Unit 9 Leadership Development

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Overview

Leading effective teams is an essential competency of effective leaders. In the Master of Arts in Leadership program, three competencies are focused on the people and relationships that are foundational for effective leadership. In this unit, we will focus on these competencies: people development, team leadership, and relationships and collaboration.

We will begin by exploring team leadership in today’s organizations, the role leaders play in developing their team members, and consider the skills and practices needed to effectively lead teams and develop people.

In this unit we will also consider our responsibility to focus on our own leadership development, creating a personal leadership development plan that will guide us as we move forward on our leadership journey.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Define leadership development
  • Conduct a leadership development conversation
  • Integrate leadership theory, strategies, and values/beliefs into a leadership development plan
  • Explain the leader’s role in creating and sustaining effective teams
  • Apply strategies for engaging a team in experiences of change

Course Topics

In this unit, we will explore the following topics:

  1. Team Leadership
  2. Leadership Development
  3. Personal Leadership Development

Unit Resources

Online resources will be provided in the unit.

9.1 Team Leadership

Teams play a critical role in many organizations today. Kogler Hill (2019) argues that teams are even more common in today’s organizations because of the difficulty and sophistication of work as well as increasingly flat organizational leadership environments. Team leadership is an essential competency for leaders and is highlighted as one of the Leadership Competencies of the Master of Arts in Leadership.

Leadership Competency 3.4: Team Leadership

Team Leadership may be manifest by the following indicators:

  • Sets and champions a clear future direction and demonstrate the actions expected in others, including a high standard of performance.
  • Takes responsibility not just for the deliverables but also for enabling success of the business enterprise.
  • Sets high standards of performance for self and others and provides a clear direction for the team to achieve objectives.

The nature of teams vary, based on organization size and mission, as well as the nature of the project in which they are engaged. Teams may include members who hold similar positions (as in a team teaching model), or may be cross-functional, with members who hold different positions (as in a medical team that includes a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, social worker, tech, patient, and family). Teams may also be co-located in the same site or include members located across the country or around the globe. (For example, the redesign of this course was completed by Catharine Penfold Navarro, a part-time faculty member located in Florida, Kelly Marjanovik, an instructional designed located in Alberta, and online learning staff located in British Columbia at Trinity Western University’s main campus).

As researchers have studied teams, that have found them to be highly effective, with results such as “greater productivity, more effective use of resources, better decisions and problem solving, better-quality products and services, and greater innovation and creativity” (Parker, 1990, as cited in Kogler Hill, 2019, p. 372).

Team leadership requires a different focus on leadership, including differences in who assumes leadership as well as who is involved in decision making. In high-functioning teams, members of the team may assume leadership roles (based on expertise) throughout the focus on a project. For example, a team working on the design of a worship service might include a musical director, pastor, communications director, and/or other members. Though she may be the official leaders, the pastor may defer to the musical director for his decision making about the flow of the service, the number and nature of the music, etc. Likewise, the medical team preparing for surgery may defer to the social work for his opinion on whether the patient is ready to move forward with the surgery.

Team leadership impacts the profitability and productivity of an organization and its success to a large extent. One common model for team leadership is the Hill Model which you’ll read about in Northouse (2019). This model is based on the assumption that “the leader’s job is to monitor the team and then take whatever action is necessary to ensure team effectiveness” (Kogler Hill, 2019, pp. 373-4). Page and Wong (2000) use the image of a diamond to illustrate the reversal of roles that takes place between the leader and the followers in an organization when leadership and teams are functioning optimally. Initially, vision and direction must be embodied and spread to the followers by the leader in a top-down approach. However, once the followers have embraced the vision, leadership becomes fluid and begins to shift to a follower-driven model. The leader’s job is now to “invest in and serve others so that the mission can be accomplished” (p.8).

