Embedding Transformational

Leadership In Practice

Caroline Patterson

Special Adviser, Organisational Development,

Gateshead Council

Purpose

Talk about Transformational Leadership (TF) What it is, what it really means Why it’s so important Practical things we’ve done to embed it and

360 degree appraisal in various organisations

Some of the lessons learned along the way Also here to learn from your experience

Style

Need to briefly recap the theory, but we’ll do that quickly

Debunk some of the myths Challenge what you believe to be true Build in some activities around factors to

consider when embedding TF/using 360 Handouts and questionnaires to take away

Why I’m Here

Met Professor Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe in 1999 Programme Director IDeA Modern Managers

Programme She conducted the biggest study ever on leadership

in the public sector Worked together since then developing and

embedding leadership cultures in various organisations

National research- MBA Hull, Members 360

Why Do We Need Leadership?

Quick Recap……….

Importance of Leadership

Vision, direction and focus –real skill is aligning people to it

Clear goals, don’t know where you are going you are unlikely to get there

Team spirit…………….

Manager’s managing is important Transformational Leadership has the biggest

impact on morale, motivation, stress, job satisfaction, productivity and performance

Importance of Leadership

Poor leadership costs ££££££££££ in terms of stress related absence, and has enormous cost in terms of individual health and psychological well being

Increased focus on leadership development and assessment in our Corporate Performance Assessment

“Leadership is the single biggest factor that drives change and organisational improvement “ LG White Paper”

Direct Relationship Between Leadership, Motivation, Stress

and Performance

3 Variables That Affect Performance

Performance =

A + Ability and competence M + Motivation R + Resources

TIME

PERF

motivation

competence

Motivation Over Time

40-50% effective

Leadership is about saying… “How can I interact with people to improve their

performance, give them just enough stretch to keep them

motivated and help them realise their potential?”

What’s The Biggest Cause Of Stress In The Workplace?

Climate Studies 50’s to 90’s

60-75% of people said that in any organisation, the most stressful aspect of their work was their immediate boss!

“Managers with controlling styles who fail to clarify roles and responsibilities, who

exert undue pressure have working groups with higher levels of stress and

tension”

Controlling Styles

Climate Studies- Main Causes Of Stress

Unclear roles and responsibilities

Lack of autonomy

Lack of social support

Levels Of Arousal

Perf.

Acceptable level of stress

Unacceptable level

Stress is Infectious!

Average correlation within the same working groups

= .92

We leak!!!!

Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe

Leadership Development

is both a financial and moral imperative…. Stress is increasing in

organisations at a phenomenal

rate Cost of stress is also increasing

(in terms of absence as well as performance)

The Search for the Holy Grail

What makes a good leader?

Leadership Research: The Old Paradigm

1930s-50s Great Man Approach

Traits Approach

1960s The Behavioural Approach

1970s Situational/Contingency Approach

Autocratic Participative Consultative

Levels of Autonomy Democratic

Tannenbaum Schmidt

Levels of Freedom

Levels of Control

1960’s Behaviour/Style Approaches

“one best style”

Blanchard-Situational Leadership

PARTICIPATE SELL

DELEGATE TELL

FOLLOWER MATURITYHIGH LOW

The New Paradigms of Leadership

Changing Paradigms of Leadership

Seismic shift in thinking in the 70’s Old models only suitable for stable

environments Research conducted with first line

supervisors Need to engage with CExs with experience

of managing strategic and complex change Existing research not particularly valid- all

self rating

Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe

The Myths of Leadership

It’s rare It’s found mainly at the top It’s about being super-human You can only do it if you are male!

(We’ll save that one for another time)

Research on Charisma

Early research- charismatic leaders were the star performers

Utter rubbish -completely discredited You were perceived to be charismatic if

you were evangelistic, expressive, waived your arms about, had blue eyes, were extrovert rather than introvert

Leadership is about being quietly effective

Knight in shining armour required to charge in on their white horse and save the organisation from ruin-

Mere mortals need not apply!

Unrealistic Job Ads

What’s the Difference Between Leadership and Management?

Another paradigm shift-leadership no longer viewed as a subset of management………….

Kotter’s Comparison of Management & Leadership

Transactional Leadership

(Management)

Creating Planning Budgeting:

Agendas

Developing HR Organising &

Staffing

Execution Controlling & Problem-

solving:

Outcomes Produces a degree of predictability & order

Transformational Leadership

(Leadership)

Establishing Direction:

Aligning People:

Motivating & Inspiring:

Produces change - often to a

dramatic degree

Leadership Versus Management

Management is about coping with complexity, provides stability, order and consistency

- Is transactional- Promotes the status quo

Leadership Versus Management

Leadership is having vision, a clear sense of direction and aligning people to it, helping people cope with change

-Promotes transformation and drives change

Leadership Versus Management

Management is about doing things right Leadership is about doing the right thing We need to develop both

But where did the terms transactional and transformational come from?…..

