Effective 21 st Century Leadership: The Seven Aspirations

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1 Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be found for even those problems which seem most intractable. -Nelson Mandela In these changing times, leaders can no longer rely on traditional, historical leadership constructs that are based primarily on hierarchical authority and concentrated decision-making and power. Collectively, we are learning-- often at very high cost-- that this leadership model has limited effectiveness within a shrinking number of contexts. The social, political, and economic conditions of the beginning of the 21st century have forever changed the roles and responsibilities of today's leaders. Contemporary understanding about leadership today acknowledges these new conditions and new requirements for leaders at this time in human history. A paradigm shift is underway. Fortunately for us, many leaders around the globe are adapting to this new reality. To meet our daunting collective challenges, however, we need many more leaders at all levels of organizations and communities who are also committed to this new leadership paradigm and have the requisite leadership capabilities. The Real Work of Effective Leadership When you explore deeply the actual work of leadership, it falls naturally into three broad categories: The first and perhaps most important is the work of Self. This work explores who you are, and what you believe and value. It includes an understanding of your relevant experiences and inherent capacities that will help you in your leadership role. It clarifies what you stand for to yourself, and to others. As you gain self-insight and self-management, your ability to be authentic in all settings and much less vulnerable to shifting with the winds is greatly enhanced. The second category of leadership work is tied to coming to terms with Reality not as you wish to see it but how it actually is. It is the essential starting point if you want to lead others toward a better future. Knowing how to access relevant information from a broad perspective and synthesize it into a coherent, realistic picture that guides critical strategic, operational, and management decisions is key to charting a course through perilous waters Marguerite Moore Callaway

2 The third category of leadership work is about Relationships how you relate to those inside and outside your organization or community at all levels. It defines how you engage with those of your own group as well as those who are not. It determines how you seek to accomplish goals that require collective activity. A consistent, thoughtful approach to all relationships is essential for building trust among those who must actually get the work done. The Seven Aspirations To Aspire: A strong desire for high achievement; to strive toward an end. The inter-related capabilities of the Seven Aspirations address the leadership work of Self, Reality, and Relationships. I call them Aspirations to reflect the real nature of the work. Just as other individuals with remarkable talent and well-honed skills outstanding musicians, artists, athletes, surgeons, actors, composers and writers must apply their skills anew to each activity, effective leadership is not a one time event. Mastery of any complex behavior or thought process takes practice... over time. Effective leadership is not achieved in a day, week, or month; it is a lifelong journey. Aspirations remain abstract concepts until they are applied to real life leadership challenges. Our leadership development framework uses the challenges of daily living and working as the context for aspiring leaders to first understand and then apply the Seven Aspirations. Furthermore, we adapt the overall leadership content to be relevant to the specific audience for the program. The underlying purpose and leadership competency remains the same; examples and exercises are context- and audience-specific. 1 For example, the challenges and relevant examples for each Aspiration will be different for adolescents with significant health challenges compared to clinically-trained leaders with limited management training, which will in turn be different for experienced senior leadership teams seeking to update their current skills and leadership capabilities. A brief overview of the Seven Aspirations clarifies he roles of each Aspiration within one s personal leadership development journey. 1 Ms. Callaway has adapted the overall leadership framework for many settings, such as an online course of American and European business leaders from many industry segments, a Master s Program for working nurses seeking to develop leadership capabilities, and as in-house leadership development programs for individual organizations and newly appointed healthcare managers in several developing countries. She also uses the framework in one-on-one consultations with individual clients. -2-

