Leadership Is Developed through Education and Experience Pertemuan 5 & 6 Matakuliah: L0244 – Psikologi Kepemimpinan Tahun: 2010

Leadership Is Developed through

Education and Experience Pertemuan 5 & 6

Matakuliah : L0244 – Psikologi KepemimpinanTahun : 2010

The Action-Observation-Reflection Model• Making the most of experience is key to developing

one’s leadership ability.• The theory shows that leadership development is

enhanced when the experience involves three different processes:– Action– Observation– Reflection

• Spiral of experience: Colin Powell’s example.Bina Nusantara University 3

The Spiral of Experience

Bina Nusantara University 4

The Key Role of Perception in the Spiral of Experience

• Experience is not just a matter of what events happen to you; it also depends on how you perceive those events.

• Perception affects all three phases of the action-observation-reflection model.

• People actively shape and construct their experiences.


Perception and Observation• Observation and perception both deal with attending to

events around us.– We are selective in what we attend to and what we, in turn, perceive.

• Perceptual sets can influence any of our senses:– They are the tendency or bias to perceive one thing and not another.– Feelings, needs, prior experience and expectations can all trigger a

perceptual set.• Stereotypes represent powerful impediments to learning.

– Awareness of biases occurs upon reflection.


Perception and Reflection• Reflection deals with how we interpret our observations.• Perception is inherently an interpretive, or a meaning-

making, activity.• Attributions: Explanations we develop for the behaviors or

actions we attend to.• Fundamental attribution error: Tendency to overestimate

the dispositional causes of behavior and underestimate the environmental causes when others fail.


Perception and Reflection (continued)

• Self-serving bias: Tendency to make external attributions for one’s own failures, yet make internal attributions for one’s successes.

• Actor/observer difference: Refers to the fact that people who are observing an action are much more likely than the actor to make the fundamental attribution error.

• Reflection also involves higher functions like evaluation and judgment, not just perception and attribution.


Perception and Action• Research found that perceptions and biases affect

supervisors’ actions towards poorly performing subordinates.

• Self-fulfilling prophecy: Occurs when our expectations or predictions play a causal role in bringing about the events we predict.

• Research has shown that having expectations about others can subtly influence our actions.

• These actions can, in turn, affect the way others behave.


The Role of Expectations in Social Interaction


Reflection and Leadership Development

• Reflection provides leaders with insights into several ways of framing problems, multiple perspectives, or better understanding.

• Leaders tend to ignore reflection due to lack of time or lack of awareness of its value.

• Intentional reflection might prompt one to see potential benefits in experience not initially considered relevant.


Single and Double-Loop Learning• Single-loop learners seek relatively little feedback

that may significantly confront their fundamental ideas or actions.– Individuals learn only about subjects within the

“comfort zone” of their belief systems.• Double-loop learning involves a willingness to

confront one’s own views and an invitation to others to do so, too.– Mastering double-loop learning can be thought of as

learning how to learn.Bina Nusantara University 12

Leadership Developmentthrough Experience

• Factors that make any given experience potent in fostering managerial growth:– The people you work with– The characteristics of the task itself

• Leaders in any field tend to first stand out by virtue of their technical proficiency.– Competence or proficiency are factors that serve as basis

for emergence or selection of a leader.Bina Nusantara University 13

Changing Requirements for Success


The People You Work With• A boss can be a powerful catalyst for growth.• People from different backgrounds, perspectives, or

agendas can impact the growth experience.• Working with problem subordinates can stimulate

managerial growth, as can peers.• Both mentors and mentorees benefit from having the

relationship.• Executive coaching: General responsibility of all executives

towards managers who report to them.


Developmental Tasks• Leadership development can be enhanced in a changing,

dynamic, uncontrollable, and unpredictable environment.– Strategic planning and projections can contribute to a leader’s

development.• Opportunities that stretch individuals and allow them to test

themselves provide learning.• The risk of possible failure is a strong incentive for managers

to learn.• Organizations may not provide the same development

opportunities for all their members.


Making the Most of Your Leadership Experiences: Learning to Learn from Experience

• The learning events and developmental experiences that punctuate one’s life are usually stressful.

• A flat learning curve can result due to an inability to move against one’s grain of personal success and tolerate a dip in performance results.

• To be successful, learning must continue throughout life, beyond the completion of one’s formal education.


Anatomy of a Learning Experience


Leadership Development through Education and Training

• Research has shown that:– Education level or academic performance in college was positively

related to future managerial success.– Educational programs generally have a positive effect on

leadership development.– Formal education and training programs can help one become a

better leader.• The content of different leadership programs varies considerably,

depending on the target audience.• Leadership education is a component of leadership development.


University Courses in Leadership• Leadership training programs can include formal courses or

extracurricular leadership activities.• The pedagogy used to impart different leadership concepts

vary greatly.• Many courses use the standard lecture methods, or provide

individualized feedback through:– Case studies– Role Playing– Simulations– Games


Leadership Training Programs• Programs aimed particularly at industry and public service

leaders and supervisors use:– Lectures– Case studies– Role-playing exercises

• Programs for midlevel managers often focus on:– Individualized feedback, case studies, presentations– Role playing, simulations– In-basket exercises– Leaderless group discussions


Leadership Training Programs (continued)

• Conger offers that a multi-tiered approach is effective.• Leadership development in the 21st century must occur in

more lifelike situations and contexts.• Leadership programs for senior executives and CEOs focus on

strategic planning, PR, and interpersonal skills.• No matter the type of program chosen, a systematic

approach guarantees its usefulness.


Building Your Leadership Self-Image• Leadership develops through experience and formal

education.• Not everyone wants to be a leader or believes he/she can

be.• Avoid selling yourself short.• Understand the importance of leadership, keep an open

mind.• Avoid self-defeating generalizations.• Experiment and take a few risks with different leadership

roles.Bina Nusantara University 23

Summary• One way to add value to your leadership courses and

experiences is by applying the action-observation-reflection model.

• Be aware of the role perception plays in leadership development.

• Education and experience can contribute to your development as a leader.

• To become a better leader, one must seek challenges and try to make the best of any leadership opportunity.


Documents

Leadership Is Developed through Education and Experience Pertemuan 5 & 6 Matakuliah: L0244 – Psikologi Kepemimpinan Tahun: 2010