Dimensions of Interactive Leadership

Denning (2011) examined leadership more directly in his final chapter stating explicating what king of leadership he discusses that has several dimensions (p. 236).

One dimension is the interactive leader worked with the world rather than against it (Denning, 2011, p. 236). The best visual of this concept is a practitioner of Judo, as Denning (2011) described someone who can overcome stronger adversaries by catalyzing and channeling his or her energy (p. 236). Second dimension is interactive leadership adds and subtracts elements from the leadership palette (Denning, 2011, p. 236). This is more reflective on interactive leadership going hand and hand with traditional management but as Denning (2011) stated subtractive by setting aside techniques of manipulation. Third dimension is interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity (Denning, 2011, p. 236). Values that reflect behavior become infectious. The last two are interactive leadership doesn't depend on the possession of hierarchical authority and benefits from a understanding of the different narrative patterns to get things done in the world (Denning, 2011, p. 237). 

Interactive leadership engages in active participation. These dimensions impact the way the future can be led as more leaders understand what it takes to be an interactive leader. 

             Working with the world rather than against it, means to me, to transform thinking and behavior to be congruent with passion to connect with others to do the same. For example, as a team leader in training, consistent training reviews are unfamiliar to working group, and rather than forcing it on them, work with them finding the source of reluctancy. Oftentimes, the controlling mode of management as described by Denning (2011) weakness is that it pursues its goal under the pretense of providing impregnable certainty and strength (p. 238), seen quite often as empty promises. But instead of stopping to have a conversation about it, connect the value and care to understand individual group struggles that relate to the entire group and work to unravel the frustrations applying training techniques and referencing resources for other to visit as needed. For future, I would take Ken Blanchard’s advice to review the change in an organization causing stress and that people would not hear the benefits of such change because they have concerns that are more important. Blanchard suggest sharing the information knowing you have concerns, hearing personal concerns, taking questions, and sharing how the change will be implement (00:54-1:50).

The dimension of interactive leadership not depending on hierarchy authority is something all leaders should remember that it goes beyond a title to be a leader.   

           Anderson & Anderson (2002) have their own thoughts in the published Beyond Change Management Book, stating to truly transform your organization, you must learn to transform your own mindset’ (Anderson & Anderson, 2002, para. 1). Who is to say every person hired by organization is not already a leader? Keeping an open mind about various forms of leadership styles, such a delegation, supportive and coaching motivate other leaders. Set aside ego, or accolades of what was already accomplished doesn’t help get us closure to accomplishing what could be in the future if we can’t leave what we did stay in the past (especially if it didn’t turn out the way we planned).  

          Reflecting on the past is great but it should’t be a template for the future. For example, when transferring the duties of elected official for an organization, my plan is be an interactive leader by encouraging free thought with known boundaries. Encouraging my successor that people in position both regionally and nationally actions are weighted the same as people in positions locally. To clarify, if you are not getting the support you need locally despite the discouragement, reach out to those nationality for assistance, giving a concrete example of when I questioned a regional official and consulted with national representative to get support to complete my tasks. I always say people in positions of influence are just like me, people, they just have an audience watching their every move, when I just have those who care about me check in with me from time to time. Having positive thoughts on how my ideas have power, regardless of hierarchy, then I can enlist the hierarchy for assistance or help change the hierarchy and if more people are able to see themselves as shareholders in every aspect of their life, it can reshape the future.

         As Denning (2011) stated a narrative depends on emotional intelligence to work to achieve practical outcomes. In the dimension of understanding different narrative patterns to get things is core of strong leadership to ignite a call to action and even a movement. In today’s society, complacency sometimes describe reality. Schlenker & Pontari (2001) stated excuses enjoy the reputation of being universally condemned while being universally used. Striving to go beyond one single narrative an example of perseverance understand various points of views.

         For example, when troubleshooting issues a work, my group is told to go through another group that filters for issues, and if they are able to solve, if not it gets elevated to the next group, who happens to be the process developers. They do not want employees to contact them directly however, I’m often faced with minimal detail or even dismissive claims from the group in between to get a well rounded answer (dissecting of the issue, potential solutions and ways to prevent it in the future). I’ve relied on personal contacts in the process developers group to review my issues as they are dismissed or single word answers such as to contact another group or ridicule for not taking the necessary steps to resolve myself. To submit it up the group in between, has a transactional leadership approach and most try to avoid them. But one case, I reached out to all my contact, followed their unhelpful advice to contact someone else, and still didn’t get any help. Calling my personal process developer contact, they suggested I write directly to them copying everyone who would normally be involved before contacting them. When I did, I got a response the same day that was satisfying clarifying the issue, with a solution. With limited time to diagnose the issue myself, it would have been tedious for me to see the issue outright because I needed to see it from another perspective to be effective and move along. Challenging the existing narrative I look forward to doing more in my personal life and professional life. In the future, understanding these dimensions will make me an effective transformational leader. 

