Leadership as Authorship

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

That was then…

This is now…

Rethinking Corporate Leadership as…

Corporate Authorship

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘We often ask the question now, ‘What will become of me?’ And lose the fact that what we do Creates identity.

And so it is, with choices made, We build who we become: The stories of our life fulfill Our quest to be someone.’

Tim Coburn, 2003

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

The nature of identity is changing….

‘If you want to know me, then you must know my story, for my story defines who I am.’

Dan P McAdams

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‘Narrative form is not a dress which covers something else but the structure inherent in human

experience and action.’

David Carr

1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘… the very idea of individual selves – in possession of mental qualities – is now threatened with

eradication.’

Kenneth Gergen

THE END

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Just as I become who I am by imagining, enacting and updating my story, so too, do people become families, communities, organisations and groups by

composing, creating and narrating theirs’.

In this respect, the leaders of these groups are the corporate story-makers.

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

That was then…

This is now…

Corporate Leadership as

Corporate Authorship

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘…from my early attraction to the leadership ideas of courage, humility and service…

…I’ll explain how I arrived at… leadership as authorship.

In so doing, I hope to engage you in developing your own view of systems leadership, how you practice it and how you encourage others to do the same.'

Leadership as Authorship

The Practice of Authorship in Our Everyday Lives

“What we really should do about…… is…”

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“Their view is different because…”

“If you were in my shoes, what would you do….?”

“Did you see…?! ….What did you make of it?”

“Let’s be clear, the purpose of this organisation is to…”

“Here’s a concern…. What question should I be asking?”

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

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My Journey

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘How can I be sure?’

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘I was… increasingly uncertain about the certainty with which I was speaking in my endeavour to educate, encourage and enable change for others.’

‘I was beginning to think that talking with the conviction of an expert… was actually doing more to diminish than enhance their ability to make progress.’

© Tim Coburn, 2011

A machine

An organism

A brain

A culture

A political system

A psychic prison

An instruments of domination

The Organisation is…

© Tim Coburn, 2011

The Way I Know

The Observations I Make

The Possibilities of My Performance

The Meaning I Make of Them

The Knowledge I Construct

Determines Informs

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘I would like us all to recognise that…

…reality is made, not given

…our understanding of the world is always seeing as, rather than seeing as is

…and to take a moral responsibility for the way we see and act in every day life, difficult though this may be.’

Gareth Morgan

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘Knowledge or wisdom, Tim?’

Keith Kinsella Jenny Rogers

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Object

Physics

Ingredients

Characteristics

Person

System

Cybernetics

Organisation

Pattern

Relationship

He changed the subject

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Photo: David Kjaer/RSPB IMAGES; Charlie Hamilton James

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘But, what does this tell us about human systems… and leadership?’

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Identity

Purpose

Action

Expression

Belonging

And the leader’s role?

Human Systems Characteristics of all human systems?

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Everything is mediated through language and constructed in conversation

Identity

Purpose

Action

Expression

Belonging Human systems are systems of language and meaning

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

A Human System

Value for money   For us, that's about offering more for your money, not

cutting corners. It's every Virgin company's magic tool.

Good quality   Going that little bit further in everything we do.

Innovative and challenging   Supporting creativity and challenging convention and

freedom is a huge part of what it means to be Virgin.

Fun   More than any other element, fun is the secret of

Virgin's success. What does this mean for our people?   Having a sense of humour   Occasional gags at a competitor's expense   Celebrating success together   Ensuring we can all enjoy a decent work/life balance   Avoiding blame culture, because it's OK to make the odd

mistake

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A Human System

Respecting the unique worth of every person   We believe that every person is different but equal,

and that everyone's unique talent should be recognised and encouraged.

Encouraging people to fulfill their potential   We all need encouragement at some time in life.

Barnardo's aims to create opportunities for people to make the most of their abilities.

Working with hope   Our hope for a better future for all children is the

source of much of our inspiration.

Exercising responsible stewardship   The commitment of all our staff and volunteers to

making the best use of all our resources enables us to help children, young people and their families to overcome severe disadvantage.

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Human systems are systems of language and

every one is different

Language and meaning are local and contextual not universal and objective

© Tim Coburn, 2011

I am willing to put my knowledge at risk no yes

I judge your knowledge against my criteria

yes no

Leadership Dispositions for Working with Other Language Systems

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I judge your

knowledge against my

criteria

humility

certainty

curiosity

reflexivity

I am willing to put my knowledge at risk no

no

yes

yes

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Dispositions for working in human systems

First Proposition

Human systems are systems of language each with its own vocabulary and meaning for…

Identity, Purpose, Action, Expression and Belonging

© Tim Coburn, 2011

It’s what you… Do

It’s how you… Act

It’s in the quality of… Decision

It’s what you… Say

It’s how you… Talk

It’s in the quality of… Conversation

© Tim Coburn, 2011

It’s what you… Say

It’s how you… Talk

It’s in the quality of… Conversation

It’s what you… Do

It’s how you… Act

It’s in the quality of… Decision

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Leadership

it’s a big responsibility…

so where can you turn for reliable knowledge?

