1

THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP

TRANSFORMATION About the Author

Dr. Peter Fuda is a public speaker,

business advisor, researcher
and media commentator.

He is also the founder and

Abstract
Principal of The Alignment
We are often asked to ‘decode’ the process of business transformation and provide the repeatable ‘formula’ for success. Partnership (TAP), a management
This is understandable given that some 70% of all change efforts fail, and over the past decade our clients have reported a consultancy specialising in business
greater than 90% success rate. transformation and alignment,
based in Sydney, Australia and
It would be disingenuous and inauthentic, however, for us to claim that we have cracked the code. Even with many case servicing clients around the globe.
studies of transformation under our belt, we remain students and learners trying to perfect our craft and make sense of this
Peter completed his doctorate on
complex and nuanced phenomenon. That said, we have learned from our client experiences, good and bad, that there are
Leadership Transformation at the
several common elements to successful transformation efforts and this short paper aims to unpack these elements.
Macquarie Graduate School of
Management (MGSM), and this
was recently featured as an article
in the Harvard Business Review.

For more information on our management consultancy practice please visit www.tap.net.au
To follow our obsession with transformation visit Peter's blog www.peterfuda.com
Stay connected to Peter via Twitter @PeterFuda
You can also find Peter on Facebook www.facebook.com/DrPeterFuda.AnObsessionWithTransformation
And finally, on LinkedIn by searching: Dr Peter Fuda

Peter's Blog

The copyright of this work belongs to Dr. Peter Fuda and The Alignment Partnership, 2011.
CONTENTS 2

3 SECTION 1: BREAKING THE CODE OF TRANSFORMATION

4 SECTION 2: UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AGENT

6 SECTION 3: TAP’S APPROACH TO BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

7 SECTION 4: TAP’S APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION

8 SECTION 5: TAP RESEARCH: 7 METAPHORS FOR LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION

9 SECTION 6: LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION OCCURS IN A CONTEXT OF

ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

If you would like more information on our approach to business transformation, you can read our two white
papers titled 'WHY CHANGE EFFORTS FAIL' and 'ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION: CREATING
ALIGNMENT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN' (both available for free download at www.tap.net.au).

If you would like more information on our approach to leadership transformation, you can read our white
paper titled 'LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION: CREATING ALIGNMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT' (available
for free download at www.tap.net.au), or you may read our Harvard Business Review article titled 'FIRE,
SNOWBALL, MASK, MOVIE: HOW LEADERS SPARK AND SUSTAIN CHANGE' (available for purchase
quoting reprint code R1111L).
THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 3

PART 1 - WHY CHANGE EFFORTS FAIL learn to adapt their recipes and cook with greater flair over time. We
SECTION 1 - BREAKING THE CODE OF TRANSFORMATION
expand on the art in the next section ‘the attributes of transformational
change agents’.

Transformation is not a matter of intent; it’s a matter of alignment

Transformation is the opposite of change management
All leaders have noble intentions; we are yet to meet the leader who
In our experience, change management is an oxymoron; it's based on the
aspires to destroy shareholder value, irritate customers and alienate staff.
false assumption that change can actually be managed. It is underpinned “The science is only
And yet, 70% of all change efforts fail.
by notions of predictability, safety and control. Its primary tools are the half of the story;
Realizing those intentions and aspirations occurs through the alignment change manager and the change plan. But in the immortal words of the
of 11 organisational levers; five ‘hard’ levers that we liken to the ‘bricks great poet and pugilist, Mike Tyson; “Every man has a plan to beat me, transformation is at
of alignment’ (strategy, scorecard, structure, systems and skills), and five until I punch him in the face”.
‘soft’ alignment levers that we liken to the ‘mortar’ (standards, strengths,
least 50% art.”
Transformation assumes that we will metaphorically be ‘punched in
story, symbols and sustainability). The 11th lever, leadership impact,
the face’ many times during a change effort because change is the
represents the epicentre of alignment.
only constant in an organisation. As a result, leading change must be
In our experience, transformation is only possible when leaders consciously the day job of an organisation’s most senior leaders. Transformation is
and systematically align all of these levers to their noble intentions and underpinned by notions of adaptability, resilience and sense making.
deeply held aspirations. Its tools include beliefs, shared language, metaphors and stories. In
transformation, trajectory is more important than absolute outcomes
and you don’t let perfect get in the way of better. The goal is to build an
Transformation is 50% science and 50% art
unstoppable ‘snowball’ of momentum.
It is tempting for leaders and change agents to get wrapped up in the
transformation ‘science’; the frameworks, models, tools and templates
like the one we describe above. These concepts are seductive for leaders
Transformation in a business is contingent upon a transformation in
leaders
because they help to make sense of complex phenomena and covertly
suggest outcomes that are predictable and repeatable. Out of the 11 ‘hard and soft’ levers in our TAP Transformation ModelTM,
we have learned that the impact of senior leaders is as important as the
We too are great believers in, and other ten levers combined. Leadership impact acts as a handbrake or an
practitioners of, the transformation accelerator for everything else.
science; frameworks, measurement
devices and the like are essential When we ask leaders to articulate their vision for their impact, they
for success. It is our experience, generally articulate a desire to motivate and encourage members to
however, that the science is only N CE reach high levels of achievement, approach their work with creativity,
half the story; transformation SCIE develop others and work effectively as a team.
is at least 50% art.
T The dilemma, however, is that two out of every three leaders are
AR completely unaware of their impact; this is because we judge ourselves
The art can be represented in
a number of ways but at the by our intentions and we judge everybody else by their actions. The
very least, it includes the artful outcome is typically a significant gap between ideal impact and actual
application of the science by impact.
skilled change agents; just like chefs
THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 4