Anderson, D., Anderson, L. A., & Books24x7, I. (2002). Beyond change management: Advanced strategies for today's transformational leaders (1. Aufl.;1; ed.). US: Pfeiffer.

Blanchard, Ken "Change Strategy" Ken Blanchard Companies  11 September, 2008. Retrieved from https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmK6yY-ZfiE

 (Links to an external site.)

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Schlenker, B. R., Pontari, B. A., & Christopher, A. N. (2001). Excuses and character: Personal and social implications of excuses. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5(1), 15-32. doi:10.1207/S15327957PSPR0501_2

Stranger Maybe Danger in a single view

Most of us are taught at a young age not to speak to strangers or "Stranger Danger". As kids, we are sold this one single narrative that all strangers were to be avoided. One parent stated in her blog, “why I let my kids talk to strangers”, I'm saddened by my own inability to recognize the good in people around me and later stated she not suggesting have kids wander in the street, but I do try to allow him to greet the world with uncorrupted enthusiasm (para. 11). Without a doubt, there is danger in the world, but a fear of strangers is a danger in itself to personal development and growth.

Widdicks (2015) found research has shown that only about one-hundredth of one percent of child abductions occur at the hands of a strange (Widdicks, 2015, para. 12). r. For example, it is more likely that my son will be struck by lightning while talking to the fisherman in our neighborhood than to be kidnapped by him (Widdicks, 2015, para. 12). This unfortunate scenario to the one-hundredth does happen in the world today but for us to analyze how we can improve our connection with others we can first analyze what we say to ourselves. 

McKay, Davis & Fanning (2009), suggested to make a commitment to yourself to use descriptive rather than negative label in your internal monologues (p. 206). For example, I try to be more descriptive when someone as me to describe another person rather than defaulting to the common characteristics that could be anybody, such as black, white, short or tall, to challenge myself. I credit my parents for my approach when meeting strangers, and its not like they choose to meet them, its as if they are good neighbors. 

My mom recently taught during children’s church, defining a neighbor, a good samaritans and a christian. As a teacher for most of her life, the easy of conversation was natural, and event everywhere. We would go into a store and pasting by may be a young or old person and we happen to make eye contact with them, with an offer of a smile and greeting to say “how are you doing today”.

In my childhood, up to my adulthood now, I’ve been involved in activities were it was only natural to meet people to execute the activities, and depending on the mood, I would make a comedic expression or start off with making fun of myself and then asking basic questions about a person. 

I practice the art of conversation before asking information questions, lightly prying but not too much because the question is if I choose to see someone again, will the outcome be different? It’s easy for me to talk to a stranger because they don’t yet know me personally, and sometimes sharing information with them is easier than with those you’ve known for a while. 

I learned about myself over the years that I prefer to not work the room with a lots of people because I’m a bit shy. For example, family from up North were in a room, relaxing and talking about there family, they drove down with. 

I came in the room, said aloud “hey everyone”, and introduced myself, then 20 mins went by, I didn’t say a word, just gestured with a smile or laugh. This scene is all to familiar when I’m in a room with more than three people, I don’t really know too well. Reading McKay, Davis & Fanning (2009), I would have to say some of it comes from a concern of rejecting, my humor or my personality, I don’t really show my true colors until I’m comfortable, and I’m more comfortable as a friend instead of someone that is attracted to someone else. 

I recall a time, I was attracted to this athlete and my friends helped me get his number and then call him but opposite of what he said he would do, he never called me. I assumed it was me because I wasn’t an athlete, after weeks later he started dating another athlete. My friends confronted him a little but I was find with the conclusion that we will just never be around each other. To this day, I don’t really have high expectations meeting strangers, because I’m comfortable with the ones I have became friends in my life. One of my college friends told me “ I don’t need any more friends” in conversation. I thought thats absurd but now going on 3 years later I find myself saying the same thing as more distance grows between my friends and I, such as them having families, spending less time trying to come together as friends, priorities have shifted to surviving addressing their immediate needs. 