Transactional versus Transformational

Transactional - negotiation exchange or bargaining

Transformational - a vision that things would be different or better

George McGregor Burns

Bass, B.M. (1985) Leadership & Performance Beyond Expectations. London: Free Press

1980’s Bass’s Model of Transformational

Leadership

Idealised Influence (Vision) Inspirational Motivation (Charisma) Intellectual Stimulation Individualised Consideration

Vision

“Vision is the dream that invents the future”

Developing a shared vision Direction, aligning people Painting pictures Make people believe it’s achievable

Be a Good Conductor

“The task is to get the orchestra working to deliver the music in your head. It’s a three stage operation- hear the music, get it over to the

orchestra get them to give it to the audience”

Leonard Bernstein

Redefining Charisma

Quietly effective Positive role models others look up to

and want to follow Encourage people to give more of

themselves, go the extra mile Can be positive or negative Beware the pseudo-charismatics

Pseudo- Charismatics

Often do well at interview All gloss and no substance Highly visible Good at self promotion/taking credit

for the work of others Don’t deliver results Can generate compliance cultures

Zero correlation between charisma and performance, strong correlation

between charisma and pay!

Potentially Worrying !!

Intellectual Stimulation

Encourage people to question the way things are done and are not defensive

Take a collaborative approach to problem solving

Intelligent and use a range of behaviours-adjust pitch and style according to whom they are dealing with, gain credibility quickly

Individualised Consideration

Genuine concern for others and their welfare

Communicate positive expectations of people

Treat them with dignity and respect Not interested in status and hierarchy-

treat everyone as equals Value diversity and difference Are you ok?

Does The Soft and Fluffy Stuff Really Work?

Research has shown that:

Transformational Leadership has a significantly greater impact than Transactional Leadership on a variety of subjective and objective outcome measures, including:

job satisfaction, motivation, and performance of followers lower levels of stress & burnout amongst staff more collaborative, innovative, harmonious teams financial performance of organisations performance in public sector organisations

Source: Bass, B.M. & Avolio, B.J., (1996) Postscripts: Recent Developments for Improving Organisational Effectiveness, Sage

The Importance Of Balance

“It’s about being transactional in a transformational way”

Managers Managing Is Also Important

Clarifying roles and expectations

Competency Framework

ConstitutionDelegations

Training on key skillsDecision making

Structures

Training on personnel policies and procedures

Appraisal

Managing poor performance

Reward/sanction

Why Conduct Further Research?

Most leadership research was from the US

Based on commercial & military organisations

Focus was typically on male white top managers who were self rating

Gender & race bias

How Was The Research Conducted?

Think about leaders you have known 2 outstanding, 2 average, 2 poor Write their initials on a card Shuffle cards and pick out 2 To what extent are they similar but

different from the rest? Elicit and group constructs

Interviews with 150 male and female managers, LG and NHS

using Rep Grid

Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe & John Alban-Metcalfe

New Model of Transformational Leadership (1)

(1) Leading others

Genuine concern for others

Enabling

Being accessible, available,

Encourages change

New Model of Transformational Leadership (2)

(2) Personal Qualities

Honest and consistent

Acting With Integrity

Being Decisive

Inspiring Others

Resolving Complex problems

Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe & John Alban-Metcalfe

New Model of Transformational Leadership (3)

(3) Organisational Skills

Political sensitivity and skills

Networker, promoter, communicator

Manages change sensitively and skilfully

3 Types of Handout In your Pack

How TF am I/Are We?

US Versus The UK Model

US models focus on charisma and vision, the leader as a role model

UK public sector model – leadership is about engaging with partners, developing a shared vision and engagement

Genuine concern fourth for Bass, top of the LG scale

Ability to communicate positive expectations and develop good networks is really important

Transformational Leaders

Are outward looking Drive change in organisations and make things

happen Clear sense of direction and focus Develop a shared vision and bring people along with

them Communicate positive expectations Accessible, approachable, are honest consistent

and act with integrity Motivate and empower employees, help them cope

with change

The Relationship Between Leadership and Self Awareness

“Leadership and self awareness are inextricably linked- to be a leader you first need to know

yourself”Robert Greenleaf

“ Leadership is connecting what I do to who I am to those I

serve”

You are not a leader if no-one is following you!!!

Problems with Traditional Appraisal

BOSS

TEAM

LEADER

LINE

MANAGER

360 Is a Great Tool for Developing SAw

Multiple perspectives on your leadership style

Encourages a culture of openness and feedback

Studies have shown it improves all aspects of TF ( if development needs are addressed)

Performance improvement is sustained for at least two years

Particularly As…..

Direct reports are the best predictors of performance

Over and above assessment centres for the first seven years

We all have blind-spots Everybody sees me differently but me!