Transformation can be won or lost before the race begins SECTION 2 - UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AGENT
There are a set of preconditions present in every case study of successful
transformation we have been involved in. There is a convergence of factors If we accept the critical role of change agents (internal and external)
creating a ‘big why’; the CEO client can articulate a burning platform and in successful transformation, then the question becomes what makes
a burning ambition for the organisation, its leaders, and personally, as a transformational change agent? In our own practice, as well as in our
represented in the four dimensional FIRE matrixTM below (Figure A). observation of others, we have identified several attributes that the best
change agents appear to share. These are classified as BEING (personal Traditionally,
ORGANISATIONAL
characteristics and qualities), SEEING (the ability to change agents have
make sense of, and reshape perceptions of ‘reality’)
QUADRANT1 QUADRANT 4 and DOING (the specific skills and methods for focussed primarily
creating change).
Organisation Organisational
DOING on 'DOING', as
Traditionally, change agents have focused
Burning Platform Burning Ambition
primarily on ‘DOING’. Transformational SEEING opposed to 'SEEING'
BURNING
PLATFORM
BURNING
AMBITION
change agents, however, understand that and 'BEING'.
the most effective ‘DOING’ is preceded
QUADRANT 2 QUADRANT 3 by ‘SEEING, which, in turn, is preceded BEING
by ‘BEING’ (as depicted in Figure B).
Personal Personal
Figure B: BEING-SEEING-DOING model
Burning Platform Burning Ambition
BEING
They are a role model first and a preacher second: The ability of change
PERSONAL agents to affect positive change is directly related to their congruence
with their message; as Gandhi put it, “be the change you wish to see in
TM
Figure A: The four quadrants of motivation, or FIRE the world”. It is our experience that transformational change agents have
higher standards for themselves than anybody else has for them. They
are a living, breathing representation of their message.
There is a ‘big yes’; the CEO is ‘the client’ and the transformation effort
is his/her highest priority. The CEO and Executive Team are engaged They are optimistic; they inspire hope not fear: Contrary to popular
and open to learning and expert diagnosis. Internal change agents belief, hope is not an emotion; it is a process. According to Professor C.R.
are partners and collaborators rather than competitors, and have the Snyder, it can be represented as Hope = Goals + Pathways x Agency
credibility and capability to advance the change effort behind the scenes. (the belief that my effort makes a difference). Transformational change
Everyone understands the journey could be difficult and painful, and agents operate primarily from a ‘burning ambition’, rather than a ‘burning
signs up with no illusions. platform’. They are able to counteract anxiety (the most contagious
emotion) with calm (the second most contagious emotion).
The CEO has enough respect, autonomy and longevity in the up-line
environment to create the time and space required for success. And there They are courageous and selfless: A great deal of courage and selflessness
is an alignment of ‘values’ and ‘value’ between TAP and the client such is required to escalate a situation to one that is more authentic and
that high trust and true partnership are possible from day one. In short, needed, no matter how personally risky. This means transformational
all parties are focused on exactly the same goal – to create a successful change agents will push leaders to the absolute edge of their patience,
case study of transformation. tolerance and comfort levels in order to accelerate the desired change.
THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 5

