Building Effective Leadership Teams

1. Building Effective Leadership Teams

2. How can independent schools move from siloed leadership to an effective model of shared leadership driven by a shared purpose, shared knowledge, and shared accountability?

3. What Is a Team? • A powerful unit of collective performance • “The essence of a team is shared commitment. Without it, groups perform as individuals; with it, they become a powerful unit of collective performance. The best teams invest a tremendous amount of time shaping a purpose that they can own. The best teams also translate their purpose into specific performance goals. And members of successful teams pitch in and become accountable with and to their teammates.” • Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” Harvard Business Review (July-August 2005) “Considering the extra level that teams can achieve, … teams will become the primary work unit in high-performance organizations.”

4. The Challenge of Teamwork A deficit in teams’ collective capability In a recent survey of senior executives, 65% said that their executive teams were experiencing a“clash between functional and enterprise accountabilities…. Even though individual members are well-prepared and capable in their individual roles, there is often a sizable deficit when it comes to the team’s collective capability.” Alice Cahill, Laura Quinn, and Lawrence McEvoy II, Center for Creative Leadership, “Are You Getting the Best Out of Your Executive Team?” (2017)

5. Expanding the Notion of Leadership Leadership that is distributed and dynamic In a distributed leadership model, or a flat organization, “Leadership no longer involves only a few people who hold formal positions steering the company. Rather, leadership is a social process occurring within a team, department, or organization that results in those collectives creating direction, alignment, and commitment for a shared goal.” Kristin Cullen-Lester,Center for Creative Leadership “What Is the Nature of Leadership in Flat Organizations?” (November 3, 2016) Recognition of leadership and influence irrespective of one’s role or position Distributed leadership is “‘leadership by expertise’ rather than leadership by role or years of experience. Genuine distributed leadership requires high levels of trust, transparency and mutual respect.” Alma Harris, Australian Council for Educational Research, “Distributed Leadership” (September 29, 2014)

6. Shared/Distributed Leadership in Public Schools • Takeaways from public school research • Schools should design/deploy a “management structure” that distributes leadership responsibilities across teams of educators (Bain & Co., 2016). • The complexity of educational leadership requires its distribution among stakeholders (National Policy Board for Educational Administration, 2015). • Schools develop a greater sense of purpose if there is a stronger focus on distributed leadership (OECD, 2016). • Changes in leadership and school’s academic capacity become reciprocal and affect each other (Hallinger & Heck, 2010). • Leadership distribution needs to take place deliberately and in a coordinated way (Louis et al., 2010). • Ingrida Barker, Marshall University, Doctoral dissertation, “Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Distributed Leadership in RESA 1 Schools in Southern West Virginia” (2016) • Marshall

7. Shared/Distributed Leadership in Higher Education • Takeaways from higher ed research • “Shared leadership is especially beneficial in complex environments that require frequent adaptations(Feyerherm, 1994; Pearce & Sims, 2002; Pearce, 2004).” • Shared approaches to leadership“capitalize on the broader knowledge of the institution.” • By capitalizing on thehistorical commitment of shared governance and collegial decision making, “shared leadership can be a more natural fit in higher education than in businesses and corporations that have long been characterized by top-down structures.” • Adrianna J. Kezar and Elizabeth M. Holcombe, Shared Leadership in Higher Education: Important Lessons From Research and Practice (American Council on Education, 2017)

8. Shared/Distributed Leadership in Higher Education • Outcomes shown in higher ed research • Attitudes and cognition:Increased satisfaction, stronger group cohesion, increased confidence for individualsand groups, increased trust • Behavior:Increased social integration, problem-solving quality, organizational citizenship behavior, a more constructive interaction style (Khourey-Bowers et al., 2005). • Positive team performance:Improved performance on specific tasks; improved financial performance. Changes in organizational processes and structuresled to improvements in student learning (Heck & Hallinger, 2010). • Adrianna J. Kezar and Elizabeth M. Holcombe, Shared Leadership in Higher Education: Important Lessons From Research and Practice (American Council on Education, 2017)

