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BY

TANKO AHMED fwcSenior Fellow (Security & Strategic Studies)

National Institute (NIPSS), Kuru

LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE: MANAGING CHANGE IN A GLOBALLY CHANGING

ENVIRONMENT

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‘Action Changes Things = ACT’ - Anonymous

A Lecture Delivered to the NIPSS Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course 19 on Tuesday, 18 August, 2015

LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE: MANAGING CHANGE IN A GLOBALLY

CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

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- The world runs on the fast-line, driven by technological

advancement and systems progression and fueled by innovative leadership.

- Change management is a daunting task, even for the strong, smart and savvy.

- This paper discusses the concepts and practice of innovative leadership style in a rapidly ever-changing global environment.

- The nudge theory is positioned as framework for discourse. - Key concepts are defined, correlated and explained on

challenges, prospects and the way forward.

Prologue

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*Leaders

*Innovative Leadership Style

*Change Management

*Global Environment

Key Terms:

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Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead, U.S. Anthropologist. In Utne Reader (MS, 2009)

Anyone in a large organization who thinks major change is impossible should probably get out.John P. Kotter   (1947 - ), U.S. Academic. In The New Rules (MS, 2009) One of the lessons from the Darwinian world is that the excellence of an organism's nervous system helps determine its ability to sense change and quickly respond, thereby surviving or even thriving. Bill Gates, a U.S. Business Executive. In The New York Times, "Leaders Must be Candid, Consistent“ (MS, 2009)

HUMAN FASCINATION WITH CHANGE

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To be a catalyst is the ambition most appropriate for those who see the world as being in constant change, and who, without thinking that they can control it, wish to influence its direction.Theodore Zeldin, British historian. In An Intimate History of Humanity (MS,2009)\

A permanent state of transition is man's most noble condition. Juan Ramón Jiménez, a Spanish Poet. In Selected Writings, "Heroic Reason“ (MS, 2009)  Reform never comes to a class or a people unless and until those concerned have worked out their own salvation. Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford, Ghanaian Journalist, Lawyer, and Nationalist. In Ethiopia Unbound: Studies in Race Emancipation (MS, 2009) 

… Fascination With Change

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The new always happens against the overwhelming odds of statistical laws and their probability...the new therefore always appears in the guise of a miracle. Hannah Arendt, a German-born U.S. philosopher and historian. In The Human Condition (MS, 2009) The New Globalization was ushered in by Reagan’s announcement that: We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world. Ronald Reagan, U.S. President and Hollywood Actor. In Communication to the publisher of the Presidential Biblical Scorecard (MS, 2009)

You can't step twice into the same river. Everything flows and nothing stays. Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, 5th century BC. (MS, 2009)  Source: Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

… Fascination With Change

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INTRODUCTION

‘Action Changes Things: ACT’ - Anonymous

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- The world has ever been, and will ever be on the move, changed by

time, events, processes and activities of human and natural tendencies.

- Change is the only thing that is permanent, inevitable, and the natural process to which each one of us, no matter our different callings, must dance to its tune.

- Change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes are effectively implemented for best results by leaders.

- Leaders who are in charge of affairs, events and activities are

continuously under pressure to innovate in response to internal and external influences.

- It is in this way that ‘action changes things’ or ‘act’.

Background

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Change management is dynamic but complex process with both negative and positive outcomes.

It pulls apart the extensive literature addressed to it from diverging discipline or perspectives.

The large body of literature drawn from multi-disciplinary and various theoretical perspectives attempt to address its complexities, contradictions and confusion (Todnem, 2005; Fernandez & Rainey, 2006).

Apposite to this work, Thaler & Sunstein (2008) provide the ‘nudge theory’ for literal understanding and handling of change management.

Literature

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- The Nudge Theory is a highly innovative change

management methodology for shifting the thinking or mind-set of very large group of people, entire society, nation, or even the whole world as seen in the event of globalization (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008).

- Nudge theory could therefore help leaders to understand potential or hidden influential factors on people’s thinking thereby useful in change management (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008).

The Nudge Theory

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- Change is not only inevitable but also

invincible to any leader or organization resisting its process.

- Leaders are therefore faced with the daunting task of introducing, as well as, guiding people and organizations in a fast changing and highly interconnected global environment.

Problem Statement

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This paper focuses on the following areas:

- Leaders and Innovative Leadership Style in Change Management;

- Managing Change in a Fast-Changing Global Environment; and

- The Way Forward.

