Becoming A Visionary Leader

THEMES Buy-in Canoe Theory Built To Last/Good To Great Learning Organization Leadership Challenge

Canoe Theory

CANOE THEORY Think of your organization as a long canoe. The canoe has a destination. Everyone in the canoe has a seat and a paddle. Everyone is expected to use their paddle. Those who won’t paddle have to get out of the canoe. Those who prevent others from paddling have to re-adjust or get out of the canoe. The canoe theory understands crisis. The canoe theory says you have the right to be happy.

BUILT TO LAST Preserve the Core Stimulate Progress

PRESERVE THE CORE CORE IDEOLOGY VALUES

BUILT TO LAST (Collins, 1994) BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS (BHAGs) CULT-LIKE CULTURE TRY A LOT OF STUFF AND KEEP WHAT WORKS HOME-GROWN MANAGEMENT GOOD ENOUGH NEVER IS

Vision Exercise

GOOD TO GREAT (Collins, 2001) The Flywheel Concept: Level 5 Leadership First Who..Then What Confront the Brutal Facts The Hedgehog Concept Culture of Discipline Technology Accelerators

Core Ingredients of Learning Organizations Mental Models – everyone sets aside old ways of thinking. Personal Mastery - everyone becomes self-aware and open to others. Systems Thinking – everyone learns how the whole organization works. Shared Vision – everyone understands and agrees to a plan of action. Team Learning – everyone works together to accomplish the plan.

The Bananas

Bananas in the Organization Exercise We tried that and it didn’t work. We don’t do it that way here. Mary is the only one who can do that so…..

Five Practices of Leadership (Kouzes and Posner, 1987) Model the Way Inspire a Shared Vision Challenge the Process Enable Others to Act Encourage the Heart

Model the Way Guiding Principles Values Find Your Own Voice Open-up Your Heart

Inspire a Shared Vision See What ‘Can Be’ Have Passion Enlist Others Know Your People Cannot command commitment only inspire it

Challenge the Process Be a ‘Pioneer’ Be willing to step into the unknown Be an ‘Early Adopter’ Be a ‘Learner’

Enable Others to Act Build Trust Acid Test: ‘We’ versus ‘I’ Share Power Teamwork Mentor

Encourage the Heart Celebrate Achievements Rally ‘heart’ and ‘minds’? Create a Spirit of Community Caught ‘ya’s

Parable of the Bamboo It takes patience and discipline to develop and empower people; in fact, it’s like growing bamboo. Once the seed is planted, you must water it daily for four years before the tree breaks ground – then it grows 60 feet in 90 days! Executives who nurture people can get similar results…How, you ask, can such rapid growth be possible? It results from the miles of roots that develop in those first four years. Preparing people to perform is the task of leadership.

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