9. Shared/Distributed Leadership in Higher Education Models of shared leadership in higher education Adrianna J. Kezar and Elizabeth M. Holcombe, Shared Leadership in Higher Education: Important Lessons From Research and Practice (American Council on Education, 2017)

10. Elements and Practical Implementation Strategies

11. Conditions to Enable Shared Leadership “Leadership is a process—not an individual—and can be supported by professional development, access to information, team-based work, and incentives.” External Coaching Fairness of Rewards Team Characteristics Shared Purpose, Interdependence, Autonomy, Shared Cognition INCENTIVES & INDUCEMENTS SUPPORT Hierarchical Leaders Accountability Structures Adrianna J. Kezar and Elizabeth M. Holcombe, Shared Leadership in Higher Education: Important Lessons From Research and Practice (American Council on Education, 2017).

12. Shared Purpose • Effective teams develop direction, momentum, and commitment by shaping the team purpose. • “Management clarifies the charter, rationale and performance challenge for the team. Management must also be flexible enough for the team to develop its own interpretation of the purpose, set specific goals, timing and approach.” • Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” summary on the United Nations Public Administration Network website

13. Shared Accountability • No group ever becomes a team unless it holds itself accountable as a team. • Shared accountability means “moving from ‘the boss holds me accountable’ to ‘we hold ourselves accountable.’” • Shared accountability “underpins two critical aspects of effective teams—commitment and trust.” • Shared accountability “arises from and is reinforced by the time, energy and action invested in determining what the team is trying to accomplish and how best to get it done.” • Shared accountability “produces the rich rewards of mutual achievement… [and] energizes and motivates members.” Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” summary on the United Nations Public Administration Network website

14. Performance Goals • Effective teams translate common purpose intospecific performance goals. • Without specific performance goals, “teams get confused, pull apart and revert to mediocre performance. … The specificity facilitates clear communication and constructive criticism.” • Performance goals “define a set of work products that are different both from an organization-wide mission and from individual job objectives.” • Performance goals maintain teams’ “focus on getting results… and allow achievement of small wins.” Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” summary on the United Nations Public Administration Network website

15. Team Performance Seven ways to build team performance 1. Establish urgency, demanding performance standards, and direction. 2. Select members for skill and skill potential, not personality. Most teams identify the skills needed only after they are formed. 3. Pay particular attention to first meetings and actions.Team leaders/managers set the tone, even more in what they do than in what they say. 4. Set and seize upon a few immediate performance-oriented tasks and goals. A team cannot be a real team without performance results. Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” summary on the United Nations Public Administration Network website

16. Team Performance Seven ways to build team performance (cont.) 5. Challenge the group regularly with fresh facts and information.New information helps the team shape a common purpose, set clear goals, and improve its common approach. 6. Spend a lot of time together to learn to be a team. Spend time, in person or otherwise,especially in the beginning. 7. Exploit the power of positive feedback, recognition, and reward. Satisfaction by a team in its own performance is the most cherished reward. Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” summary on the United Nations Public Administration Network website

17. Not All Groups Are Teams Managers must be clear on what is a team and what isn’t and know whether/when/how to encourage & use teams. Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” summary on the United Nations Public Administration Network website

18. Elements of Dysfunctional Teams Five elements of a dysfunctional team 1. Absence of trust:Members are unable to show vulnerability or weakness. Teams overcome this dysfunction by sharing experiences, developing insight into the unique characteristics of other team members. 2. Fear of conflict: Teams that lack trust are incapable of having unfiltered, passionate debate about things that matter; team members avoid conflict, replacing it with an artificial harmony. 3. Lack of commitment: People buy into something when their opinions are included in the decision-making process. This is not about seeking consensus but about making sure that everyone is heard. Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (2002), summarized by talentsquare.com