Paper Focus

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

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- Leading is a process of change requiring innovation.

- A leader is somebody whom people follow, somebody who guides or directs others, or somebody in charge of others.

- A leader is a change agent who brings about or helps to bring about change through innovation.

- A leader may be the head of family, group, community, company, agency, organization, government, event or process.

Leaders

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- Innovative leadership style combines or blends

different leadership styles to mobilize and lead followers in creating ideas, ventures, services or solution to challenges (Gliddon, 2006).

- It is a strategic process involving creative thinking and proactive action.

- It supports organizational development in achieving mission, vision and visioning.

Innovative Leadership Style

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- Managing change or change management is the

transitory activity for moving or transforming individuals, teams or organizations to desired future state (Kotter, 2011).

- It involves the introduction of new ideas or items into activities or functions of people or organizations to influence results, outcomes or products of given ventures (Felicetti, 2007; Levin, 2012)

- Managing change is closely linked to creativity and innovation where ideas are created, identified, adopted and turned into desired actions or products.

Managing Change

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- The term global infers anything worldwide, relating to or

happening throughout the world; or anything overall, taking all the different aspects of a situation into account.

- Environment refers to surrounding influences including

internal and external factors influencing life activities of people, events or processes; it is also means a set of conditions, especially those affecting particular activities.

- The fast-changing global environment requires

organizations to plan, implement and manage activities in dynamic situations, processes, people, systems and culture (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008).

The Global Environment

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- The term globalization captures the global environment as a

process of world integration, interaction and connectedness in rapid interchange and exchange of activities, ideas, products and all aspects of human affairs (Albrow & King, 1990; Al-Rodhan & Stoudman, 2006).

- Missiroli (2014) explains that the world in the last 20 years has experienced the opening of global economic, political and personal opportunities and capabilities, changing the old order for and for ill.

- As ideas, values, activities, opportunities and capabilities flow freely; leaders are faced with the task of leading people and organizations forward, by innovative means in a rapidly changing global environment.

Globalization

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LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE

LEADERSHIP STYLE IN CHANGE MANAGEMENT

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- Address the human side systematically by engaging stakeholder in

the process.

- Start at the top for ease of approval and acceptance of processes and results for implementation.

- Involve every layer of the organization for smooth flow and mobilization of healthy strategic plan.

- Make the formal case by well-articulated mission and vision in clear written statement.

- Create ownership by making all sections and stakeholders identify as part of the whole process. - (Jones, Aguirre & Calderone, 2004)

Principles of Change Management

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- Communicate the message simple and clear for all to know and

understand.

- Assess the cultural landscape or organizational environment at each functional stages or levels.

- Address culture explicitly for ease of transitory behaviour towards the change programme.

- Prepare for the unexpected, to contain eventualities of the dynamism and complexity of changing environment; and

- Bring activities to the levels of individual participants or stakeholders, for continuous collaboration, cooperation and coordination – known as the 3Cs of strategic plan. - (Jones, Aguirre & Calderone, 2004)

Principles of Change Management

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- The change management principles

identify with the trends of ‘nudge theory’.

- It helps leaders to understand potential or hidden influential factors on people’s thinking thereby useful in change management, particularly in rapidly changing global environment (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008).

The Trends of Nudge Theory

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MANAGING CHANGE IN A FAST MOVING

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT

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- Globalization, propelled by advancement and

progress in technology and systems created the notion of ‘global village’ translated into ‘global culture’ and captured into global practices (Obafemi & Ahmed, 2013).

- The world moves at a faster and voluminous pace as the need to acquire technology and the skills to use it is increasing at the rate beyond those societies that are unable to remedy their inadequacies (Ahmed, 2015).

The Global Process

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Leaders are continuously faced with pressure to

innovate subject to internal and external influences.

Leading in this regard involves the blending of visions, values and contributions to the efforts in turning ideas into reality through others that share the same vision, hinting on style (Burian, et al. 2014).

It is a strategic process, involving creative thinking and proactive action compatible with leadership, policy and strategy.

Challenges to Leaders

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THE WAY

FORWARD

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- Globalization is not an option which may be accepted or

rejected; it is rather a fact of life that must be addressed.

- The need for knowledge, skills and infrastructure for driven change is paramount to individuals, organizations and leadership.