UK Model, Based on a 360 Approach

Self

Manager

0.3

.24

Staff

0.6

0.6

Colleagues.18

Activity

How transformational is your organisation? How do you know? Are you doing enough to develop TF, if not what

practical things do you need to do? (Think specifically about the implications for

recruitment, A and D, competency frameworks, development/ succession planning etc)?

What practical things would you need to consider prior to implementing 360?

Lessons Learned

Embedding Transformational Leadership

“Leadership & culture are 2 sides of same coin

-you can’t change one without the other”

Schein

Embedding Leadership Cultures in Organisations

The Culture Behaviour Cycle

Culture

Behaviour

Influences

Reinforces

Focus At An Organisational and An Individual

Level………..

Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe

Embedding TF-Research

Clear statement about which leadership and management skills the organisation values

Core competency framework which assesses management (the what) and TF leadership (the how)

Don’t run out-dated re-cycled management development programmes

Assess the right behaviours when you recruit or promote (handout refers)

Send a clear message-you only get on here if you do x!!!

Challenge The Unwritten Rules

Explore the contradictions

Some Examples

We want a high performance culture but reward loyalty/length of service

We want to reward TF but Job Evaluation rewards the task/ we don’t look for TF in recruitment

We are committed to equalities but few women make it to the top

We want to focus less on hierarchy and more on empowerment- but only senior managers can present to members

Hull research-no contradictions in excellent organisations

Other Lessons Learned

Never under-estimate the effort it takes to embed this down to grass roots-change agents can help

Have a clear communications strategy that tackles the “soggy sponge”

Then do some mystery shopping to find out whether employees at different levels know what TF is, what they can expect in terms of their managers and leaders?

Training is just the beginning-the days of just running a conference and expecting it to happen are over!!!

Focus on tangible results….

Other Lessons Learned………….. Managers at all levels need to work with their

teams and identify practical things they will do to to engender TF in their team/service and enhance their own style

Publicise quick wins (articles, certificates, recognition etc)

Its not just about training……… Recruitment and succession planning are key

(recruitment fact-sheet refers)

Other Lessons Learned

Don’t forget to bring your policies into line- reward, recognition, bullying and harassment, managing poor performance

This is also about how we do business- the how we go about projects is as important as delivering to time

Don’t Forget The Importance Of Balance

“It’s about being transactional in a transformational way”

Individual as well as organisational behaviour contribute to culture….

Embedding a Culture of Transformational Leadership

Commitment from CEx and senior managers is vital Studies show there are three major blocks to TF in

organisations:

Senior managers

Senior managers and

Senior managers!!!

and they are crucial in terms of role modelling

the right behaviours

Bass, B.M. & Avolio, B. J. (1993) ‘Transformational leadership & organizational culture’. Public Administration Quarterly, 17, 112-121.

Essentially, Culture Management is Message Management

“Culture is created and sustained through the messages people receive about how

to behave.”

Carolyn Taylor, Walk the Talk

Managers Are Carriers Of Culture

Send important messages about what s acceptable and what isn’t through the way they lead,manage and interact with others

Whether they are open to feedback and suggestions

By what they choose to reward, how fair they are in this process

Whether they deal with inappropriate behaviour, and how well they tackle it

We must invest in their development

Quick Levers to Pull In Terms of Culture ChangeBehaviour Training and role

modelling

Myths and Stories Mavericks, heroes and villainsPositive reinforcement-integration

Signs and Symbols Eg: Creating a high performance culture, performance dashboards, displaying evaluation dataPace and choice-see reward

Systems Reward-measure recognise and reward the right things-Succession Communications, meetings

Beverly Alimo-Metcalfe

Can Leadership Really be Developed?

It depends…..

On the attitude of the individual Preparedness to accept others’ views as valid Whether they are open to feedback Quality of feedback The organisation’s commitment to reinforcing what is important- supporting development-

what’s the sanction if people don’t change?

Lessons Learned

Embedding 360 Degree Appraisal

Critical Success Factors

Be clear about why you are using it Is the organisation ready? Ethics/confidentiality agreement- the

person owns the data 360 should be used primarily for

development purposes rather than performance assessment (360 should not be linked to performance pay)

Critical Success Factors

Supplements rather than replaces A and D Chose a valid, reliable instrument which reflects

your strategic aims Cost and complexity can be a problem Pilot-light small fires Start at the top Develop feedback skills first

Get People To Admit There Is a Problem!!!

When was the last time you asked for feedback about your personal style?

How frank were the conversations? Do you know how your team would describe

your style, your strengths, what you bring? Do you know what they want you to stop

doing/ do differently? Is there two way or one way feedback in A

and D?

Critical Success Factors

Clear advice on choosing raters Brief raters on TF- they need to understand

what they are assessing More detailed briefings may be required for

instruments which also assess competence Online briefings Credible qualified facilitator Prioritised Personal Development Plans with

no more than three key objectives Get commitment to resourcing development

needs

Embedding Transformational

Leadership In Practice

A Question to close……..

Can an organisation be transformational or is it the people that make it?