Love, Hate, Fear, or Respect Marc D. Donohue Whiting School of Engineering Johns Hopkins University March 28, 2006 How Love, Hate, Fear, and Respect Affect Leadership and Organizational Structure. What Molecular Behavior Can Tell Us About Leadership and Organizational Structure Love or Fear Is it better for a Prince (leader) to be loved or feared? Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince Fear is better than love. Better still is both love and fear. Avoid being hated. Assumption For organizations to produce something of value, they must have structure and be hierarchical. Fear and Structure Is it possible to have a structured, hierarchical and productive organization without fear? Analogies Statistical mechanics ~ Sociology Quantum mechanics ~ Psychology Questions Why do gases condense? Why do humans form social groups? Questions Why are some liquid mixtures immiscible? Why are most neighborhoods narrow demographically? I.e. why are they segregated? Questions Why do fluids crystallize? Why are work environments structured? Why are structured work environments hierarchical? Questions Is it better for a leader to be loved, hated, feared, or respected? Can a leader be both feared and loved? Can a leader be both feared and respected? Phases of Matter Gases Clusters Liquids Crystals Phases of Matter Gases Clusters Liquids Crystals Hermits, widows Families Social groups (clubs and neighborhoods) Structured and hierarchical organizations Phases of People Key Concepts Molecules SR Repulsions LR Attractions Interchange energy Directional interactions Potential function Key Concepts Molecules LR Attractions SR Repulsions Interchange energy Directional interactions People Love Fear The enemy of my enemy is my friend Deference Condensation Condensation is caused by attractive forces between molecules Friendship People socialize with those they like. Crystallization Simple crystals form because the molecules repel each other. Structured Organizations Most organizations have structure because of fear. Fear Death Pain Starvation Inability to provide for ones family Loss of connection to group Imprisonment Loss of Income Loss of face Fear and Structure Is it possible to have crystals without molecular repulsions? Is it possible to have structured, hierarchical and productive organizations without fear? Terry Tate Corporate Linebacker L-L Immiscibility Water and Oil dont mix. L-L Immiscibility Segregation Racial Immiscibility Segregation Mathematical Sociology Thomas Schilling, Dynamic Models of Segregation Original 10 x 10 Grid Assumptions Thomas Schilling, Dynamic Models of Segregation Whites would prefer to have white neighbors and blacks would prefer to have black neighbors, but whites are indifferent to blacks and blacks are indifferent to whites. Pair A Pair As original neighbors RR o = 4 BB o = 2 RR o + BB o =6 Pair As new neighbors RR o = 4 BB o = 2 RR o + BB o =6 RR n = 6 BB n = 4 RR n + BB n = 10 RRn + BBn > RRo + BBo; the switch takes place Pair B Pair Bs neighbors RR o = 4 BB o = 5 RR o + BB o =9 Pair Bs new neighbors RR o = 4 BB o = 5 RR o + BB o =9 RR n = 3 BB n = 4 RR n + BB n = 7 RRn + BBn is not > RRo + BBo; the switch does not take place Pair C Pair Cs neighbors RR o = 3 BB o = 4 RR o + BB o = 7 Pair Cs new neighbors RR o = 3 BB o = 4 RR o + BB o = 7 RR n = 4 BB n = 5 RR n + BB n = 9 RRn + BBn > RRo + BBo; the switch does takes place Pair D Pair Ds neighbors RR o = 3 BB o = 3 RR o + BB o = 6 Pair Ds new neighbors RR o = 3 BB o = 3 RR o + BB o = 6 RR n = 5 BB n = 5 RR n + BB n = 10 RRn + BBn > RRo + BBo; the switch does takes place Pair E Pair Es neighbors RR o = 7 BB o = 6 RR o + BB o = 13 Pair Es new neighbors RR o = 7 BB o = 6 RR o + BB o = 13 RR n = 2 BB n = 1 RR n + BB n = 3 RRn + BBn is not > RRo + BBo; the switch does not takes place Pair F Pair Fs neighbors RR o = 0 BB o = 3 RR o + BB o = 3 Pair Fs new neighbors RR o = 0 BB o = 3 RR o + BB o = 3 RR n = 5 BB n = 5 RR n + BB n = 10 RRn + BBn > RRo + BBo; the switch does takes place Pair G Pair Gs neighbors RR o = 2 BB o = 2 RR o + BB o = 4 Pair Gs new neighbors RR o = 2 BB o = 2 RR o + BB o = 4 RR n = 3 BB n = 6 RR n + BB n = 9 RRn + BBn > RRo + BBo; the switch does takes place x Segregation Thomas Schilling, Dynamic Models of Segregation Schillings conclusion: Racial segregation is not necessarily due to discrimination; it may be the result of a number of