In Chapter 12, Denning explicitly describes his dimensions of leadership. Reflect on those dimensions and how you expect they will impact the way you lead in the future. Include specific examples of how at least THREE of Denning's dimensions manifest in your own application of leadership.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul
The theme of this poem by William Ernest Henley - his most famous - is the will to survive in the face of a severe test. The process of becoming a leader is one of many challenges and few tangible rewards. It involves a circular pattern of struggling and failure to learn and achieve.
Denning’s leadership dimensions not only aid in the development of being an effective leader within a department or organization; they also apply to the locus of control within relationships between family and friends. I personally have an internal locus of control. I believe that getting what I want has little or nothing to do with luck. Success is a matter of hard work. Though I do realize that some people with power will do their damnedest to stand in people's way and to place boulders in from of them, I know that capable people who fail to become leaders have not taken advantage of all of their opportunities. Real leaders never give up and have high expectations for themselves and others.
Denning’s leadership dimensions not only aid in the development of being an effective leader within a department or organization; they also apply to the locus of control within relationships between family and friends. I personally have an internal locus of control. I believe that getting what I want has little or nothing to do with luck. Success is a matter of hard work. Though I do realize that some people with power will do their damnedest to stand in people's way and to place boulders in from of them, I know that capable people who fail to become leaders have not taken advantage of all of their opportunities. Real leaders never give up and have high expectations for themselves and others.
To be positive and confident, however, does not necessarily result in an inflated ego (Denning, 2011, p. 280). “Interactive leadership doesn’t depend on the possession of hierarchical authority” (Denning, 2011, p.271). There is no need to have a certain title in order to make an impact or to have influence. As a Area Coordinator, I do a lot of community outreach I suppose I do not have to do; however, I believe the outreach gives me networking opportunities that greatly benefit the students. For example, my involvement with the Coordinated Community Response Team allows for me to bring non-government organizations to campus to do programming on domestic violence, sexual assault and healthy relationships. Unlike those who use their legitimate and coercive power to intimidate and silence emerging leaders, those who manage with development, support and team-building in mind use expert and referent power, as well as participative leadership. In the book Leadership in Organizations, author Gary Yukl notes:
Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations, 8th edition. Prentice Hall.
A manager who is considerate and friendly toward people is more likely to win their friendship and loyalty. The emotional ties that are formed make it easier to gain cooperation and support from people on whom the manager must rely to get the work done. It is more satisfying to work with someone who is friendly, cooperative, and supportive than with someone who is cold and impersonal, or worse, hostile and uncooperative. (Yukl, 2010, p. 125)
StrengthsQuest is a student development and engagement program designed to help college students, as well as staff in multiple industries, achieve success in academics, career, and life. StrengthsQuest analyzes how participants can use strengths to encourage success and growth. One of my top five strengths is Ideation. The definition of ideation is to form an
idea of; imagine or conceive. This strength empowers me to see
multiple ways to address challenges and to find new ways to highlight
the excellence of ERAU. Some of my goals as a participative leader in my position are to:
- Emphasize the "Living-Learning" philosophy by coaching Assistant Area Coordinators (Resident Assistant supervisors) to highlight education needs within the community and to train Resident Assistants to infuse entertainment into learning pursuits.
- Develop and promote more staff "team spirit" activities, as well as staff development activities. I wish to infuse passion into my workers (p. 283).
- Create more meaningful and consistent connections between ERAU RAs and similarly-leveled staff in other educational communities by planning shared programming events, encouraging staff participation in local conferences for student leaders, and work with student workers and the Diversity Advisory Board in developing and advancing the goals of inclusiveness from a diversity standpoint
Denning (2011) mentions that leadership powers are often like the skill of Judo (p. 281). “The interactive leader works with the world rather than against it” (Denning, 2011, p.270). Interactive people work with the world - an ever changing world - the truths of today will be the superstitions of tomorrow. Allow them
no permanent residence in your mind. Therefore, we should not seek solely fact, but also understanding in order to gain wisdom. As Denning states, “to be understood is to be open to understanding." This may mean that we need to come closer to our problem in order to evaluate it, find its weakness, and to use that weakness to our own advantage (Thompson, 2009). When I first came to my old place of employment, I realized that there were some preconceived notions about certain students from staff and faculty members. There was one student in particular that many seemed to believe was not going to make the cut at this institution due to the caliber of education and the need to participate in extracurriculars. The student was a racial, socio-economical and sexual orientation minority in the environment and was very defensive towards those who avoided and seemingly feared her because of her background. I knew that, in many aspects, I was a concern for others in the community as well, being from a culture that was quite different from the tradition. I decided to embrace that difference, though keeping an open mind about the new environment. “Interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity” (Denning, 2011, p.270). Integrity is defined by Webster's Dictionary as a adherence to moral and ethical principles; authentic is defined as "not false or copied." It was important for me to not become overwhelmed in the conservative nature of the community. I still spoke out for progressiveness in thought, including the lessening of 'isms'; had discussions on religion, politics and diversity topics; and dealt with a fair share of prejudice for being a "Northerner" or "Yankee". However, the scope in which these topics were discussed were on a micro and macro level, which appealed to how the events of the outside world affected the relationships between students who identified with such happenings (this was a few months after the Trayvon Martin murder and during the strigng of legalizations of same-sex marriage). Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School professor, notes that strategic thinking has to be flexible and work at several levels, from the big picture to the and being able to move in and see smaller details. In pulling towards this student, and "zooming in"(2011) on their personality, strengths, passions and concerns, it was clear that s/he had the spirit of an activist who had been cornered by assumptions and lack of support. With the proper resources, the student was able to develop a group supporting LGBT students and directed one of the first all-day leadership conferences at the institution, focused on diversity and anti-bullying.
