Immunity to Change: Post #10--Leadership Development

Growing Your Own: A final word about leadership development.
a. In an ever-and-faster changing world, adaptive change becomes more crucial for both success and sustainability. Taking a development stance or a leadership development frame of mind can make this happen. The authors provide seven (7) attributes of this development stance:
i. Adulthood is a time for growth. We evolve throughout our lives.
ii. There’s a big distinction between technical and adaptive changes.
iii. Individuals have intrinsic motivation to grow.
iv. Such mindset changes take time.
v. Mindsets shape feelings, so change needs to involve head and heart (Jefferson would like this one).
vi. Change in mindset and change in behavior are co-dependent in this system.
vii. A development stance provides a safe place for people to experiment and take risks.
b. Leaders who move teams and organizations through this process are adaptive leaders, who themselves take the risk of creating a development frame of mind. But the alternative—treating problems as cosmetic and technical—leads to a very unsatisfied place.

Immunity to Change: Post #1--Overview

Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey (Harvard Business Press, 2009) reviewed by Steve Gladis, PhD, January 2012.
Overview: “Adapt or Become Irrelevant” should be the title of this book, although I do like the actual title: Immunity to Change by Harvard professors Kegan and Lashey. All of us have something that we wish we could change about ourselves or our teams at work. As individuals, maybe we want to be less thoughtless, lose weight, or change a habit that’s nagged us for years, like procrastinating or interrupting people. Groups or teams also get stuck in patterns of “anxiety management behavior” (immunity to change) that don’t work, such as not changing a process, a product or service when we know the world has moved on. So, we adopt a philosophy of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” even when we know “it” is no longer relevant. Building on the work of two other Harvard professors, Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky’s theory of adaptive change, Kegan and Lahey have given us a great diagnostic tool to help us “x-ray” our own situation and test our assumptions that often lead to the exact opposite of what we say we really want to change. Their diagnostic tool is simple but elegant and composed of four steps captured in the form of four columns. Column #1: Our improvement goal (What do we want to do?); Column #2: Our fearless inventory (What are we doing or not doing instead of Column #1?); Column #3: Our hidden competing commitments (What are we secretly committed to that makes us do the stuff in Column #2, which competes directly with Column #1 desire(s)?; and, Column #4: Our assumptions (What big assumption(s) are we making that support our Column #3 hidden commitments?). To make real change happen, the authors instruct us to attack our assumptions. They suggest we conduct small, incremental experiments, collect data that runs contrary to our big assumptions, deconstruct them, and eventually clearly evaluate their accuracy and relevance. In short, we must test our assumptions for their validity. People and teams who can resist the easy temptation to just do the opposite of things in Column #2 (merely make technical, surface changes) and instead take on the adaptive changes (more comprehensive and difficult experimental changes) will find a better world to live in. This is the kind of a book that an entire company should read and practice over a year. This is a very important book—BIG stuff between these covers.

Social Animal: #5--Attachment

Attachment: To have socially attuned children, parents need not be trained psychologists; rather, they simply need to be warm, loving, and good enough to model how they react to the world to show their kids good behavioral models to emulate. Attachment theory also helps us understand how children will approach the world. If the parent, especially the primary caregiver (usually the mother), is in tune with the needs and wants of the child, the two are in a kind of harmonic dance and become attached. Such well attached children can face new or strange situations with calm and flexibility. They see the world as welcoming and inviting. They tend to be more truthful and less boastful…not feeling the need to puff themselves up. Thus, strong attachment in early childhood shapes future relationships for the child throughout his/her life. However, when those initial bonds are weak due to detached or emotionally unavailable parents, those children are said to become detached and model a similar behavior to others in their lives. Children who are more inconsistent emotionally with life tend to be raised by inconsistent parents. These children tend to be more fearful than others throughout their lives. Children also often replicate their parent’s behavior when they have their own kids. But life is robust and not deterministic, and all children are not necessarily doomed to replicate their early upbringing.

