A641.2.3.RB- Am I a resonant leader- Trey McNeil

I have stated in previous posts that I am not a leader in the traditional sense of the word. Though I am not a supervisor in charge of a team at work, I still can be a leader. As I reflect on the instances where I have been a leader, I believe I am an effective leader. I always try to treat everyone with respect and listen to his or her concerns. I always try to get the input of the team and not to take it upon myself to make the decisions. This week I had the opportunity to complete the exercise entitled “Am I a Resonant Leader”, offered by McKee, Boyatzis & Johnston (2008). As I completed the exercise, I realized that my leadership may not be as effective as I once believed, as I fall short in various resonant categories. 

Though I try to remain positive, I have never seen myself as an inspirational leader. When I was younger, I was not the kid who would be looked upon to create some sort of trend. When I was placed into teams in school, I was not the student who had inspirational ideas or pushed the group to create. Learning that I fall short as an inspirer does not surprise me, but I do need to become more inspirational to become a resonant leader. Zenger & Folkman (2013) stated that inspirational leaders were able to create the greatest levels of commitment from their followers.   

Inspirational leaders have an ability to create a clear vision and communicate well with their followers (Zenger & Folkman, 2013). Creating a clear vision and communicating are two other elements that I need to work on as a resonant leader. 

When I set an internal goal, I tend not to listen to the outside noise as I am 100% dedicated to the goal. This motivation could be inspirational to some people and distract others. It could be inspirational in the fact that I do not let anything get in the way of my goal but could be distracting because I get so caught up in the goal that I fail to lead.

Boyatzis & McKee (2005) stated that hope is one of the key elements to resonant leadership. I have always considered myself neither an optimist nor pessimist, but more of a realist. I say I am a realist, but I do try to set an emotional tone that is characterized by hope. I just do not like to create false hope as I believe false hope only results in negative feelings. However, I try to hope for the best and radiate that positive emotion. Each year before the annual audit, I always tell my supervisor how we are going to finish with another clean audit. I tell her that we were thorough in the preparation of the audit reports, so the audit will come out clean. I remain positive in my thoughts and verbalize these positive thoughts to both my leader and coworkers.

Another area that I feel I fall short in relation to resonant leadership is being in touch with others.  I try to remain in touch with the people around me but have a hard time succeeding. According to Fletcher (2012), a critical skill for leaders is emotional intelligence, where individuals are in tune with the emotions of the others around them. This is a leadership component in which I must focus on. I feel that I fail in connecting with the emotions of individuals around me for two reasons.

First, I always look for the best in everyone. I assume that everyone has positive intentions and therefore do not spend time judging or tuning in to emotions. I am not saying that my coworkers or followers have toxic plans, but assuming everyone is positive could be a downfall for a leader. Also, I tend to see everything through my eyes. I have a terrible habit of thinking that everyone emotionally responds the same way that I do. There are times when my girlfriend, coworker, or colleague will tell me that just because I see something one way does not mean that everyone else sees it the same way. I must be more cognizant of other’s emotions and spend more time gauging my surroundings in an effort to become a resonant leader.

One element of resonant leadership that I feel I excel in is compassion. I care deeply for each individual in my life. I would much rather chose to sacrifice than see anyone I know left wanting. I make sure to ask my coworkers how their day is going each time I see them. During the year-end process, there are some coworkers who have more responsibility than me. Before I leave each night, I ask my remaining coworkers if there is anything I can do to help. I feel deeply for the coworkers who have to put in copious amounts of overtime and want to ease their workload any way that I can. When I have a friend moving, I always ask when I need to be there to help. I have come to realize that I do not have the resources to create real change in this world. I cannot donate large sums of money to help feed the poor. However, I can compassionately donate my time and energy to become an everyday leader.

McKee, Boyatzis & Johnston (2008), stated that resonant leaders should be in tune with themselves, others, and the environment. I wish I could say that I was always in tune with myself, but I would be lying. I am aware that I have communication issues. I may verbally say I feel one way, but my body language and facial expressions contradict what I say. According to McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009), approximately 55% of all communication comes from body movements such as facial expressions.

 There are times where someone will ask me why I am upset when I am perfectly fine. The issue is that my expressions tell a different story. I must work to correct the disconnection between my expressions and mood as it is creating communications issues. How am I supposed to lead and be in tune with a person with emotional intelligence when they can see that I am not even in tune with myself?

This exercise taught me that my ability to lead is not as effective as I believed. A resonant leader is able to inspire their followers, be in touch with the people around them, and utilize emotional intelligence to be in tune with others and the environment. There are various areas that I need to improve as I become a resonant leader.

