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.
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