They are trusted, and leverage it: Trust is a prerequisite for They see a ‘higher self’: This effectively means expanding a leader’s
transformation. In the words of Stephen Covey “trust is the one thing view of what’s possible and what they are personally capable of. It also
that changes everything”. Trust comprises three elements; credibility, presumes a belief in the human spirit; that people want to step up and
reliability and intent. Credibility is the resume. Reliability is built over time that they want to do the right thing.
by delivering on promises. Intent, the most important part of the ‘trust
triangle’, is built through transparency of motivation, and a strong focus DOING
on contribution.
They create a setting for success, without needing to control the process: The goal is to shift the
They are in service, not subservience: Transformational change agents There is an understanding that change is necessarily unpredictable so
energy from 'what', to
live to serve. This does not mean they take orders or react to the client’s attempts to control it are futile. The focus is on clear outcomes, agreed
ever changing agenda; quite the opposite. It means drawing on a deep standards of behaviour, and trusting people to constructively fill the 'so what' and 'now
space. There is also an understanding that people will tolerate the
reservoir of self-belief, and the strength of their convictions to positively
shape and lead the transformation agenda. conclusions of others but only act on their own conclusions, so creating what'.
a setting allows people to own their outcomes.

SEEING They artfully apply frameworks, models and tools: Just like chefs learn
to cook with more flair over time, so too transformational change agents
They see a different ‘normal’: Clients can get stuck on false notions
employ their tools with increasing flair – particularly as they approach
of what is ‘normal’ in a transformation effort. Transformational change
what Malcolm Gladwell terms the ‘10,000 hour rule’ of perfecting one’s
agents draw on rich experiences to challenge what is normal, and reframe
craft. No matter how good the tools, they are never perceived as an
barriers for the client in a way that allows them to move forward.
end in themselves; they are employed only as a pathway to business
They see the distinction between fact and truth: Facts are objectively outcomes.
agreeable points of data (e.g. revenue is up 8%) while truth is the They provide correction to senior executives without causing resentment:
subjective interpretation of how and why that fact has occurred (e.g. our This is done in two primary ways; the first is by substituting a focus on
new marketing campaign). In order to promote insight, effective decision right and wrong (condescending and judgemental) to whether a leader
making and collaboration, transformational change agents force leaders is aligned or misaligned with their articulated aspirations. The second
to distinguish between the two. They also focus on creating a shared is to ‘soften the audience, not the message’. Rather than soften direct
truth that empowers the organisation. feedback (kind of, sort of, sometimes), the change agent reminds the
They see leaders in a sympathetic light: Change efforts are necessarily client of their aspirations and their desire for direct feedback, and then
messy and can encourage people to negatively interpret the actions and delivers the message with precision.
intentions of others; particularly their leaders. Transformational change They appeal to the heart (emotion) and then the head (logic): Under
agents challenge these negative assumptions at every turn. They ask pressure for business cases, data and statistics, we can forget that people
questions and provide alternative meanings that create empathy, force make decisions emotionally and then justify that decision with logic.
people to suspend judgement, and encourage ‘benefit of the doubt’. Transformational change agents create an emotionally engaging story
They see all interventions in a strategic context: Transformational change for change, and then back it up with good data.
agents see how each intervention fits within the strategic agenda. They They make a call to action: Rich conversations and noble intentions
can then articulate why it is so critical to others in a way that garners are translated into immediate and purposeful actions. The focus is on
collective energy and commitment. For example, measuring a leader’s achieving accountability and commitment to the next two or three things
impact is done to accelerate business performance rather than just to that can or must be done. The goal is to shift the energy from ‘what’, to
provide a development opportunity (though of course, it does both). ‘so what’ and ‘now what’.
 THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 6

TAP's Approach to Alignment

SECTION 3 - TAP’S APPROACH TO BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION
The 5th A, ‘Alignment’, is achieved through the interplay of 11 factors
represented by the formula S10 x L1. The first 5 S’s are the so called ‘hard’
Transformation is achieved through the interplay of five factors; otherwise alignment factors of strategy, scorecard, structures, systems and skills.
known as the A5 Transformation Model™ represented by Figure C: The remaining 5 S’s represent the so called ‘soft’ factors of standards,
strengths, story, symbols and sustainability.