I look for ways to bring back the, “let’s hang out as friends” vibe despite the fact, we have personal relationships that flourish without our friends present. I must the abandon the attitude of not wanting friends, to just making contact with those around me, so that McKay, Davis & Fanning (2009), other will feel your genuine interest (p. 209). I want to be able to “work the room with ease” not concern whether I appear to be awkward or not around others, or accepting my personality. 

This is something kids in school struggle with on a daily basis to be accepted and it continues when they are looking for a job, managing their way through the atmosphere of gossip and work culture to try an fit in. People may get discouraged in an interview when told they don’t quite fit in, but as a leader mastering the art of conversation, you wouldn’t have to worry about fitting in, because you analyze and respond for everything to fit around you. This may sound selfish, but internalizing your thoughts will allow you to interpret them and overcome fears. For me, I’m not a very expressive person when it comes to my feelings about something or over affectionate, but I’m very expressive when it comes to sharing my thoughts about things such as incidents in popular media. I take a rationale approach to make such as I don’t see the need in killing animals when they are in their natural habitat, they are just trying to survive. In todays world, more people are avoiding strange suspicion behavior, and not too concerned about stranger as long as they appear to be doing the something similar to what they are doing, especially when trouble occurs the reaction you hear sometimes “they were just going to work”.  If we can reframe how we look at strangers, then we are able to change our approach and make contact with those who we don’t know until later may have a great impact in our lives. 

Analyzing your approach to make contact with others benefits you and the person you are approaching. If we are able to recognize the good in the midst of the inevitable that bad things (i.e death, lost of property, unexpected life alternating) may happen, we will try to improve our connections with others to emphasis the good (i.e new life, fresh start, on the path of making dreams a reality) and drown out the bad. The lessons I take from Making contact the others is reviewing what you say to yourself, reframing and planning rejection, and making a satisfying contact through the art of conversation using methods discussed in the text. I plan to offer past friends an opportunity to rekindle friendship, knowing that I will not get 100% support, build family relationships as many of those who retired seem to have the same thoughts to enjoy life, something I would hope other recognize while working night and day and meeting others without assuming a good conversation will not be the end result, including a new relationship. 

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages, the communication book. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Widdicks, M. (2015). Why I let my kids talk to strangers. Washington: WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post.

Adding a Story to a Presentation

A single idea is powerful as Duarte (2010) discussed in her presentation. She believes a presentation has the power to change the world when you communicate effectively through them (Duarte, 2010, 02:16). Thousands of years we are told stories, like Duarte (2010) story is ingested and recalled, get a physical react, however, when a presentation is told then it completely flatlines (03:30) and she explored the reason why. 

She touched some of her findings and quickly jumped on concluding her findings by saying Duarte (2010) the “audience is the hero of your idea”(04:32) and that you are the mentor which is the role of a presenter. The structure has three parts, Duarte (2010), likable hero who has a desire, encounter a roadblock, and emerge transformed (05:23). Then explained the five parts structure, exposition, rising action, climax, family action and unraveling or resolution (Duarte, 2010, 05:35). I recall back in grammar class, talking about the climax of a story. The structure she found to establish what it is and compare it to the future, making the gap as big as possible. Most of us, in my experience at work make that comparison due to problems encountered now explaining what it would be like in the future. For example, during attending a family reunion event, a website was presented, and the idea pitched to submit family photos to make a tree prior to the next reunion in 2 years. After a collage of previous photos were submitted, I was eager to become a part of organizing photos to submit, especially after creating an account earlier this year on ancestry.com. I shared this idea among friends and family but was hoping for a moment for it to matter and now through a presentation from other family members seems like, we all are on the same page. The more we know about one another the closer we can grow to learn and share what’s going. 

The middle of the structure goes back and forth, making the current situation unappealing to what the future could be. I would apply this by speaking to various family members having a goal every 3 months to complete one family at a time. I already started calling members not at the family reunion to give them the website to upload photos. I imagine having the oldest member of the family, magnifying their family then magnifying even more to the branches of their family. I envision a tree would come up behind the family photo, or structuring and hanging from the tree would be names. The design of course would have to be agreed on between those helping to create it but, my idea would be to have names added to the pictures through animation or changing the image. 