References

Boyatzis, R. & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant leadership. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Fletcher, S. (2012). 5 reasons why emotional intelligence is critical for leaders. Retrieved from http://leadchangegroup.com/5-reasons-why-emotional-intelligence-is-critical-for-leaders/

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The communication skills book. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

McKee, A., Boyatzis, R. & Johnston, F. ( 2008). Becoming a resonant leader. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2013). What inspiring leaders do. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/06/what-inspiring-leaders-do

A641.1.3.RB- What is great leadership - Trey McNeil

This week I had the pleasure of viewing a short video entitled “What is Great Leadership?” In this video, Dr. Richard Boyatzis asked the audience to complete an exercise to better determine the effect great leadership can have on an individual and an organization. Dr. Boyatzis asked the listener to think about a leader that has inspired them and list their name and the reasons they liked to work for them on one side of a piece of paper and on the other side of the paper list the name of a less inspirational leader and the reasons why you would choose not to work for them again if given the choice (Andre, 2014). According to Dr. Boyatzis, this exercise should produce two lessons: (a) individuals understand the meaning of effective leadership and (b) individuals understand that leadership is not just a person- it is a relationship (Andre, 2014).

As I watched the video, I decided to complete the exercise offered by Dr. Boyatzis. As I worked through the exercise, I realized that I did have a grasp of what makes a great leader. I also began to understand that a title or idea does not define leadership, but, instead, leadership is defined by the relationship the leader creates with their followers. Dr. Boyatzis stated that outstanding leaders know that emotions are important (Andre, 2014). It quickly became evident that my ‘good’ leader cared much more about me as a person than the work I was doing. I would like to share my results in this blog.

My first job after college was as an Accounts Receivable clerk at a local law firm. When I arrived for my first day, I was greeted by the Office Manager, my immediate boss in the Accounts Receivable department, and one of the shareholders of the firm. The shareholder told me that he had to get to a meeting for an upcoming trial, but wanted to welcome me to the firm and made sure that I understood that he was there if I had any questions or concerns. I honestly thought that he was just being polite, but I soon found out that he was a great person that genuinely cared about each individual employed at the law firm.

As I became more familiar with this individual, it was evident that he focused on creating a relationship that was in synch emotionally (Andre, 2014). He would take the time to come by my office to check on me and make sure that I was adapting to the workload. He also allowed for autonomy. A couple of months after I started, I was placed in charge of running weekly status reports for each shareholder. The previous method of running reports involved massive amounts of manual effort. I had an idea where the reports could be exported and used to create Excel reports. When I asked him about changing this process, he took the time to listen to me. He asked questions regarding the pros and cons of this proposed change. After hearing my argument, he asked the other shareholders to approve a change in the reporting procedure. Though I was new to the firm, he showed that he trusted my opinion and believed in my ideas. The idea of upward communication and listening was evident in various staff meetings throughout my tenure at the firm. He cared about what the employees had to say.

About six months before I moved to Florida, my boss at the firm was diagnosed with breast cancer. This unfortunate instance showed me how much this shareholder wanted to connect with his followers emotionally. He was extremely supportive of her and her family and even delivered food and other supplies to her house several times while she was out of work. However, he was not only supportive of her, but also supportive of me during this time. The accounts receivable office was very small, so we were the only two in the department. Her absence left me to do all of the work in the department. He made a point to check on me every day that he was in the office and even took me to lunch a couple of times to get me out of the office for a bit. His support of both of us in the department was overwhelming.

When I decided to move to Florida, he was also supportive. He wanted to know exactly where I was moving to determine if he had any contacts in the area to help me find a job. He also pushed the other shareholders to allow me to work remotely until I found full-time work. Once I did find a job, he sent an email every couple of weeks to make sure I was adjusting to my new environment. This individual proved that great leadership is found in the emotional relationship that is built with followers, not the fact that he was a shareholder of the firm.

On the other hand, I have also worked for a leader who valued production and power over the employee, which created a less coveted work environment. This individual was a micro-manager who did not allow autonomy in the workplace. I once asked if I could change a spreadsheet so it would be easier to read and comprehend and they told me that they developed that system, so no, it could not be changed.

Unfortunately, my director was so concerned with power that they did not take the time to care about the emotions of their employees or build a trusting relationship. When I began working for her, her ‘followers’ consisted of four men. At one point, a discussion took place regarding updating the department and building each accountant an office. In a private meeting, she told each of us that we would never have an office under her command as she was the boss and she deserved an office while we deserved our cubicles. She was also bad about taking the work completed by her followers and claiming it as her own. This created an untrusting relationship with her followers.

In describing a dissonant leader, Boyatzis & McKee (2005), discussed a leader who continued to revert back to a form of leadership that had previously been successful. My previous director also had this habit. Each time a new issue came up she would discuss how she would handle this type of situation at her previous organization. She did not take the time or make the effort to connect emotionally with the culture or policies of the new organization.

Not long after I was hired, I was asked to complete board reports that my director would present. The second time I was asked to do reports for the board, she asked me to alter some numbers because the board had questioned some of the line items. I was appalled and said that I could not make these changes. I am not sure if she altered the numbers herself, but I do know that instance created a barrier between us. I could no longer trust her and she said that she could not trust me because I was insubordinate.

The exercise offered by Boyatzis showed me that leadership is more than just the person or idea as it is about creating relationships (Andre, 2014). One thing I was surprised about while completing the exercise is how much easier the negatives came to mind as the list was much longer for my ‘bad’ boss than it was for my ‘good’ boss. It is weird how we remember the bad much easier than we do the good.

I have always attempted to create bonding relationships with my coworkers not knowing the effect it can have as a leader. This exercise taught me that working to create a relationship is a great start to becoming an effective leader. I must also be aware of my emotions as emotions are contagious (Boyatzis & McKee, 2005). Reflecting on my time with these two ‘leaders’ made me understand that a leader who exudes positive emotions is much more likely to be effective than a leader who only cares about the job while spreading negative emotions. As Simon Sinek said, “A boss has the title. A leader has the people” (Inspirational quotes, 2015, n.p.).

 References

Andre, L.N. (2014). 1.1 module 1.1 what is great leadership? [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrtnP390QCc

Boyatzis, R. & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant leadership. Boston, MS: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Inspirational quotes. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.inspirational-quotes.ca/quotes/simon-sinek/

A521.9.3.RB- A Different Kind of Leader- Trey McNeil

I must admit that I did not look forward to this class. I have always been a poor communicator and I thought that the process of learning about the areas in which I struggle would be disheartening. However, this class helped me understand some of the areas that I lack and provided guidelines and a map to correct my negative tendencies. Denning (2011) discussed how language (both verbal and non-verbal) have meaning and this language can be effective in creating actions through storytelling or narrative. The tips and guidelines discussed by Denning (2011) culminated in the description of a different kind of leader. This type of leader is not necessarily the one who has the best ideas, talks the loudest, or has been employed with the company the longest. The leader described by Denning (2011) is described as an interactive leader.

When I first heard the term interactive leader I thought of the 1980’s game Simon. In the 1980’s Simon was about as interactive as it got and resembled the childhood games Simon says and follow the leader. The handheld game consisted of for buttons that would light up in a random sequential order. The participant must push the buttons in the same order as they lit up or would be subject to losing the game. Reminiscing about this game brought two thoughts to my mind. First, toys have come a long way since I was a child. Also, leadership has evolved since the prominence of the game Simon. 

Of course, Denning (2011) was not describing a 1980’s childhood game when he mentioned interactive leadership. However, he was discussing a more involved type of leadership with various dimensions. Three of the dimensions listed by Denning (2011) were (a) interactive leaders work with the world rather than against it, (b) interactive leaders build on personal integrity and authority, and (c) interactive leadership does not depend on the possession of hierarchal authority. As I began to ponder how I can become an interactive leader, I thought about how these three dimensions could be incorporated into my vision of leadership.

Denning (2011) stated that the interactive leader allows the world to do some of the work for them. I have traditionally answered to leaders who attempted to control everything in their power. They would set strict rules and regulations that their followers would be asked to obey. These rules and regulations were seen as an attempt to get everything in their power to bend to their will. Though a leader may maliciously plan everything out and believe their manipulation is going to be triumphant, the world does not always go as they thought it would. Sometimes leaders must ride the current in order to produce the best result.

Though I am a planner, my leadership strategy would include allowing the world to do some of the work for me. I do not believe in manipulation or control because I think they take away from trust and respect. I also believe that when Denning (2011) referred to the world, he was not only discussing the economy or environment but the ‘world’ of your organization. The ‘world’ of your organization would include the followers. I believe allowing the followers to have a sense of autonomy and make decisions affecting the strategy of the company is not only a great way to let the world do some of the work but also a great way to connect with your followers.

Denning (2011) stated that another dimension of an interactive leader is disclosing your personal integrity and authenticity. As I have gotten older, I realized the value of disclosing who I am and what I believe in. I feel that transparency is only fair and that if everyone was transparent in the beginning then time and effort could be saved.

Before this week, I thought the transparent side of me just meant that I was comfortable with clarity. However, Denning’s (2011) description of an interactive leader indicates that this characteristic could be considered leadership. Denning (2011) stated that the interactive leader who is open about what they stand for should be rewarded with respect. Four of the values that I would like to see in each of my followers are (a) honesty, (b) trust, (c) respect, and (d) kindness.  As an interactive leader, I would trust and respect my followers in hopes that both a connection and reciprocity would occur.

Denning (2011) also stated that interactive leaders do not depend on the possession of hierarchal authority. In analyzing the dimensions of interactive leadership listed by Denning (2011), this was my favorite dimension. I have worked in two organizations as a professional. Both of these organizations operated under the traditional hierarchal structure. Decisions are made at the top level of management as they saw fit. Strategical changes that occurred were made without the input of lower level employees.

As an interactive leader, I would allow for the voice of all employees to be heard no matter their place in the hierarchy.  Actually, as a leader, I would like to create a culture that eliminated the organizational hierarchy, but that is a different blog and a different story. According to Obolensky (2014), nearly sixty percent of all strategic ideas or solutions come from lower level employees. If more than half the strategic ideas come from the bottom of an organization, why are more leaders not interested in listening to what they have to say? Denning (2011) stated that any employee who can simplify the direction or configuration of the organization is, in turn, providing leadership. Not only would I like to be an interactive leader by allowing all levels of the hierarchy to have a voice, I would like to implant a culture where each voice was recognized as a form of leadership.

References

Denning, S. (2011). The leader’s guide to storytelling; Mastering the art and discipline of business narrative. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass.

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership: Embracing paradox and uncertainty (2nd ed.). Gower.