1. Developing Leadership Potential with Stories of Pragmatic Leaders
Logan L. Watts
Logan Steele
Michael D. Mumford
University of Oklahoma
ABSTRACT
This study employed a 2x2x2 experimental design to investigate the use of stories as a means for developing leadership potential.
Undergraduates in psychology (N = 172) read stories of pragmatic leadership and responded to questions designed to induce active processing.
Participants that analyzed both story events and the causes of events formulated stronger vision statements.
INTRODUCTION
Stories are commonly used in leadership development programs based on the assumption that these stories ultimately contribute to leader performance (Danzig, 1999; Danzig & Harris, 1996).
However, few empirical studies have tested this assumption.
Leader Vision & Knowledge
Formulating and communicating vision is an important leader skill (Bass, 2008; Yukl, 2011).
Case-based, or experiential, knowledge contributes to leader vision formation (Strange & Mumford, 2002, 2005).
Stories and Knowledge
Case-based knowledge can come from many sources, including personal experience, case studies, and observation of others (Kolodner, 1997).
Stories represent perhaps the oldest delivery mechanism for transferring knowledge between individuals (Ann & Carr, 2011; Cox, 2011).
Active Processing
Acquisition of case-based knowledge from stories likely depends upon active processing (Bell & Kozlowski, 2008).
Stories contain chains of causes and experiences embedded in a socio-emotional context (Reiser et al., 1985).
Asking people to actively think about causes, experiences, and affect appearing in stories may aid in the acquisition of case-based knowledge.
RESULTS
METHODS
Participants
N = 172
Undergraduates in psychology
Recruited from university subject pool
Gender = 54% women
Average age = 19
Procedures
Timed covariates
Read stories + answer probes (manipulations)
Criterion task
Untimed covariates
Covariates
Timed: Intelligence, divergent thinking, task expertise, preferred leadership style (CIP)
Untimed: Need for cognition, learning goals, openness
Stories
Stories of middle-managers in business settings
Source: Scenes from Corporate Life (Shorris, 1981)
1 to 3 pages in length
Selected 6 stories of pragmatic leaders based on ratings
Controls: Mostly negative outcomes, ambiguous leader power orientation, all male protagonists
Manipulations: Probe Questions
p = .007
p = .000
p = .011
p = .086
DISCUSSION
Limitations
Undergraduate sample
Limitations of stories used
Drawn from a single source
Pragmatic leadership style only
Written format only
Fixed order
Probe questions were limited and fixed
Domains of stories and criterion task were fixed
Summary of Findings
H1: Supported
Active processing of pragmatic leadership stories  stronger leader visions, at least for some conditions
H2: Supported
Processing stories in business domain  performance in education domain
H3 and H4: Supported
Analyzing both causes and experiences together contributed to stronger leader visions
However: People who analyzed only causes, or only experiences, performed poorly
People in the control condition performed as well as people asked to analyze both causes and experiences together
H5: Not supported
Analyzing affective outcomes did not contribute to leader vision formation
Conclusions
People appear to learn from pragmatic leadership stories
Active processing of leader stories appears to aid the acquisition of case-based knowledge relevant to vision formation
This knowledge appears to transfer across domains
What people focus on when reading stories is important
Results have implications for the use of stories in leadership development programs
Future Research
Investigate alternative story delivery methods
Reading (e.g., written text) vs. listening (e.g., audio) vs. watching (e.g., television) vs. writing
Explore alternative leader types
Charismatic, ideological, personalized vs. socialized, etc.
Manipulate alternative analysis probes
Resources, constraints, systems, time frame orientation, number and nature of outcomes sought, targets of influence, etc.
Examine alternative types of complex leader performance
Forecasting, scanning, backup planning, etc.
Experiences
“What positive and negative experiences did [the protagonist] have in the story?”
Causes
“What elements of the situation were within [the protagonist’s] control? What elements of the situation were outside of [the protagonist’s] control?”
Affect
“What irrational emotions appeared in the story?”
Control
“Please provide a summary of the story you just read.”
Criterion Task
Educational leadership scenario
Assume the role of principal for secondary school
Read background information about the school
Develop a plan and speech
Dependent Variables
Ratings of plans and speeches
Plan: Quality, originality, & elegance
Speech: Utility & affective impact
Trained 3 judges to apply benchmark rating scales
Rwg = .72 to .77
HYPOTHESES
Active processing of stories  stronger vision formation
Active processing of stories in one domain  stronger vision formation in another domain
Analyzing causes in stories  stronger vision formation
Analyzing protagonist experiences in stories  stronger vision formation
Analyzing affect in stories  stronger vision formation