Five Characteristics of Learning Leaders
In our 21st Century, make no mistake about it; “learning” is king. Those who are learning are driving organizational success. There are 5 characteristics that every learning leader must possess if they plan to be successful:
1. perception and insight,
2. motivation,
3. emotional strength,
4. cultural innovation, and
5. participatory influence.
Perception and Insight
What we call cultural assumptions represent the unconscious beliefs and values that are shared by the members of any organization. They are powerful because they often determine how people behave, despite how they desire to behave. They also decide perception, thought, and feelings held by the members of the organization. Because they are unconscious, the learning leader must learn to be perceptive in understanding what those concepts and cultural issues are. Sometimes those assumptions are unhealthy and dysfunctional. When they are, the learning leader must know how to analyze and change the dysfunctional elements of the culture. Driskill and Brenton (2011) explain that cultural elements are not the culture itself; they only create the culture and reveal it. This means that the leader must possess unique skills to observe cultural elements that he cannot see, which could be symbols, stories, values, artifacts, rituals, or rules, and be able to take away insightful meaning as to what those elements say about the underlying assumptions of its members, how those assumptions are manifested in the attitudes of its members, and the impact of those assumptions on the success or failure of the organization. Driskill and Brenton call these elements, “surface manifestations of culture that offer insights into deeper layers of assumptions and values” (Driskill, Brenton, 2011, p.41).
Motivation
Learning leaders must be self-motivated and purpose-driven people, motivated primarily by their commitment to the well-being and success of the organization and its members. This commitment to the organization becomes the impetus for initiating the painful process of confronting cultural issues associated with one’s own organization, and beginning the arduous task of cultural and human behavioral changes that are accomplished through a process known as unfreezing, intervention, refreezing, and implementation (Daft, Marcic, 2011). Schein (2010) states that these leaders must learn to skillfully communicate their dedication and commitment to the organization and to others, above and beyond their own personal success.
Emotional strength
People resist change for a variety of reasons. They may believe the change will conflict with their own self-interests in some way. They may lack an understanding about the change and therefore lack trust. There may be levels of uncertainty regarding the change. Some may even worry that the proposed change may differ from their own goals and plans (Daft, Marcic, 2011). Attempts to change organizational culture will produce anxiety as predictability and stability is removed, which may subject the leader to be a target of member anger, discontentment, and hostile criticism. The leader must learn to be thick-skinned, capable of bearing the targeted abuse, and always ready to re-communicate the well-being of the organization as the primary reason for the proposed change (Schein, 2010).
Ability to Change the Cultural Assumptions
Any cultural assumption that is being targeted for replacement, must be replaced or re-defined by the learning leader, with a new innovative value or concept, which must be skillfully reiterated to its members. The leader must therefore not only possess the ability to know what is culturally inadequate, but he or she must also have the ability of deciding what the proper assumption should be, and successfully ensuring that the new assumption is properly embedded into the organizational culture (Schein, 2010).
Participatory Influence
The learning leader must be fully engaged in the process with others in the organizational community, by learning to genuinely listen to their concerns and solicit their insights, ensuring them that their concerns are important to him. Schein (2010) states that the end result of cultural change is that the assumption is re-defined in the minds of its members, which will require full and active participation on their part. This will require skillful relationship management on the part of the learning leader, and humility in recognizing that he or she does not possess all the answers.
References
Daft, R.L., Marcic, D. (2011). Understanding management 7th edition. South-Western Cengage Learning. Mason, OH 45040.
Driskill, G.W., Brenton, A.L. (2011). Organizational culture in action a cultural analysis.workbook 2nd edition. Sage Publications, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA 91320.
Schein, E.H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership fourth edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. San Francisco, CA 94103-1741.