The conditions for team effectiveness, according to Hackman (2012) include the following conditions:

  1. Is it a real team?
  2. Does it have a compelling purpose?
  3. Does it have the right people?
  4. Are the norms of conduct clear?
  5. Is there support form the organizational context?
  6. Is there team-focused coaching? (as cited in Kogler Hill, 2019, p. 375).

While team leadership focuses on providing and achieving tasks/projects that are aligned to the vision and mission of the organization, it also includes a focus on the experience of individual team members.

Marciano (2010) argues that in effective teams, members need to feel both respected and empowered, and provides the following RESPECT model that includes recognition, empowerment, supportive feedback, expectations, partnering, consideration and trust.

Effective leaders create, manage and empower teams that incorporate individual efforts of team members to produce high quality services, team performances and remarkable results. This is evident in private sector organizations and similarly, health care organizations dream of creating a “dynamic and responsive” healthcare workforce that can challenge the obstacles towards successful delivery of services (Oliver, 2006, p. 38).

9.2 Leadership Development

Developing others is a key component of leadership. This focus on the development of people can be seen across a wide range of leadership theories, including servant leadership and transformational leadership, which both have a focus on maximizing the potential of followers.

Transformational leadership has a strong focus on inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Northouse, 2019, p. 171), all of which are focused on engaging individuals in the vision for the work of the team, organization, or community, and setting forth high expectations and support for individual and group achievement. Likewise, authentic leadership focuses on personal aspects such as confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience (Northouse, 2019, p. 205). One of the key components of servant leadership is the development of people. “Servant leaders are committed to helping each person in the organization grow personally and professionally” (Northouse, 2019, p. 230).

People development is also one of the Leadership Competencies in the Master of Arts in Leadership, with a focus on nurturing the development of those we lead.

Leadership Competency 3.5: People Development

People Development may be manifest by the following indicators:

  • A desire to work to develop the long term capability of others.
  • Fostering the growth of people allows them to better meet organizational needs, to be more efficient, and gives them greater satisfaction in their contribution and role in the business enterprise.

Developing team members, of course, is not necessarily synonymous with developing leaders. While some argue that leaders are born, others argue that leaders are made. Certainly, the abundance of leadership development programs in schools and higher education, as well as programs like the Master of Arts in Leadership are based on the premise that, at least to some extent, leaders can be developed.

In this unit, you’ll explore content focused on the development of others, by conducting a coaching conversation with another student. You’ll also engage in the development of your own Personal Leadership Development Plan, considering how you can continue to develop as a leaders.

9.3 Personal Leadership Development

The interest in leadership goes beyond scholars and researchers focused on developing and studying theories that explain the effectiveness or challenges of teams and organizations. Many popular writers explore concepts of leadership, offering their suggestions for those in leadership roles, as leaders seek to grow in their leadership competencies. This often includes a focus on the wellbeing of leaders.

As you prepare to write a Personal Leadership Development Plan, you will explore authors who have provided different frameworks for how we think about our own growth as leaders.

Servant Leadership

As we have studied, servant leadership includes specific actions leaders take to demonstrate their service to those they lead. Northouse (2019) outlines ten traits of a servant leader, including listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (pp. 229-230). If you choose to use the servant leadership framework for your Personal Leadership Development Plan, you will select four of these characteristics of servant leaders, and develop a plan to grow in each of these areas.

Sharpening the Saws

Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994) discussed the importance of Sharpening the Saw, the concept that we need to ensure we are caring for ourselves before trying to lead others. In their model, Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994) present four aspects of wellness on which we need to focus: physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. In the Covey planning system, there is space to plan each week for ways in which to care for these four areas. If you choose to use this model for your Personal Leadership Development Plan, you will design a plan that incorporates steps for you to grow in each of these four areas.