3 Aspiration #1: Embody Vision and Values (Self) This leadership work provides insight into what people worldwide expect from their leaders. It demonstrates how credibility is inextricably linked to personal values and behavior. The homework assignments help you cultivate self-awareness about your personal values and what underlying factors have shaped you as a person and a leader. Aspiration #2: Apply Systems Thinking and Strategic Management (Reality) This leadership work introduces the concept of systems thinking, in which inter-relationship among dynamic variables is accepted and integrated into one s understanding of reality. With a more accurate picture of reality, one has a better chance of developing strategies that work and can be implemented. The principles of living systems are applied to existing organizational structures to make them more flexible and adaptable. The homework assignments help you learn how to apply system thinking and strategic management tools more consistently and effectively to your ongoing work responsibilities. Aspiration #3: Diagnose Correctly the Real Environmental and Organizational Challenges (Reality) This leadership work brings insight into why different organizational or societal challenges require different leadership responses and explains why a single leadership approach does not fit all situations. You learn about the three components that any underlying challenge has, which helps clarify how people involved in the challenge must adapt to overcome it. The examples and homework assignments help you learn how to apply a practical diagnostic framework to the six domains of organizational challenges, across cultures and economies, what is the appropriate leadership response for each one. Aspiration #4: Understand How Change Happens and Master Its Processes (Self, Relationships) This leadership work helps you understand more fully why change is inherent to leadership and how unconscious emotional dynamics often color individual and collective responses to any change whether positive or negative. You will learn how to assess your own personal risk profile as well as those of the people you must lead, which can help you identify individuals throughout the organization most likely to support the change. The Homework Assignments give you an opportunity to integrate a practical change process into your thinking, long before you initiate implementation. -3-

4 Aspiration # 5: Align People and Systems Toward a Shared Purpose (Reality, Relationships) This leadership work brings into sharp focus the quality of alignment and its role in effective execution and sustained performance. You will learn how to assess your organization s alignment among strategy, people, processes, and outcomes. One Homework Assignment will allow you to apply the tools of engagement and involvement to create alignment among all constituencies. Another Assignment will focus on a practical work redesign process to improve alignment among systems and processes. Aspiration #6: Build Mutually Beneficial Relationships (Self, Relationships) This leadership work brings insight into fundamental interdependencies upon which organizational and enterprise success depends. You will learn the specific relationship qualities that foster shared commitments within and without your organization or community. The homework assignments will help you cultivate collaborative and cooperative skills to establish new or modified organizational forms such as strategic alliances and collaborative partnerships that will help you to compete effectively within the new conditions of the 21 st Century. Aspiration #7: Create a Life-Affirming Culture (Self, Reality, Relationships) This leadership work will lead you to a deeper understanding of how personal meaning and a sense of connectedness foster high performance from individuals and teams. You will learn how the conditions resulting from the appropriate application of Aspirations # 1-6 create an organizational culture characterized by flexibility and adaptability, while maintaining core values and moving toward sustainable performance under a variety of conditions. -4-

5 Core References used in the creation of our Leadership Development Framework Callaway, M. M., Effective 21st Century Leadership: The Seven Aspirations Lincoln Park Productions, USA: Chicago. Callaway, M. M., The Energetics of Business: A Practical Guide for Bringing Your Business to Life, Lincoln Park Productions, USA: Chicago. Csikszentmihalyi, M., Good Business: Leadership, Flow and the Making of Meaning. Penguin Books, USA: New York. Csikszentmihalyi, M.,1990. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Harper Row, USA: New York DePree, M.,1989. Leadership is an Art. Doubleday, USA: New York Gardner, H., 1996, Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership, Basic Books, USA: New York Gerzon, M., 2006, Leading Through Conflict: How Successful Leaders Transform, Differences in Opportunities, Harvard Business School Press, USA: Boston Goleman, D., Boyatizis, R., McKee, A. 2002, Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence, Harvard Business School Press, USA, Boston Kouzes.J. Posner, B., The Leadership Challenge. 4 rd Edition, Jossey- Bass, USA: San Francisco. Kouzes.J. Posner, B., Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, and Why People Demand It, Jossey-Bass, USA: San Francisco Wheatley, M.J., 1999 Leadership and the New Science, Berrett-Koehler USA: San Francisco Williams, D., 2005, Real Leadership: Helping People and Organizations Face Their Toughest Challenges, Berrett-Koehler USA: San Francisco -5-