19. Elements of Dysfunctional Teams Five elements of a dysfunctional team 4. Avoidance of accountability: In a well-functioning team, each team member is responsible for holding the other members accountable.Often, the key to success is the measurement of progress: making clear what the team’s standards are, what needs to be done, when, and by whom. 5. Inattention to results: Teams can overcome this dysfunction by making the team results clear and by rewarding behaviors that contribute to the team’s results.The primary role of the leader is to lead by example and set the tone, to make responsibilities and deadlines clear, to set the team’s standards, and to be clear on the team’s results. Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (2002), summarized by talentsquare.com

20. Role of Inclusion in Team Performance “Covering”—an altering of a person’s self-presentation in order to blend in—diminishes that person’s sense of self and commitment to an organization. In a survey of employees across 10 industries, 61% reported covering their identities in some fashion (including 45% of white male respondents); 60% to 73% said that this was “somewhat” to “extremely” detrimental to their sense of self. To “uncover”: (1) Diagnose the incidence, nature, impact, and drivers of covering across an organization. (2) Analyze covering pressures (in the context of the organization’s values). (3) Initiate leadership and cultural solutions. Kenji Yoshino and Christie Smith, Uncovering Talent: A New Model of Inclusion (Deloitte University, 2013)

21. Role of Identification With an Organization in Team Performance “Individuals who identify more with the organization engage in leadership processes, as both leader and follower.” “Our research suggests that leadership development efforts that focus on helping individuals identify more with their organization are likely to spur people to engage in leadership processes as both a leader and a follower. Individuals who identify with the organization engage in behaviors that demonstrate a focus on the collective and are seen as embodying the values, goals, and priorities of the collective, thus making them a source of leadership for others.” Kristin Cullen-Lester, Center for Creative Leadership, “What Is the Nature of Leadership in Flat Organizations?” (November 3, 2016)

22. Looking Ahead to Develop the Leadership Pipeline • Steps for developing the next generation of your leadership team • Engage senior leaders: No CEO can do leadership development alone. He or she needs to influence the work and perspective of everyone else involved in the effort, most importantly senior leaders and the board. • Understand future needs: At some point, every nonprofit must reexamine its goals and assess whether it has the people in place who can lead in the future. • Develop future leaders: Leadership is learned by doing. That’s why a growing number of nonprofits use the 70/20/10 model—70%on-the-job training, 20% coaching/mentoring, and 10% formal training. • The Bridgespan Group, Nonprofit Leadership Development Toolkit

23. Looking Ahead to Develop the Leadership Pipeline • Steps for developing the next generation of your leadership team • Hire external leaders as needed: If, after careful study, no one in your development pipeline has the potential to develop the skills and competencies needed in a key role, your organization will have to hire the right person and help him or her make the transition into the new job. • Monitor and improve practices: Keep the momentum going by continuously monitoring your leadership development processes, just as you would any of your organization’s other critical functions, to learn which processes work and which could be improved. • The Bridgespan Group, Nonprofit Leadership Development Toolkit

24. Resources Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, “The Discipline of Teams,” Harvard Business Review; summary on United Nations Public Administration Network website Alice Cahill, Laura Quinn, and Lawrence McEvoy II, Center for Creative Leadership, “Are You Getting the Best Out of Your Executive Team?” Kristin Cullen-Lester, Center for Creative Leadership, “What Is the Nature of Leadership in Flat Organizations?” Alma Harris, Australian Council for Educational Research, “Distributed Leadership” Ingrida Barker, Marshall University, Doctoral dissertation, “Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Distributed Leadership in RESA 1 Schools in Southern West Virginia” Adrianna J. Kezar and Elizabeth M. Holcombe, Shared Leadership in Higher Education: Important Lessons From Research and Practice(American Council on Education) Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, summarized by talentsquare.com Kenji Yoshino and Christie Smith, Uncovering Talent: A New Model of Inclusion (Deloitte University) The Bridgespan Group, Nonprofit Leadership Development Toolkit