Daring Leadership

In contrast to Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994), Brown’s (2018) model of Daring Leadership presents 16 ways in which leaders can exhibit daring leadership, in contrast to armored leadership. This model is based on Brown’s (2018) model that we must approach leadership (and life) with “strong backs, soft fronts, and wild hearts.” Brown (2018) encourages us to enter the role of leadership with daring. “There are some tasks that humans will always be able to do better than machines if we are willing to take off our armor and leverage our greatest and most unique asset – the human heart” (Brown, 2018, p. 75). If you choose to use this model for your Personal Leadership Development Plan, you will choose four aspects of the Daring Leadership model to focus on, developing specific steps to grow in each of those four areas.

Thrive

Like the Sharpening the Saw model (Covey, Merrill, & Merrill, 1994), Huffington’s (2015) model for thriving is focused on personal wellness. Huffington (2015) argues that by taking care of our own well-being, we may be more effective in leadership and life. Huffington (2015) includes a focus on wellbeing, wisdom, wonder, and compassion, as four essential elements of successful living. If you choose this model, you will develop a Personal Leadership Development Plan that incorporates steps you will take to develop your own wellbeing, wisdom, wonder, and compassion.

Formative Learning Activities (ungraded)

Learning Activity 9.1

Learning Activity 9.2

Learning Activity 9.3: Reflective Journal

Complete the “Team Excellence and Collaborative Team Leader Questionnaire” (Northouse, 2019, pp. 397-8). As you consider the role of leaders in developing others, take a moment to reflect on those who have developed you as a leader – as a supervisor, mentor, role model, or coach. Identify one person who specifically chose to invest in your growth or development. In your Reflective Journal, write a short description of what this person did to support your development. Then, consider someone in your own circle of influence who might benefit from your investment in them.

Learning Activity 9.4 Community of Inquiry: Coaching Conversation

After reading Rockwell (2017) and the other materials, you will conduct a “Coaching Conversation” with another learner in the class, based on the process outlined by Rockwell (2017). You will conduct this conversation twice – once in the role of coach, and the other in the role of employee. Record the responses in your Reflective Journal. Then, in conversation with your interview partner, identify three areas each of you can focus on in your leadership development plan. (These will likely not be the same for both of you). This activity will prepare you for your Personal Leadership Development Plan (Assignment 4).

Assignment 4: Personal Leadership Development

Building on your learning in this course, you will create a Personal Leadership Development Plan. You may choose to use one of the following as a framework for your plan:

  • Principles of Servant Leadership,
  • Covey’s “Seven Habits” or “Sharpening the Saw,”
  • Brown’s (2018) 16 elements of “Daring Leadership,” or
  • Huffington (2015).

Begin by identifying at least four areas in which you want to grow as a leader. For each area, identify the skill, knowledge, or practice you want to develop and create a plan to develop this skill/knowledge. Be sure your plan is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely). This will be a 5-7 page paper, and should include the following.

Title Page: Include a title page (APA format)

Introduction: Write an introduction that summarizes the role of a personal leadership plan, introduces the framework and leadership theory that will guide your paper, and introduces the four areas of growth that are the focus of your personal leadership development plan. (1 page).

Section 1: Write a 1-2 page synopsis of the framework you have selected for your personal leadership development plan. Discuss how this framework aligns with the leadership theory you have chosen (servant, transformational, authentic, etc.).

Section 2: Describe at least four areas in which you want to grow as a leader. For each area, identify the skill, knowledge, or practice you want to develop and create a plan to develop this skill/knowledge. Be sure your plan is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely). This section should be 3-4 pages.

Conclusion: Write a 1 page conclusion that summarizes the key points you have made in your paper.

Reference List: Include a list of references, formatted using APA style, with a minimum of 5 scholarly sources (books or articles published in academic journals). This academic paper should be 5-7 pages in length (plus a title page and reference list). The paper should include a minimum of 5 scholarly sources, including at least 2-3 you locate on your own. The paper should be written using APA format.

Assessment of Learning

RUBRIC: Personal Leadership Development Plan

Click here for the assignment rubric.