Crossing the Divide #7--Operating Across Boundaries

Operating Across Boundaries: Leading Adaptive Change by Ronald Heifetz. Intergroup relationships occur everywhere in our history from one clan marrying into another, to mergers and acquisitions, to Congress operating. The complex relationships between groups (intergroup) and among groups (intragroup) create a level of complexity and nuance that is required for adaptation/survival in a new and ever changing world. Heifetz is a world-class mind at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government who has studied power, adaptation and survival. He notes that, like DNA that’s evolving, social adaptability works best when occurring gradually and constantly. Nonetheless, such change can create a sense of loss—and emotions of resistance that come with those emotions associated with loss. In this piece he discusses three aspects of adaptive work. 1) The commonality of loss. People can accept change, but not loss. Loss of power, status, influence and the like create an emotional wake too big to overcome. Thus, affected people put up decoys to avoid tackling the truly tough issues. And avoiding such tough issues often results in bigger eruptions down the road. 2) The politics of inclusion. Part of adaptive work is defining the problem and the inconsistencies presented and then identifying and bringing together the right parties to solve the problem. Ignoring critical social issues led to the Civil War…where we sidestepped addressing the economic issue of slavery only to turn around and pay an enormous price. 3) Refashioning loyalties across boundaries. Adaptive work requires convincing people to refashion their in-group loyalties to work across boundaries and forge coalitions. They must then, even after reaching intergroup decisions, sell their “new” position to their own constituents—which can be both difficult and treacherous. The author’s examples of the assassinations of Rabin, Sadat and Arafat were stunning cases of just how treacherous constituencies can be. Strategies among diverse interworking groups about how to introduce change to their various subgroup constituencies are often neglected and often fail.

The Leadership Response

This is the 3rd of a series of posts based on my review of Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading ((Harvard Business School Press, 2002).

Of all the books I’ve read and reviewed on leadership, Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading would be one of the top 10 books I’d recommend to any leader—from first line manager to CEO.

a. The Balcony vs. the Dance Floor: As adaptive leaders get hit with resistance to adaptive change, the authors suggest alternatively working on the dance floor (tactics) and then moving on to the balcony (strategy). This technique of going from the fray to the front porch allows the leader a chance to get perspective. I liken it more to a football game with the guys in the booth far above the field to give the coach on the field, the benefit of a “balcony” view…they can see patterns of the defense and offence that the coach might not be able to see from the sidelines on the field.

b. How to Take the Temperature: The author’s insights here are brilliant and for me the most critical part of the book (which should be read in its entirety to really understand their brilliance).

--Observe superior authorities for their response to your adaptive change. HERE FIND THE BRILLIANCE OF THIS MODEL: Adaptive/transformative leaders find themselves on the end of a seesaw. They are at one end pushing for real, transformative change—that they were told by superiors to make. The issue or problem (with its supporters, often peers and subordinates and any others who might want to resist change) sits on the other end pushing in a counter direction…at first pushing only for the status quo.

1.But eventually if the leader’s pressure is too much, the issue side puts on more pressure to equalize the system. This requires the superior authority (and the fulcrum) to shift AWAY from the adaptive/transformational leader and TOWARD the issue (peers, subordinates, etc.) in an attempt to balance the seesaw. This movement involves a cooling of support by the superior—who may be calculating the cost to him or herself of the counter pressure on the issue side.

2. This dynamic makes the leader feel abandoned, isolated and betrayed because many times the superior TOLD them to go in and change things. The leader then feels like they’re on a limb with no support. But there are things that can be done on both sides of this seesaw. More later.

--Observe peers and subordinates signal their feelings by their hostility, pulling back, passive aggressiveness (my words not the authors). They will mouth the words but not the support. Ask them how they are and they say “fine” it’s likely they’re anything but fine. Again, true hard change…like a new system of accountability that threatens people’s status quo (bonus, etc.) and you have a real fight on your hands.

1. KEY: Push down the decision making and not may yourself as the leader the issue…but keep the focus on the issue itself by making those responsible for it….in charge of it.

--What Adaptive/transformational Leaders can do.

1. Move between the Balcony and Dance floor Leaders need to experiment with trying new techniques to relive pressure….and then reapply it to get things done, without destroying the process. They also need to step back (balcony) to objectively observe
the effect and dial it up or down. As one of my friends put it: “Bend, don’t break” leadership.

2. Take responsibility for being part of the problem. All leaders have flaws. Identify yours and work at them before they sink the ship. If you’ve been at the job more than a few months…you’re in the fray and need to look coldly into a mirror.

3. Pay close attention to superiors: They often reflect the heat in the organization. If they’re cooling, it’s a strong sign, your approach has caused a disequilibrium that the system is reacting against.

4. Keep supporters close and opposition closer. You need to pay close attention to your critics so that you don’t lose sight of what can be your undoing. May civic leaders fail to keep in touch with those constituencies that oppose them, and then are surprised when statutes they fight for are scuttled because of the work by those very groups.

5. Don’t be a solo act: Leaders are not smart enough or powerful enough to make transformative change alone. You need other people, allies to make things work. Think Survivor Island. You need help to get through the jungle.

5. Model behavior…you have to do what you want others to do. As a parent, you can’t smoke and tell your kids not to. As a leader you can’t tell people to change, if you’re not willing to yourself.