Adding variety to a presentation engages the audience, laughing and agreeing. I will try and do this more with training at work, getting more buy in from my peers after having a clear idea for clear execution. For example, the next training I would like to have is about Reports. Simple enough, reporting for what is something I plan to figure out in the next day or two. 

Modeling for the audience to get what the presenter whats to feel is is good technique and insert a story when something unexpected happens. Repetition is good and using metaphor, like the bad check reference Dr. King used at the end Duarte (2010) of the what is and then cashed that check, comparing what currently is to what could be (13:53). Connecting and resonating with the audience are important, something Duarte (2010) did at the end telling her life story that we can change and create. I have so many ideas, and given the amount of time, there are no excuses not to share them or make them reality, unless I don’t want too.

TEDTalks: Nancy Duarte--The danger of a single story[Motion picture on Online Video]. (2010). TED.

Discussion of a High Performer

As Denning (2011) described what sets apart a high performance teams is the degree of commitment members are to one another (p.141). High performance teams have the characteristics of effective communities, a web of affect relationships; a commitment to shared values, norms and meanings; a shared history and identity; and a relatively high level or responsiveness to members and the world (Denning, 2011, p. 141). Basics are required first to make a team, such as a goal and members. Shape expectations of those who use their inputs, rapidly adjust to shifting needs, grow stronger, growing individually, have interpersonal commitments, and as carry out work with shared passion (Denning, 2011, p. 304). 

I apply these characteristics through a group of about 6 people starting back in February, whose goal is to design a manual for a specific team.  The objective os high performance teams and effective comment need to be clear, compelling and flexible (Denning, 2011, p. 149). This working group is mainly comprised of member from that team and a few outside members. To actively shape inputs, we keep a draft uploaded for members to write their ideas after discussion. Usually in a meeting, I restate their thought, and ask a question and then get the team to agree with it or not, then move to the next section. Everyone is flexible and often shift when management questions the significance of the progress so far, and that is usually something the working group sees as out of scope. The shared passion is to gain more support and clearly identify the specific task the team is require and not required to do. This would help with some financial pressures, distribute workload effectively, drive the team toward a common business rhythm and creation of common process training references. 

We each grow individually by sharing knowledge between the smaller group factions, and have interpersonal commitment within those groups, with a goal. For example, one small group goal is to avoid having other teams track items we are responsible for delivering, as a supply operations team. To get to this goal, one thing to do is to spread the work out enough to show a constant pattern of support to discourage other groups from being involved. 

Shared values is important because it connects the group in the temporary time that we have to create something meaningful. Having an idea is powerful, and the will to educate others because work should be done accordingly for the customer. All of us in the group are forward thinkers, having an idea, writing it down and explaining it. Likewise, we have been in situation where it could have been different knowing what be may know now that some in the group has shared their thoughts. 

Eales-White (2012 discussed building a high performance team rapidly using these four key steps; create the right environment, promote group discovery, harness the power of the process and carry out a review (p.424). A statement used by most lean manufacturing lectures, is “is not the people, it’s the process”, and one thing the working group must work is harnessing the power the process for it to stick well beyond our careers. 

High performance teams, require a team of folks and the four patterns to working together; working group, teams, community and network. I recall being a part of a working group for a specific project that lasted for about 2 years, 1 year on my own and the other with a group. This group was responsible for monitoring delivered from the supplier to the main manufacturing assembly and then including me. Having a working group created visibly to the challenges, I had with the supplier and reacting to shifting concerns of the customer. The technology was not up to par and still is in work to find a way to capture shifting needs. Meetings were rarely called it was just including those to help prevent roadblocks to talk with the supplier and map out the progress of supplier deliveries. This project had an incentive to it and successfully completed accordingly to the customer’s needs. 

I recall being a part of a network with the help of Groupon. I would get up early in the morning to kick boxing lessons, and after a successful first session, I was cornered into getting a membership. I loved the refreshing smell of the summer mornings, and then being energized for work, after 2 more workouts but then nothing. I lost interest in the lessons and started to feel little stressed losing sleep. I call this a network because there were many locations to choose from, all though this was a new  facility, I didn’t have to do the same exercise. I didn’t form a connection with anyone, unlike my current exercise routine of attending a family recreation center every Wednesday now.

I paid my way out of this network, but I believe I could've internalized the value of my membership to explore my options before dissolving the network. I feel tough at the time to continue but let everything else discourage me from continuing, such as finances. The results would have been different if I just would have found the value in the other options, and felt trapped. Similar to a positive experience with working groups, if I had a presentation to convey a story of my challenges, I may have shown that I could meet the customers needs without much intervene. Because of the working group, a new team was created that is currently monitoring all activities with some pros but also cons because material must go through more hands causing delays. I find it hard now to get anyone to see how amazingly great I am at completing a project and therefore, gaining a promotion. I’ve seen others be successful off so something I was also apart of and only got recognition at the time of meeting the success, and I’m still trying to figure out how to become a legacy.  

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Eales-White, R. (2012). Building high-performing teams rapidly. Industrial and Commercial Training, 44(7), 424-428. doi:10.1108/00197851211268018

Trust, Loyalty and Solidarity

           Denning (2011) discussed the three basic components of genuine ethical community has trust, loyalty and solidarity (p. 121). Trust, is the most basic quality, yet it has to be earned, and arguably some can say it can be learned. The company I currently work for trust the suppliers of raw materials deliver within negotiated contracts to the customer so the customer can plan schedules accordingly. For example, a pilot is scheduled to fly a mission on Monday but suddenly equipment failure occurs where they have to order new equipment and needs expedited shipment before flight on Monday, expects to get their order on time. The pilot trust that their needs are met. The business receiving the order must trust they put the right teams in position to deliver accordingly, and a system is set up properly for the business. 

          If organizations really mean to "empower" teams, they have to be willing to trust people and to treat them as partners in the business (Bergel, 1997, 207). Team-based systems imply that employees are trusted to manage some discrete piece of the business (Bergel, 1997, 209). Duties of work overlap, not evenly split between union and salary workers which can be the source for those to trust within their groups, meaning union workers trust unions workers. Trust and loyalty usually coincidence, and one author mentioned, one reason is that loyal consumers exist along a continuum from the ‘truly’ loyal person who is a heavy repeat user and expresses a strong attitudinal attachment to the good or service, through to people who express ‘latent’ ‘spurious’ and ultimately ‘low’ loyalty typified by weak attitudinal attachment and little repeat purchase propensity (McKercher, Denizci-Guillet & Ng, 2012, p. 708). The work ethic — a commitment to the value and importance of hard work—among potential employees has raised a public concerns for long time (Khuong, Linh & Duc, 2015). Khuong, et. al., 2015, described employee loyalty as the commitment employees have to the success of an organization, and the recognition that working for that organization is their best option (p. 160).

           

           My current organization encourages loyalty offering benefits to help employees with work life balance and develop relationships with employers. Development of loyalty could be more on the managers to dedicate more time to discuss career aspirations with employees. This can be done by managers being personally invested to not be reminded from a corporate level to discuss to evaluate employee performance. 

        

           Thinking of solidarity, it is first a fact, then a duty; a state of mind or feeling (that we may or may not feel) and only later a virtue, or rather a value (Moody & Achenbaum, 2014, p. 150).”Solidarity, then, means to feel oneself connected to a larger group (Moody & Achenbaum, 2014, p. 150). But the feeling itself is uncertain: "If solidarity is both community of interests (objective solidarity) and a recognition of these shared interests (subjective solidarity), it has value morally only to the extent that the interests also do, and it is rare that they do to any great extent (Moody & Achenbaum, 2014, p. 150). Based on this assessment, my current employer demonstrates this by being socially involved and encouraging employees to be involved, donating to charity from their salaries. Opportunities in solidarity can extent beyond giving back to charity and providing for employees in need but find a way to maintain business in house for employees, and evaluating strategic alliances to improve society. 

          Overall, communication of these values through the week, from leaders to employees and employees to suppliers and vice a versa can help align values of the organization and people. 

          

Bergel, G. (1997). What have we learned about trust from recent experiences with teaming and empowerment? Business & Professional Ethics Journal, 16(1-3), 205.

Khuong, M. N., Linh, V. A., & Duc, V. M. (2015). The effects of transformational and ethics-based leaderships on employee's loyalty towards marketing agencies in ho chi minh city, vietnam. International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 6(3), 158-165. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/10.7763/IJIMT.2015.V6.595

McKercher, B., Denizci-Guillet, B., & Ng, E. (2011;2012;). Rethinking loyalty. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(2), 708. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2011.08.005

Moody, H. R., & Achenbaum, W. A. (2014). Solidarity, sustainability, stewardship: Ethics across generations. Interpretation, 68(2), 150-0_5. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/1511966066?accountid=27203