Chapter 1 The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership
Chapter One provides us with a broad overview of the concepts that will be further explored as we delve further into Kouzes and Posner’s book, The Leadership Challenge. Using Dick Nettell’s experience at a Bank of America call center as a prime example allows the authors to vividly display how effective leadership can be used in American business. Adding examples about Claire Owen’s experiences with SG Group of London shows us that their principles will work anywhere in today’s world.
One of the themes for Chapter One is that leadership opportunities are everywhere. I think most of us are aware of this concept. All too often though I think we fail to recognize some of the more mundane situations in which leadership opportunities occur. Having this point mentioned in the text can serve as a reminder that we need to actively look for situations where leadership occurs so we may better study it. What struck me during this reading was leadership in families. The leadership dynamic changes as we grow, mature, and age amongst both our family of origin, and our family of marriage. The leadership is constantly evolving as the relations evolve. Surely we have all experienced these phenomena.
The first of five practices listed for exemplary leadership is MODEL THE WAY. The authors tell of Dick Nettles use of surveys to help clarify the vision and values of the call center to illustrate this point. Additionally, Dick went the extra step to explain that he had been a retired executive that had come to them by his own choice. He did so to assure his co-workers that he wanted to help them achieve their goals together. I think a lot of supervisors would be well served to state their commitment to their charges more often rather than waiting for an annual evaluation to spout the platitudes of goals and expectations.
The next step Dick took was to INSPIRE A SHARED VISION
by using survey results to work with his management team to
develop a vision of the future and a mission statement. Incorporating
the survey results and utilizing management input enabled the call
center to buy into these concepts as they all had a hand in the text
and language. All of the employees became active stakeholders.
Playing an active role in determining what is important to an organization
can go a long way to keeping the rank and file interested in their work,
and how it contributes to the overall goals.
In order to CHALLENGE THE PROCESS Dick looked to his initial impressions of the call center and made a simple, drastic change. When he first arrived upward communication (from line employees to management) was virtually unheard of. Dick initiated an open door policy, encouraging employees to talk with their managers and him. He even went so far as to setting up an email site, AskDick.com. I respect Dick for this move as he was willing to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Saying you believe in something is one thing, actually doing it is another.
By opening the lines of communication and fostering trust
across the call center Dick was able to ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT.
Giving voice to all employees helped to foster a partnership
relationship that enabled workers to feel their contributions
were valued. Employees who are happy and enjoy their work are
more productive so treating them as partners can go a long way
toward improving efficiency, boosting morale and making an
organization more effective.
To ENCOURAGE THE HEART Dick initiated some changes to Pride Day. In addition to the wearing apparel with company logos, recognition of employee efforts are now made on a monthly basis. The trickle down effect of recognizing individual efforts is that the organizations values are reaffirmed and a sense of community is fostered.
By illustrating Dick’s experience at the call center the
authors are showing that leadership is not ability or actions.
Rather, leadership is a relationship that needs to worked at
and developed as situations warrant. Leaders need followers
and followers need leaders. We are all capable of filling either
role. It is up to us to determine which relationships we foster
to decide which roles we will play.
Chapter One concludes with a brief explanation, and a
detailed table listing the Ten Commitments of Leadership.
They are the basis for making each of the Five Practices of
Exemplary Leadership work in most organizations.
Comments
As I read Todd's comments on Chapter 1 of the text, I find myself reflecting on the job I've done as a parent -- supposedly as a leader for my children. I am afraid I wasn't as good a leader as I should have been.
I often yelled when I should have asked more questions, listened and reasoned. I came from the old school of bringing up children -- do as I say, I don't need a reason (other than just because I said so), spare the rod and spoil the child, children should be seen and not heard, etc. Unfortunately, we often believe that the way we were brought up is also the way we should rear our own children, but it's not always true leadership. Although I didn't use "the rod," I was a very good screamer of "do this" and "do that." Because I was raised in what I thought was a real "Leave it to Beaver" home, it must have been perfect -- right??
I'm learning much later that their way wasn't necessarily always the best way. While I can't go back and start over, I can certainly still be a leader with my children today (and with my grandchildren). And hopefully my new way of leading by example will encourage my children to parent their own children based on the new me.
Posted by: Cheri Ptacek | January 28, 2008 06:21 PM
I really enjoyed Chapter 1, mainly because I was able to take the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership and test them out against my life experiences. While I agree with all of the Five Practices and have definitely seen them in my life, the one that I think is the most difficult but also the most rewarding is "Enabling Others." By enabling others you must be able to delegate and trust those that work for you. For many, this is not an easy task - why have someone else do something I can do just as well and probably better.
In my current position, one of the goals of the director of my department is to empower everyone and to make everyone be able to be in charge or take leadership in some type of project every week. When I first started I found this to be a little daunting but as time went on, I really appreciated the chance to showcase my talents at a higher level. The director of my department is a great leader - she knows how to delegate, how to inspire and if a mistake happens, she helps you learn from it.
Above, Todd mentioned the idea that leadership is a relationship - I agree with that completely. The best leaders I have had in my life are those that took the time to form relationships with me, it enabled both of us to trust one another on a higher level.
Posted by: Jen | January 28, 2008 07:01 PM
Indeed leadership opportunities are everywhere. How people step up to a challenge presented sets tone for the reaction that follows. I agree with the reading and Todd that we may fail to recognize the every day situations where we can create the opportunity to be a leader.
Clair Owen challenged the traditional ways the marketing industry presented itself. She valued her original customer relationship, whether her employer did or not. She met the challenge that was presented by providing her customer with a plan that met her customer’s needs while also building a stronger trust in Claire’s abilities for the customer to follow her. She built a company on her values that is successful because she instills that those values are also the same values that her employees believes in too.
How we act, how we believe, how we envision should be a direct response to our own values in any situation. Kouzes and Posner’s five practices and ten commitments of leadership is a model for our learning process. That’s based on interacting with other people. I agree how we build our relationships, during any process, is how well we succeed in our relationships in leadership, business, or life.
Posted by: Alex | January 29, 2008 04:43 PM