- Leaders must therefore take the advantage of available platforms, especially those offered by the information and communication technology (ICT) revolution.

- The innovative leadership style is a change agency in a rapidly changing global environment in which people and organizations are moved continuously to catch up as well as breakthrough

The Way Forward

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CONCLUSION

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- Change management is dynamic but complex process

with both negative and positive outcomes as it pulls apart the extensive literature addressed to it from various perspectives.

- The ‘nudge theory’ could help leaders to understand potential or hidden influential factors on people’s thinking thereby useful in change management.

- This paper discussed leaders and innovative leadership style in change management; managing change in a fast-changing global environment; and the way forward.

Summary

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- Leaders are faced with daunting tasks of

introducing as well as guiding people and organizations in a fast changing and highly interconnected global environment.

- The paper establishes and concludes that leading is a process of change requiring innovation in response to influences.

- A leader is therefore a change agent who brings about or helps to bring about change through innovation.

Conclusion

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- Innovative leadership style must combine or blend different styles in

leading people and organizations.

- There is the need to mobilize and guide followers or employees in creative ideas, ventures, services or solution to challenges.

- Managing change must welcome new ideas or items into activities or functions of people and organizations to influence results, outcomes or products of given ventures.

- The fast-changing global environment requires organizations to plan,

implement and manage activities in dynamic situations, processes, people, systems and culture.

- Lastly, the way forward must harness ideas, adapt to situations and move ahead as only ‘actions changes things’ or ‘act’.

Recommendations

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EXERCISE NO. 1

LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE: MANAGING CHANGE IN A GLOBALLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT: A SIMULATION

EXERCISE NO. 1

“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join

the dance” – Alan W. Watts (n.d.)

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- This simulation exercise is specially designed for the NIPSS

– Policy Strategy and Leadership Course 19 to bring out the lessons learnt on ‘managing change in global environment’.

- Individuals and groups ability are tasked on application of strategy for ‘managing change’. Special attention must be given to the course theme which is ‘Internally Revenue Generation’.

- Two of Nigeria’s change-driving agencies, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) are used in simulating issues of ‘managing change’ in Nigeria’s public and private sectors’ administration, management and leadership.

Introduction

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- Course participants are divided into two groups as CBN and

FIRS. - Briefs on the functions and objectives from the websites of

the two agencies are downloaded and distributed for reference.

- The task is for the Course Participants to extract and apply the objectives of these two agencies on the proposed ‘single account’ for all government agencies in managing change.

- The time for planning and execution of the exercise is one

hour. Group Representatives will brief the Class on the outcome of their exercise. Thank you.

The Exercise

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ReferenceAhmed, T. (2015). eParticipation, Simulation Exercise and Leadership Training in Nigeria: Bridging the Digital Divide. In M. Janssen et al. (eds.). Policy Practice and Digital Science, Public Administration and Information Technology 10, DOI 10-1007/078-3-319-12784-2_19 Albrow, M. & King, E. (ed.). (1990). Globalization, knowledge and society. London, UK: Sage.Al-Rodhan, R F. & Stoudman, G. (2006). Definitions of globalization: A comprehensive overview and a proposed definition. Retrieved from http://www.sustainablehistory.com/articles/definitions-of-globalization.pdf Burnes, B. (2004). Managing change: A strategic approach to organizational dynamics. (4th Edition). Harlow, ….: Prentice HallFelicetti, J. (2007). Project management dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.pmhut.com/pmo-and-project-management-dictionary Fernandez, R. & Rainey, H. G. (2006). Managing successful organizational change in the public sector. Public Sector Review, March/April, 168-176Kotter, J. (2011). Change management vs. Change leadership – What’s the difference, Forbes Online.Levin, G. (2012). Embrace and exploit change as a program manager: Guideline for success. Project Management Institute, August 10. Retrieved from http://www.pmi.org/-/media/PDF/Knowledge-Shelf/EmbraceExploitChange_levin.ashx Missiroli, A., Stang, G., Ekan, A. & Dreyer, I. (2014). A changing global environment. Chaillot Paper, No. 133 – December 19. Retrieved from http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Chaillot_Paper_133__A_changing_global_environment.pdf Scouller, J. (2011). The three levels of leadership. Management Books 2000Todnem, R. (2005). Organizational change management: A critical review. Journal of Change Management, 5(4), 369-380