaders.


Efficiency – Speed Financials – Costs – ROI Technology Past Trends Performance Analysis Critical Indicators Goals – Objectives

Innovation – Creativity Environment – Competition Future Trends New Concepts & Products National – Global Issues Vision – Purpose Long-Term Strategy

Regulations – Legal Safety – Security – Risk Mgt. Quality – Perfection Critical Resources Control Timing Execution

People Development Teams – Collaboration Community Relations Customer Relations Communications Culture – Values Recognition

Analysis of Leaders Least vs. Most Attention Critical Scorecard Elements

Whole Brain® and the four color, 4 quadrant graphic is a trademark of Herrmann Global. © Herrmann Global 2013.


Agility is the ability to think about it all…..

A. Focused on numbers and results, using

analysis, using logic, data and

technology

D. Focused on innovative,

creative solutions, considers long term needs, anticipates unrealized needs

B. Focused on following the steps including effective

planning, execution, and follow through

C. Focused on effective

collaboration and communication with customers,

leaders and colleagues






Agility

Leadership Agility: It’s all in the THINKING.



Case Study: Cirque du Soleil Business Issues: • Drive leadership development and

effectiveness • Improve decision making • Assemble high-performing teams Results: • A better understanding of

interdependencies • A greater openness about different

thinking styles in the organization • Increased team effectiveness • Leaders benefit from a unique

understanding of the thinking style each team member brings to the fore.


“The approach was very appreciated from senior managers, it’s very useful for this organization to understand where our thinking

preferences are in order to realign or understand our differences.”

- France Dufresne, Director for Organizational Development and Training at Cirque

“We will have different thinking preferences in production vs. creative

vs. corporate. The Whole Brain® Thinking concept is very powerful, and the trends are very important to acknowledge and

accept.”


Case Study: IBM Business Issues: • Drive leadership development and

effectiveness • Accelerate global new leader

development • Decrease costs while maintaining

learning quality and outcomes Results: • Reduced training delivery costs • Improved entry- and exit-level

participant knowledge • Increased time available for business-

focused application activities


“To be truly global requires that all IBMers be culturally

adaptable in all its forms, this extends beyond just

understanding our cultural diversity to using this diversity

to extend that competitive advantage. Whole brain®

Thinking allows us to understand, appreciate, and most importantly, leverage the diversity of thought that

naturally exists in our company.“

- Rich DeSerio, Manager of the IBM

Leadership Development Programs' Global Design Team


Why is it so difficult to find and develop agile leaders?

Organizational Level • Lack of management practices

that foster collaboration due to traditional focus on individuals to the exclusion of groups

• Lack of time for coaching, training and development, even when it is planned and budgeted for

• Business imperatives that require more risk taking and innovation when a fear of failure still pervades in the culture

• Managing and leading up to four generations in the workplace, each of which requires a differentiated leadership style


Are you experiencing any of these?

Individual Level • Workplace stress and information

overload • Ever increasing workload with no

end in sight • Role complexity and “bundling”

with no time to adjust definition or expectations

• Challenges leading cognitively diverse teams effectively in virtual environments

• Change fatigue creating an attitude of “why bother—it’ll just change again anyway”

• __________________ • __________________ • __________________


Is it impossible to find or grow agile leaders?

Forbes estimates that only about 10 % of today’s employees having the

appropriate levels of “leadership agility” that is needed.


What are you most focused on?



technology



B. Focused on steps including

effective planning, execution, and follow through






• A clear common purpose, goals and performance objectives

• An understanding of finance and budget

• All the data and research that is needed • Technology that can support goals • Clear measurements and analysis

• Uses intuition to build relationships and

manage emotional issues • Demonstrates empathy and good

communication skills with customers and colleagues

• Possesses refined listening and observation skills that build stronger relationships with customers

• Genuine interest in all types of people • Collaboration and ability to manage

complex interpersonal situations • Team oriented with customers and peers

• Vision of a successful future • An idea of how the work fits into the

larger organizational strategy • A willingness to take risks • New ideas and solutions that challenge

the status quo • An idea on how the organization fits into

the big picture and global perspective

• Guidelines, agendas and ground rules to help use time together effectively

• Resources needed • Agreed upon processes • Clear priorities, a plan and a timeline • Clear responsibilities and

accountabilities

• An understanding of each interpersonal dynamics

• Making facilitation skills available • An understanding and appreciation of

customers, associates and stakeholders • Clear design of roles and effective

interaction • Agreements on how to communicate

internally and externally

What are your leaders most focused on?


















accountabilities






What do you want your leaders to be most focused on?



What is your organization most focused on?



technology



B. Focused on following the steps including effective

planning, execution, and follow through





















accountabilities






What do you want your organization to be most focused on?



How do you and your leaders get in alignment?


Whole Brain® Thinking Model



So, you may be asking, what are the next steps?


Develop Whole Brain® Managers as part of your Leadership Development Strategy

Learn how to: • Apply Whole Brain® Thinking to a

business challenge • Leverage your thinking preferences at

work • Use Whole Brain® Thinking in coaching • Communicate in a Whole Brain®

approach • Use Whole Brain Decision Making

Model ™ • Become a Whole Brain Problem

Solver™ • Develop a Whole Brain® Team • Think like your client • Handle difficult interactions with Whole

Brain® Thinking

Whole Brain® and the four color, 4 quadrant graphic is a trademark of Herrmann Global.

© Herrmann Global 2013.


Whole Brain Decision Making Model ™



The ROI of a Whole Brain® Manager

B

Return on Implementation

Return on Ideas

D

Leadership Agility

C

Return on Interaction

Return on Investment

A



better results through better thinking Originators of Whole Brain® Technology and

Creators of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) www.HerrmannSolutions.com

Any Leader, in any type of organization and industry, can improve their agility and become a

Whole Brain® Manager.

Agility: Develop Managers for a Complex World

Documents

Transcript of Agility: Develop Managers for a Complex World