Technology & Tools | Change & Agility | Diversity & Culture

The Boss Is Dead: The Future of

Leadership and Its Implications

for OD

27 October 2014

Frederick A. Miller

Judith H. Katz The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc.

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WELCOME

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TWEETING AS YOU LEARN?

Use the conference hashtag:

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And our Twitter handle:

@kjcginc

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Discuss the major shifts we are seeing

with respect to leadership and

organizations.

• Explore how the shifts in leadership and

followership is transforming organization

models.

• Identify what we as OD Practitioners can

do to support leaders and organizations

during this shift.

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HELLOS

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Progression of our Thinking

White Awareness Systematic approach to

addressing racism

The Nibble Theory People not seen and,

when seen, made small

Inclusion Breakthrough Participation of people in

the workplace will be

different in the future

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Progression of our Thinking

Be BIG Need for people to speak

up, be seen, and bring

their full selves to the

workplace

Opening Doors Need for common

language in order for

everyone to feel safe in

their interactions

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FROM TO Challenges and Opportunities

for Today’s Organizations 2.0

FROM TO

Honor and reward tenure Honor and reward contribution

Reward people for the WHAT they

accomplish

Reward people for HOW they

accomplish the task and WHAT they

accomplish

Take care of people, reluctant to

give feedback or hold accountable

Care for people and hold them

accountable

Fixed strategies Flexible strategies

Silos One flow, unified entity

Innovation is episodic Innovation is an ongoing systemic

process

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See colleagues as competitors See colleagues as partners

A judging culture A joining culture

Keep problems hidden Make problems visible and solve

them at their root cause

Leaders follow orders Leaders have the courage to make

independent decisions

Failures avoided and undiscussable Intelligent failures encouraged

Conversations reinforce existing

conditions

Conversations candidly question the

status quo

Go fast to go faster Go slow to go faster

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The boss is dead…

• Shift FROM hierarchy and tenure TO knowledge

and ability

• Lack of trust in leaders

• ―Because I said so…‖ no longer has same currency

• Leadership role shifting FROM ―Have all the

answers‖ TO facilitator/guide/coach

• No more ―Yes, Boss‖ without asking questions

• More willing to follow peers than leaders

• The notion of ―I am the BOSS‖ and all that implies

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The boss is dead…what is

also dying?

• One generation being the leaders/boss

• Command and control

• One size fits all

• Generations having their own ―space‖

• Working alone

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The boss is dead… what is

also dying?

• Performance reviews solely based on

individual effort/accomplishment

• Silos

• Retirement

• Keeping top talent for years

• Slow to change organization Can organizations catch up and keep up with these shifts?

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What is Around the Corner?

• Collaboration as the underpinning and mindset –

• Inclusion as a habit…a strong organizational muscle

• More free agency…individual negotiations with the

organization

• The evolution of the machine

• Robotics

• Bionic body parts that enhance our abilities

• Computers helping us be and think faster and

solve problems

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• Thinking partners ~ Who are the RIGHT people?

• Best practices exchange and learning circles as the

norm

• Leadership pods

• Culture change advocates

• Fluid, mobile workforce

• Need for S-P-E-E-D

What is Around the Corner?

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The River…

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Organizational Structures:

Today and emerging

Holcracy Eileen Fisher

Networked Traditional

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Some Helpful Frameworks

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The Age of

Collaboration—It is ALL

about Collaboration,

Co-Creation, and

Connection

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Moving to Collaboration Through Joining

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4 Tools for Collaboration 1. Lean into Discomfort

Opens the Door to Trust

• Be willing to challenge self and others. Speak up—bring your voice and street corner.

2. Listen as an Ally Opens the Door to Collaboration

• Listen, listen, listen and engage. Be a partner.

3. State your Intent and Intensity Opens the Door to Understanding

• Clarify intent at onset: State Notions, Stakes, Boulders, and Tombstones. Say what you

mean and how much you mean it.

4. Share Street Corners Opens the Door to Breakthroughs

• Accept others’ thoughts and experiences as true for them. Hear others differences as

additive.

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different,

Collaboration requires that we…

different, and

different

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Actions for OD Practitioners

• Partner with leaders so they feel comfortable making

the shift in their roles to guide/coach/facilitator.

• Bring the voice of 20- and 30-somethings into the

re-imaging of the organization.

• Help the organization and its members move to more

Joining than Judging.

• Increase speed by slowing down to speed up – enable

the interactions that build trust.

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• Help restructure the organization so that it increases

flows.

• Build Inclusion as an organizational muscle.

• Teach and practice collaborate, collaborate,

collaborate!!!!

• Let go of our own notions about hierarchy and

organizational structure to create new models.

• Renew your values!!!!

Actions for OD Practitioners

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Small Group Discussion 1. When you think about the leadership in your

organization or a client’s needs for the future: a) in what

ways are you/they well positioned and b) in what ways

may you/they need to be inviting new thinking and new

leadership – or at least prepping them?

0………………………..10

2. What are 3 significant shifts on the horizon for your

organization or client that you need to be thinking

about related to collaboration or leadership?

3. What is dying or needs to die in your organization(s) or

client? How is the organization responding to that

reality/threat/challenge/opportunity?

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Dedicated to Edie Seashore

This presentation is dedicated to our dear friend and mentor, Edie Seashore (1928 to 2013)

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner 2001

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Please complete a survey

before you leave!

Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thank You for coming to our

presentation!

Judith and Fred