Leadership Development

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Leadership Development

• OS608
• November 6, 2006
• Fisher

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Some context for our discussion
Leadership is said to be everything and
nothing.... Leadership is everything because it
is infused in all that we do it is not sacred.
All individual behavior has leadership
implications.... Leadership is nothing in the
sense that it seems impossible to define
completely. Decades of scientific study have yet
to yield a single definition that fully captures
the nature of leadership, much less articulate a
definitive approach to developing it.
Source Day and Halpin (2001), page 1. (Emphasis
added).
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Agenda

• Review perspectives on leadership development
• Discuss and evaluate leadership development
  examples

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The big question

• Can leadership be taught?
• We have figured out how to change knowledge and
  skill, but it is the transformation of being
  the identity, character, world views, and values
  about which we still know the least (Hill,
  2004, p. 122).

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Some of this depends on the person

• Learning agility, propensity for introspection
  and reflection
• Willingness to seek and use feedback
• Learning orientation vs. performance orientation

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Learning leadership through experience

• Experience gives the examination first, then the
  lessons follow. (Kerr, 2004, p. 119)
• Challenging work assignments, hardships, exposure
  to people
• Pros and cons of relying on experience?

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Other approaches

• Conceptual understanding
• Knowledge of theories, models, techniques
• Feedback
• Current skill assessment
• Coaching, mentoring
• Skill building
• Practice in a safe environment

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Toyota and Leadership Development

• What does Toyotas preferred leadership style
  seem to be? Why?
• Critique the process used to teach Dollis how to
  lead at Toyota. What were the strengths and
  weaknesses?

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Overview of GEs Leadership Development Approach

• Entry level leadership programs
• Two-year rotational programs
• Sales and marketing, engineering, finance, IT,
  operations and human resources
• Focus on rotational assignments continues
  throughout the career
• Classroom education - Welch Leadership Center at
  Crotonville

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GE and Leadership Development

• Why do other companies like to hire high-level GE
  managers?
• What key leader characteristics are they looking
  for?
• Strategic skills
• Industry specific knowledge and skills
• Relationships
• Knowledge of GE practices
• Leadership development
• Six Sigma
• Performance appraisal

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GE, continued

• Is the desirability of GE leaders on the job
  market good for GE?
• What implication does this have for how GE
  develops its leaders?

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Succession Management

• Formal programs to identify people with
  leadership potential and provide them with
  developmental experiences
• Generally includes leadership development
• Requires identification of key assignments as
  well
• GE process for identifying CEO after Welch

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Leadership Development Programs in Business

• Describe examples
• What do you think are the pros and cons?
• Would this be effective for
• Certain leadership styles?
• Personal characteristics, behaviors, or outcomes?
• Certain audiences, companies, or industries?
• Also have external programs such as those
  presented by Center for Creative Leadership

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Reminder Leadership Case Analysis

• Due Wednesday November 8 4-5 pages
• Identify a case or example from another module in
  which more effective leadership would have helped
  a team or organization perform more effectively.
• How would a more effective leader have done
  things differently?
• Use at least one of the leadership models or
  theories discussed in class.
• Cite sources used in APA format.

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For Wednesday

• Leadership case analysis due
• Start segment on analysis and decision making
• Review 'Managing Organizations' section of
  Gosling and Mintzberg
• Read
• Garvin Roberto (2001). What you dont know
  about making decisions
• Sadler-Smith and Shefy (2004). The Intuitive
  Executive 
• What does it really mean to analyze something?