1. Arena; how well the organisation

“We use the analogy
We often use the analogy of ‘bricks and mortar’ to describe the
understands its strategic environment.
essential relationships between the hard and soft alignment factors in a of 'bricks and mortar'
Arena Aspirations; the organisation’s desired transformation effort. For example, there is nothing more common than
to describe the
2.
future state (vision, goals). a great strategy which sits on the shelf gathering dust because it is never

Assumptions Aspirations
3. Actual State; how well the organisation understood or embraced by the organisation. essential relationships
understands its current state.

4. Assumptions; the organisation’s

The L in our alignment equation represents Leadership Impact. In our between the hard and
experience, the L is as important as the other 10 factors combined in
Actual State
underlying opinions, beliefs and
convictions. either enabling or disabling alignment to the aspirations. Below is a soft alignment factors.”
Alignment
simple definition of each of the 11 alignment factors (Figure E).
5. Alignment; the degree to which the
(S x L1)
10
organisation’s current state matches its
desired future state. ALIGNMENT FACTOR DEFINITION

Strategy The focus and tactics required to achieve the aspirations

Figure C: TAP Transformation ModelTM

The measure of performance and change toward the

The Transformation CycleTM Scorecard aspirations
If the Model represents the “lid” of the jigsaw, then the Transformation The formal and informal organisation of human resources to
Cycle™ represents the most effective process to actually build the jigsaw. Structure enable the aspirations
There are three critical steps in the Cycle, represented by Figure D: The systems that enable the aspirations (specifically human
Systems resource, management information and critical business)

Skills The capabilities required to enable the aspirations

Define; engagement of key stakeholders, clear
DEFINE
definition of need, change readiness, aspirations,
Standards The agreed values and behaviours that enable the aspirations
actual state, underlying assumptions & road map to
transformation. The collective assets and core competencies that can be
ALIGN Strengths leveraged toward the aspirations
Align; systematic & integrated alignment of all 11
alignment factors (S10 x LI), implementation of
Story The communication of the journey toward the aspirations
strategic initiatives & governance processes.
The symbolic leadership actions, behaviours and rituals that
Refine; at agreed point in cycle, review strategic Symbols reinforce the aspirations
context, course correct, embed change, share
REFINE
learnings, celebrate success & externalise story in The commitment, momentum and capability required to
Sustainability sustain continuity toward the aspirations
marketplace to attract best clients, partners & staff.
Leadership The manner in which leaders motivate and encourage
Impact employees to fulfil the aspirations
TM
Figure D: TAP Transformation Cycle TM
Figure E: TAP Alignment factors and definitions
THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 7

Leadership Impact Principles

SECTION 4 - TAP’S APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION
• Leadership impact is not a training program, it is a strategic alignment
lever underpinning sustainable performance
• Leadership impact is more than a tool; when deployed correctly, it is an
integrated process which simultaneously advances individual and team
Impact effectiveness toward the organisation’s aspirations
Trait Behaviour Situational Impact • When leaders are asked to articulate their ideal impact, they generally “Leadership Impact
articulate a desire to motivate & encourage members to set challenging
but realistic goals, deliver work in innovative and creative ways, be is neither a soft nor
Figure F: Evolution of leadership theory supportive of people and work effectively as a team esoteric concept.”
• Most leaders are unaware of their impact (we tend to judge ourselves
by our intentions and everyone else by their actions)
Trait Theory • Leadership impact is neither a soft nor esoteric concept – it can be
Trait theory is a 20th century approach to leadership which is underpinned measured by an algorithm and hard data makes the 'un-discussable'
by a vacuum of statistical evidence. It is based on the assumption that all discussable, by numbers
leaders are charismatic; therefore all charismatic people must be leaders.
History has shown repeatedly that charismatic leaders are equally likely Why the Leadership Impact Approach?
to damage the organisation. This theory holds little credibility in the 21st • The Leadership Impact approach provides a simple and understandable
century. link between leadership and business performance
• It's squarely focused on business impact, not personality or behaviour
Behaviour Theory • It relies on an individually set vision or ideal, not an ‘expert’ established
Behaviour theory is a useful but limited approach to leadership benchmark, so defensive reactions to challenging feedback are less
effectiveness. Its flaw is that it is focused on inputs rather than outcomes. frequent and quicker to resolve
For example, significant evidence demonstrates that highly achievement • It includes a mix of individual + collective interventions, plus quantitative
oriented leaders can produce dependent followers. This is often why and qualitative approaches to data collection and validation
the very best football players are failed coaches, but mediocre players • It leverages strengths rather than just focusing on remedial issues
become highly successful coaches.
• It uses a lexicon that senior leaders understand (impact, effectiveness,
strategies), as depicted in Figure G
Situational / Contingency Theory
• The Leadership Impact approach contends that a leader’s effectiveness
Contingency theory contends that leaders change their approach is created by his or her impact which, in turn, is created by the strategies
depending upon the person and situation requiring leadership. This that the leader is using
approach is of some tactical value but creates problems of consistency
and authenticity. Ultimately, the leader is being led.