6. Accept losses/casualties: Some people won’t ever be able to make the transition and are poisonous to the team. They will eventually need to be replaced. Sooner than later.

7. Finally, Control the Temperature--turn the heat up and down. The authors call it “orchestrate the conflict.” What is meant is to add pressure when people slip into complacency on the one hand. But on the other, dial back the pressure when people show signs of severe fatigue…insubordination, emotional responses, undermining activity.

As an example of this technique, the authors use the movie, Twelve Angry Men starring Henry Fonda. Twelve men sit on a murder jury. Initially 11 want to find the defendant guilty. Only one, Henry Fonda, votes against. For the rest of the movie you watch Fonda’s character, masterfully turn up and down the heat to get to the issue of reasonable doubt. Fascinating example.

Leadership Survival Guide Part 4 (FINAL)

This is part of a long series in a number of postings based on the Spring 2009 Issue of OnPoint (from the Harvard Business Press) dedicated to Risk Management.

Specifically, this particular post is the 4th and FINAL relating to my review of the article: A Survival Guide for Leaders by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky (both professors at the Kennedy School at Harvard and authors of Leadership on the Line).

Offense: Internal help:

1. Avoid having to be right and always “in control” …just to be in control. Organizations need room to change and it’s not always a neat process. It’s a bit like making sausage…you might enjoy eating the final product, but probably would not enjoy watching it made!

2. Avoid over-dependence on yourself. If people get dependent on you, you’ll end up tired (making all the tough decisions) and with a flawed, single point of decision making. You need others to point out the shortcoming. Over-dependence is like over-delegation. At first if feels good, but can be a trap you set for yourself.

3. Take care of yourself. Leadership; and making substantive change is not for sissies. It’s tough work and requires you stay in psychological shape.

a. Develop safe havens: a place (your car on the way home or a favorite chair) for you to reflect on the day; working out, talking to friend or family member.

b. Develop a confidant. Someone you can be completely open with about your hopes, fears about “being judged and betrayed.” Venting and input are two values of this process.

c. Avoid using a work colleague as confidant. They’ll support you until it no longer supports their agenda.

d. True confidants support you always. They pull you up when your down and deflate you when you get too big for your britches.

4. ***Opposition and pushback by others to your leadership—if truly adaptive leadership—is almost always about the issue and your role…not usually about you—the person. \

a. Don’t take things personally (easier said than done). If you blow up, then YOU become the issue and that eventually does you in.

b. Staying in control under what feel like personal attacks is difficult. But in the end keeping the focus on the role and issue keeps you above the fray.

c. The authors offer an interesting proof about how it’s more about the change than you. They discuss how quickly people forget to call you when you’re gone…a sign that it’s the role you serve that people respond to. Think about how many former vice presidents or secretary of state names you can list quickly!

My Advice: Read this article in its entirety and give it to a new leader who’s getting slammed for making changes. Then when you’ve finished, read Heifetz and Linsky’s book: Leadership on the Line. *Note: I’ll be reviewing their latest book Adaptive Leadership (2009) on this blog soon.

Leadership Survival Guide Part 3

This is part of a long series in a number of postings based on the Spring 2009 Issue of OnPoint (from the Harvard Business Press) dedicated to Risk Management.

Specifically, this particular post is the 3rd of several relating to my review of the article: A Survival Guide for Leaders by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky (both professors at the Kennedy School at Harvard and authors of Leadership on the Line).

So, what to do in such Adaptive Leadership situations? The authors offer two sets of suggestions…what I would call defense and offense…how do you (as a transformational change agent) protect yourself from internal threats and how to keep yourself buoyed up in the face of opposition that is as inevitable, if you’re doing what’s best for the organization, as the sun coming up.


Defense—It’s not paranoia if they’re really out to get you!
1. Make no mistake. If you are changing people’s ways of doing things, they will feel a sense of loss and incompetence. It’s not change they fear but the loss they will experience as a result of the change. And they will NOT like that uncomfortable change or YOU, as the instigator or catalyst of change. And they will come at you with all the tools they have: whispers, slander, co-opting techniques…these tools are varied and many.

2. The balcony: The authors entreat leaders to get off the dance floor and going to the balcony, which means getting out of the daily grind and toil and becoming and observer-participant. Stepping back…and seeing what’s going on. In classroom settings we tell teachers to become researchers…when a student reacts a certain disruptive way, ask “Why is this happening?”

3. In this article, the authors suggest other defensive strategies worth reading and understanding: Court the Uncommitted, Cook the Conflict, Place the work where it Belongs.

In the next post see what to do for offense.