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Truth is discovered by scientific investigation and other disciplined methods

Truth is constructed socially – it’s what we agree to be true

Truth is experienced individually and expressed in unique ways of talking

Truth is revealed through personal, spiritual and natural enlightenment

Truth is passed down and comes from culture and tradition

Scientific Investigation

Enlightenment and Revelation

Lived Experience

Common Sense

Culture and Tradition

Five different

ways to be absolutely

right

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘The goings-on between people in the course of their everyday lives are seen as the practices during

which our shared versions of knowledge are constructed.’

Vivien Burr

All Five produce socially constructed realities…

© Tim Coburn, 2011

The word

is not the thing

© Tim Coburn, 2011

How do you know what I mean?

Chair Pencil Boat Road Desk Phone

Students Parents Customers Staff Learners Leaders

Achievement Freedom Trust Potential Competence Learning

And this is the language of

leadership and leaning

Easier Harder

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

"We were disappointed we lost the game but it isn't a matter of revenge, it is about our own personal pride."

Example

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

"We were disappointed we lost the game but it isn't a matter of revenge, it is about our own personal pride."

Example

Leaders are the authors, architects and arbiters of the language

that constructs and sustains corporate life

Second Proposition

© Tim Coburn, 2011

Examples of Authorship in Your Life?

Project Department Profession

People Organisation

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘Leaders achieve their effectiveness chiefly

through the stories they relate’ Howard Gardner

Narrator, yes….

…and author, director, reader

and repairer

…protagonist even, and not least,

integrator

The Corporate

Story-Maker

© Tim Coburn, 2011

‘As in the real theatre, in the corporate world

it is the compelling story line that captures the imagination

and retains the attention.’

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© Tim Coburn, 2011 Taking Down Walls

1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062

Today’s world…

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© Tim Coburn, 2011 Defying Authority

1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062

Today’s world…

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© Tim Coburn, 2011 Increasingly Connected

1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062

Today’s world…

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phone tablet laptop desktop search find link listen watch discover learn blog share talk discuss create collaborate

television

LEAD? TEACH? LEARN?

Knowledge Inversion

Today’s world…

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90,000 Employees 18 Countries

All Sectors

Engagement Improves Satisfaction Productivity

Retention Performance

79% Not Fully Engaged

Engagement Improves with 1. Leadership

2. Learning

A Human System

Their world…

Home MY WORLD

Words

Family

Relationships

Culture, Nation Tradition

Conversations

Politics, Faith Gender, Age, Ability

Actions

My Word Hoard

Education

My Historical Facts

Immediate Future

Thoughts Feelings

My Recent Past

My Hopes & Aspirations

My Fond Memories

My Realistic Expectations

Generation Critical Events Era Personal Change Life Stage Life Time Age

MY PAST

MY FUTURE

Work Community

My Current Reality

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‘Are you talking to

me or chewing

a brick?’

Systems of Meaning

If you really want to engage me you have to

discover who I am and

the realities I live by

Manager, Work Team, Job

Organisation Profession

Yes, engage me…

‘The unity of a human life is the unity of a narrative

quest’

Alasdair MacIntyre

“I am my story-maker…”

1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062

My Story’s in Your Gift

One day there’ll be a story Of the life that I have lived. I’ll be the one who makes it, You’ll decide if it’s a gift.

For I have passion for what’s possible And dreams that take me there. Where mountain tops evaporate In destiny’s thin air.

I am my story-maker. You choose the words for me? No… My heart will beat forever If your voice sets mine free.


So, the story that you tell one day Will be the one I lived. My life in words you gave me; My story’s in your gift.


The Learner’s Voice

© Tim Coburn, 2011 Tim Coburn, 2003

A view of corporate life as a system of language

invites a view of corporate leadership as the task of corporate authorship

Third Proposition

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

Object

Physics

Ingredients

Characteristics

Person

Knowledge

System

Cybernetics

Organisation

Pattern

Relationship

Language

Systems of Meaning

It’s time to change the subject

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Universal Objective

Truth For ever

Knowing ‘this’, ‘that’ and ‘how’

Found by experts

Manifest in facts

Local Contextual Relational

For the time being

Knowing ‘how to go on’

Made by everyone

Manifest in language

Knowledge

Of course, we need both

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When we believe the realities we live by are…

found by experts

Learning occurs by… didactic instruction

We might call this… ‘learning-by-listening’

With the advantage of… experts knowing

everything

When we believe the realities we live by are…

made by everyone

Learning occurs by… collaborative construction

We might call this… ‘learning-by-making’

With the advantage of… everyone knowing

something

Learning

New paradigm, new pedagogy

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

You are the author, narrator and protagonist in

the story of your life

And, you have to read, repair, relate and respond to the stories around you, too

Like life, leadership is like a quest for

narrative integrity

Leadership as Authorship Everything is mediated through

language

Authoring… your disposition in creating productive relationships

Authoring… conversations that create new realities for people to

live by

Authoring… social movements that enable the fulfillment of

narrative integrity

Leadership

Corporate Leadership as Corporate Authorship

Tim Coburn

Visiting Fellow, Centre for Systems Learning and Leadership Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol

Contact: [email protected]

Founder and Director, Flourish

Contact: [email protected]

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© Tim Coburn, 2011

Leadership as Authorship

Business

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