Impact Theory Impact

Leadership Impact on Leadership
Impact theory contends that a leader’s effectiveness can only be defined Strategies Others Effectiveness
by his or her results. In other words, it is concerned with the consequences
of a given executive’s leadership. TAP have been pioneers of the impact Human Synergistics / Center for Applied Research, Inc. Copyright © 1997

All Rights Reserved

approach since 2001 and the principles and process for leadership impact
are expanded upon in the following pages.
Figure G: The Leadership Impact Model
THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 8

them effectively with a group. As the organisational theorist Karl Weick

SECTION 5 - 7 METAPHORS FOR LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION
once wrote, “People see more things than they can describe in words.”
Figure H: The 7 Metaphors for Leadership Transformation
These seven metaphors represent a roadmap for transformation; one

® We began the research on

that is accessible, intuitive, adaptable and even inspiring. Over the last 18
months, we have tested the resonance of these narratives and metaphors
leadership transformation in consulting, speaking and academic engagements to more than 10,000
because we were tired leaders on four continents; they have proved to be a powerful way to “These seven
of reading books on the prompt, and speed up, personal and organisational transformation. Our
research has been recognised internationally and featured as an article in
metaphors represent
attributes of great leaders.
It‘s not that we had a the Harvard Business Review in November 2011. a roadmap for
problem with the content
of these books – they transformation.”
METAPHOR DEFINITION
espoused noble attributes
like vision, courage and Underlying motivation for embarking on the journey,
including burning platform and burning ambition. A
integrity – it‘s just that after FIRE
powerful mix of organisational and personal factors
10 years of working with CEOs that mean something serious is at stake.
and senior executives around the
world, we had never met the perfect Transparency creates accountability which, in turn,
encourages momentum. As more leaders are brought
individual they described. Moreover, we had SNOWBALL
into the process, accountability is accelerated and
never read the book that described how a mere mortal could become becomes an unstoppable force.
one of these majestic creatures. In other words, we could not find the
‘roadmap’ for how an ineffective manager could transform into a highly The artful application of frameworks (recipes), tools
(utensils) and strategies (cooking methods) to enable
effective leader. MASTER CHEF
change. Initially follow the recipe book very closely, but
employ greater flair and creativity over time.
The reason we could not find the roadmap is because case studies of
leadership transformation are relatively rare. So we decided to do in Support at three levels: content, process and emotional
depth doctoral research on seven CEOs whose remarkable success in support. Support provided by TAP, colleagues and
COACH
significant others, focused on shared outcomes for the
transforming themselves, their leadership team and their organisation CEO.
was well documented. Each had simultaneously achieved a radical shift
in their own leadership performance and that of their direct reports, and Courage to take off a ‘mask’ used to conceal
brought about a documented shift in organisational metrics including imperfections, or of an adopted persona that is
MASK
incongruent with values and beliefs. Building of a
financial performance, customer advocacy, and employee engagement. powerful and congruent leadership identity.

Having worked closely with each CEO and their organisations for many Leaders able to view themselves from other’s
years, we were able to access the ‘warts and all’ accounts of how they perspectives. Start as ‘actors in a movie’ (often a bad
MOVIE one), then move into the ‘editing suite’ to reflect on
significantly transformed their outcomes, and then document their
action, before ultimately moving into the ‘director’s
stories in narrative form. The common themes in the CEOs journeys chair’ with the capacity to reflect in action.
surfaced in dramatic fashion as seven metaphors; Fire, Snowball, Master
Chef, Coach, Mask, Movie and Russian Dolls. These may sound familiar,
RUSSIAN A complimentary set of journeys that interact with a
but they contain useful insights about how leaders can become more DOLLS leader’s personal journey of transformation.
effective. Their familiarity means you can recall them easily—which is
helpful when trying to change entrenched behavior—and talk about Figure I: Definitions of the 7 Metaphors for Leadership Transformation
THE SCIENCE & ART OF BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION 9

SECTION 6 - LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION OCCURS IN A CONTEXT OF TYPICAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM A LEADERSHIP TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