benign, individual choices. Interchange Energy = 2 Eab Eaa - Ebb Definition: = 2 Eab Eaa - Ebb What is important is not energy, but difference in energies. The zero point is not relevant. Condensation Eaa attractive Interchange Energy = 2 Eab Eaa - Ebb Eaa attractive Ebb attractive Eab zero OR Eaa and Ebb zero Eab, Eba repulsive Interchange Energy Schillings result of racial segregation also can be obtained with the assumptions that whites are indifferent to whites and blacks are indifferent to blacks, but whites hate blacks and blacks hate whites (i.e. repulsions). Interchange Energy Crystallization is caused by repulsive Eaa Interchange Energy = 2 Eab Eaa - Ebb Ionic crystal behavior dominated by D= 2 Eab Eaa Ebb Interchange Energy Crystals normally are formed by repulsive interactions. However, they also can be formed without repulsions if unlike species attract strongly, e.g. NaCl Directional Interactions Directional (or anisotropic) interactions also can lead to ordered and hierarchical structures. Streptavidin Tetramer Streptavidin Tetramer of Tetramers Streptavidin 2D Crystal Streptavidin Red Blue Strong Green Green Weak Streptavidin Hierarchy Hierarchy in Social Systems Fear allows structured social system. Hierarchy caused by deference (which is caused by fear of those higher in the organization). Hierarchy Can be caused by directional interactions (attractions or repulsions) coupled with specific attractions between subgroups Or by differential directional interactions. Assumption For organizations to produce something of value, they must have structure and be hierarchical. Hierarchy Can we have productive organizations without fear? Can we have structured, hierarchical social systems with positive emotions? If so, how? Negative Emotions Fear - escape Anger attack Disgust expel Thomas Harbin, Beyond Anger Negative Emotions Fear Anxiety Anger Mobilize to action Increase strength Reduce pain Shorten response times Focus thought processes Reduce creativity Thomas Harbin, Beyond Anger Positive Emotions Joy Interest Contentment Pride Gratitude Love Barbara Fredrickson, Positive Emotions and Upward Spirals in Organizations Positive Emotions Joy Interest Contentment Pride Gratitude Love Broaden thought processes and increase creativity Build enduring resources Barbara Fredrickson, Positive Emotions and Upward Spirals in Organizations Deference Structure can be caused by either fear or respect. Hierarchy is caused by deference. Respect Being predictable in: Character honest Values fair Skills Ronald Heifetz, Leadership without easy answers Respect Skills Character Values Question Is it better for a leader to be loved, hated, feared, or respected? Hierarchical Systems General Colonel Lieutenant Sergeant Private Fear Narrow thought processes Hierarchical Systems General Colonel Lieutenant Sergeant Private Faculty Chair Dean Vice President President Fear Creative thought processes Narrow thought processes Respect Skills: What Leaders Do See the future Engage and develop people Reinvent continuously Value results and relationships Embody the values K. Blanchard & M. Miller The Secret!: Discover what great leaders know and do Level 5 Leaders Humility + Will Honest Fair Humble, with compelling modesty Understated Unwavering resolve NOT Charismatic Genius with a thousand helpers Egocentric Larger than life Jim Collins, Good to Great Leaders Serve Faculty Chair Dean Vice President President Leaders Serve Faculty Chair Dean Vice President President Catalysts Catalysts change the way molecules interact. Leaders change the way the people in the organization interact. Barbara Fredrickson, Positive Emotions and Upward Spirals in Organizations Leadership Up and Down Faculty Chair Dean Vice President President Leadership Up and Down Faculty Chair Dean Vice President President Leadership Up and Down Faculty Chair Dean Vice President President Fear and Respect Can a leader have it both ways? Can one lead with both fear and respect? Conclusion A person should never be appointed to a [leadership] position if his vision focuses on peoples weaknesses rather than on their strengths. The person who always knows exactly what people can not do, but never sees anything they can do, will undermine the spirit of the organization. An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic. Peter Drucker, Management Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices