Key ideas about CHANGE
Organisational change cannot be managed. It can be understood or led, but it cannot be fully controlled.
Leadership makes the difference - not just having good ideas but by understanding the processes of change.
Change is rapid and messy but is great for potentially creative breakthroughs.
LEADERSHIP Style and CHANGE
When you enter the workforce you learn that some bosses/principals (school context) are easier to get along with than others. The ones that are the easiest to get along with aren't necessarily the best to work for. LEADERSHIP STYLES are what make the difference.
What I liked from Fullan is that a good leader doesn't have "a style"; that different styles are needed for different situations. The 6 styles of leadership as identified Goleman 2000 (as cited by Fullan, 2004: 43) are:
- coercive - demands compliance (do what I tell you)
- authoritative - mobilises people toward a vision or goal (come with me)
- affiliative - harmoniser & relationship builder (people come first)
- democratic - works for consensus through participation (what do you think)
- pacesetting - sets high standards for performance for self & expects as to follow (do as I do, now)
- coaching - develops people for the future of the organisation (try this)
Fullan highlights that two of the leadership styles will NEGATIVELY impact on the school climate & performance - coercive (people resent & resist) & pacesetting (people get overwhelmed & burnt out, too many new innovations, wants things done faster, finds poor performers & demands more - morale drops).
Authoritative, affiliative, democratic & coaching styles of leadership have a POSITIVE impact on climate & change.
Understanding the change process - Questions p. 63-69
The Goal Is Not to Innovate the Most
1. The drawbacks of pacesetter leadership are:
- takes on new change after change
- has high performance standards, obsessive about doing things faster & better
- pinpoints poor performers and demands more (replace if don't improve)
- results don't improve
- destroys climate as people feel overwhelmed and morale drops
- generally such leaders don't foster building relationships with employees.
- they are terrible listeners
2. Other things learned about change leadership in this section are:
- leaders need to understand the different b/w constant change and developing the understanding & capacity to solve complex problems
- leaders shouldn't assume his/her ideas/innovations should be the one that's implemented.
- individual employees need to make their own meaning of the change.
It Is Not Enough to Have the Best Ideas
3. The drawbacks of coercive leadership are:
- while the leader may have some of the best ideas, they can't get others to embrace them.
- experience extreme opposition
- short-term gains may occur, but morale drops & productivity is negatively effected.
- are terrible listeners
4. Some things learnt about change leadership in this section are:
- visionary leaders are required because people feel confused when there is a major problem to be overcome. Therefore authoritative leaders with a clear vision can have positive impact on climate & performance, who can motivate & excite others to commit to the vision.
- initial excitement cannot be sustained because it can't be concerted to internal commitment
- authoritative leaders need to recognise their weaknesses & their strengths. Need to incorporate the 4 styles of successful leadership (authoritative, democratic, affiliative, coaching) to have the best climate & business performance.
Appreciate the Implementation Dip
5. The implementation dip is a dip in performance & confidence as change moves forward because people have to acquire new skills & knowledge.
6. Implementation dip occurs:
- because innovations require people to question and change their behaviours & beliefs. People feel anxious, fearful, overwhelmed, deskilled, cautious & disturbed.
- leaders need to help people work through the early anxieties of change.
7. Pacesetting & coercive leaders have NO empathy to people in the implementation dips.
8. Effective leaders have sensitivity to implementation because they know that change is a process & they don't panic when things aren't smooth in the first year of a change or new direction. They are empathetic to people immersed in the anxiety-ridden work of trying to bring about change.
9. The types of leadership needed during the implementation dip are:
- Leaders who know that people are experiencing 2 kinds of problems - the social-psychological fear of change AND the lack of technical know-how to make the change work.
- Leaders need affiliative style (pays attention to people, focuses on building bonds, relationships & heals rifts) & coaching style (helps people to develop & invest in their capacity building).
- Elements of authoritative leadership help - enthusiasm, self-confidence, optimism & clarity of vision inspires people to keep going.
The problems START when leaders are ONLY authoritative or ONLY affiliative or ONLY a coach.
- Leaders who are sensitive to the implementation dip combine styles - still have a sense of moral purpose, measure success in terms of results, but they do things that are more likely to get the organisation going and keep it going.
Redefine Resistance
10. a) The types of leaders that are most effective in listening to resisters:
- leaders should seek out & listen to doubters (aspects of democratic)
- build good relationships (be affiliative) even with those who may not trust them
- pacesetters & coercers are terrible listeners & authoritative leaders are not always good at listening
- affiliative & democratic leaders listen too much
b) It is important to listen to resisters because:
- they may have ideas that leaders might have missed or overlooked, especially where there's complex problems or answers are unknown. They may see alternatives & understand problems.
- being alert to differences of opinion is essential, especially during implementation dips. Resisters can sabotage easily during implementation dips, or even earlier.
Reculturing Is the Name of the Game
11. Reculturing is a sign of progress - transforming the culture by changing the way things are done. It depends moral purpose through fostering collaborative work cultures that respect individual differences and continually build & test against measurable results.
- Leading in a culture of change means creating a culture (not just structure) of change. It means producing the capacity to seek, critically assess & selectively incorporate new ideas and practices inside and outside the organisation.
- Reculturing is hard work, takes time and never really ends. That's why successful leaders need energy, enthusiasm and hope and why they need moral purpose along with the other four leadership capacities - developing relationships, creating knowledge & striving for coherence.
Never a Checklist, Always Complexity
- Effective leaders must cultivate their understanding of and skills in complexity science.
- Leaders need to resists the temptation to try to control the uncontrollable.
THE COMPLEXITIES OF LEADERSHIP
- Different leadership styles are effective in different situations. E.G. Times of crisis or persistent failure a more authoritative - even coercive - leadership may be required at the start. Dramatic, assertive leadership and external intervention may be necessary.
- The strategy that moves a system from near chaos to success is not the same strategy that will create the transformation needed for the system to thrive in the future. Internal commitment & ingenuity is needed.
- Effectiveness depends on developing internal commitment in which ideas and intrinsic motivation of the majority of members become activated.
- Along the way, authoritative ideas, democratic empowerment, affiliative bonds & coaching are all needed.
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