ƒƒ A critical business process with a direct line of sight

ƒƒ An initiative designed to increase leadership and
In an attempt to convey the key learnings of our research, the last few Context
organisational capability
to the organisation’s most important commercial
outcomes and strategy
pages of this paper have been purposefully focused on the transformation
of leaders; in particular through seven metaphors. It is important to ƒƒ Number of people through the program ƒƒ Demonstrated shift in leadership effectiveness
Measurement of
reinforce, however, that all seven CEOs in the research sample were also Success
ƒƒ Increased leadership capability ƒƒ Shift in commercial outcomes
engaged in a deliberate journey of organisational transformation, as
outlined in the Russian Dolls metaphor.
Ownership ƒƒ Human Resources (often Organisation Development unit) ƒƒ CEO and executive team
Four of the seven CEOs began with a focus on the broader vision and
strategy of their organisations, before progressing into focused leadership
ƒƒ Socially constructed approach balancing ‘leadership
work. In other words, their work on vision and strategy identified a need Core Philosophy ƒƒ Positivist approach focused on ‘leadership science’
science’ with ‘leadership art’
to shift the impact of their most senior leaders. The other three CEOs in
our study began with a singular focus on leadership, but each expanded ƒƒ Aim is to shift performance of the organisation
ƒƒ Aim is to shift behaviour; often toward a narrow and
their transformation efforts to include several of the other 10 alignment ƒƒ Tools and frameworks are supplements to narrative,
Focus predetermined list
metaphor and the unique context of the leader and
levers within a period of six months. In other words, their leadership work ƒƒ Heavy emphasis on tools and frameworks
business in question
identified broader inhibitors to transformation such as their organisations
structures, systems, metrics or symbols. ƒƒ Key words are ‘development, capability, tool, assessment, ƒƒ Key words are results, growth, performance,
Language intervention and program’ accountability, impact, action and effectiveness
ƒƒ Discerns ’right’ versus ‘wrong’ ƒƒ Discerns ’aligned’ versus ‘misaligned’
The experience of the seven CEOs in our study reflects our broader client
engagements over the past ten years; that is, leadership transformation ƒƒ Periodic interventions detached from core business rhythm ƒƒ Frequent interventions integrated into the business
occurs more frequently, more quickly and more sustainably when ƒƒ Infrequent team interventions, more frequent individual rhythm
it is part of an integrated and systematic process of organisational interventions ƒƒ Balanced and very frequent combination of
Interventions ƒƒ Cross functional work groups individual, team and small group interventions
transformation. ƒƒ Leaders are removed from business environment to attend ƒƒ Intact work groups
program ƒƒ Leaders remain in business context and every
interaction presents a learning opportunity
Leadership transformation is not a 'program'
ƒƒ Organisation is the client and the coaching
In recent times, we have seen a boom in ‘leadership development ƒƒ Coachee is the client and the coaching process is largely
relationship is largely transparent
confidential
programs’, as organisations become more enlightened to the value of ƒƒ Coaching aims to realise organisational goals
Coaching Model ƒƒ Coaching aims to realise coachee set goals
their human resources. Yet despite this positive intent, in our experience, ƒƒ Feedback is expected and direct
ƒƒ Feedback may be optional and guarded
ƒƒ Group and peer coaching are used to encourage
leadership development programs generally do not produce a sustainable transparency and accountability
change in the effectiveness of senior leaders. Furthermore, there is
ƒƒ Attendance may be mandatory or optional ƒƒ Commitment is expected
seldom a correlation between participation in leadership development ƒƒ Personal data is closely guarded ƒƒ Personal data is shared openly and widely
programs and a transformation in the organisation’s results. Accountability
ƒƒ Progress may or may not be assessed ƒƒ Progress is assessed regularly and formally
ƒƒ Limited recognition for positive change and often no ƒƒ Clear recognition and reward for positive change
consequences for inaction and serious consequences for inaction
It may seem like semantics to differentiate between ‘leadership
development’ and ‘leadership transformation’ but, in our experience,
the two notions are founded on very different principles, beliefs and ƒƒ Any changes are dependent on individual leaders ƒƒ Changes are embedded in organisational DNA
Sustainability ƒƒ Energy dissipates with change in leadership ƒƒ Energy is maintained beyond changes in leadership
assumptions. In the table to the right, we have attempted to distinguish
between these two notions of leadership development and leadership
transformation; the latter of which underpins our core philosophy and
Figure J: Leadership Development 'Program' vs Leadership Transformation 'Process'
approach.