In looking at an issue, we must make sure we are not criticizing but supporting. Judgment does not solve issues. As Denning notes, once leaders become interactive participants in leading, they are incapable of gawking. He says, "they escape from the illusion of passionless objectivity, which may aim at clarity but inevitably ends up distorting the world by stripping away the dimension of human viewpoints, emotions and goals" (2011, p. 271) He continues to notes that only those in the throes of development, tackling issues and taking risk can know success, as President Theodore Roosevelt eloquently explains in this famous speech:
Denning's Dimensions:
An example of this in my position was my role as an advisor for the Residence Hall Association. I was a member of RHA in college and I had assumed that ERAU's RHA would be as autonomous as mine was. Kathleen E. Allen, states in "Choosing the Effective Advising Style", that these stages include: Infancy,
Adolescence, Young Adulthood, and Maturity. In observing the
leadership within RHA during August and September, the Executive
Board was categorized as being within the Young Adulthood stage –
the student leaders were nearing competence, and increasing in the
areas of commitment and taking responsibility. However, as the
outgoing Programming Chair and outgoing Business Chair cycled out of
their roles, the group devolved into the Infancy stage. The student
leaders left exhibited a low level of confidence, commitment,
knowledge, and limited responsibility for their roles. Adjusting to
such, it was necessary to take on the role similar to that of a group
member – taking part in group activities like a member; or a
programmer - identifying, heavily aiding in planning, and
implementing programs and activities for the group.
In looking at an issue, we must make sure we are not criticizing but supporting. Judgment does not solve issues. As Denning notes, once leaders become interactive participants in leading, they are incapable of gawking. He says, "they escape from the illusion of passionless objectivity, which may aim at clarity but inevitably ends up distorting the world by stripping away the dimension of human viewpoints, emotions and goals" (2011, p. 271) He continues to notes that only those in the throes of development, tackling issues and taking risk can know success, as President Theodore Roosevelt eloquently explains in this famous speech:
It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbled or how the doer of deeds might have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he wins, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat (Roosevelt, 1910).As Al Gini notes, to have power is to possess the capacity to control or direct change. All forms of leadership must make use of power. The central issue of power in leadership is not will it be used? But rather will it be used wisely and well?
Denning's Dimensions:
- The interactive leader works with the world rather than against it (Denning, 2011, p.270)
- Interactive leadership both adds and subtracts elements from the leadership palette (Denning, 2011, p.281).
- Interactive leadership builds on personal integrity and authenticity (Denning, 2011, p.270).
- Interactive leadership doesn’t depend on the possession of hierarchical authority (Denning, 2011, p.271).
- Interactive leadership benefits from an understanding of the different narrative patterns that can be used to get things done in the world (Denning, 2011, p.271).
References
Allen, K. (1981). Choosing the Effective Advising Style, Programming Magazine, vol. 16, no. 1.
Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass
Henley, W. E. (1888). Invictus.The Poetry Foundation. Accessed at http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182194
Moss Kanter, Rosabeth. (2011). Zooming: How Effective Leaders Adjust their Focus. Harvard Business Review. YouTube. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saNj6B0Vasw#t=118
Roosevelt, T. (1910). "Citizenship In A Republic". Accessed at http://www.theodore- roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html
Thompson, George. (2009). Verbal Judo: Diffusing Conflict Through Conversation. Columbia Business School. YouTube. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btBw70HAys4
Allen, K. (1981). Choosing the Effective Advising Style, Programming Magazine, vol. 16, no. 1.
Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative (Revised and updated edition). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons/Jossey-Bass
Henley, W. E. (1888). Invictus.The Poetry Foundation. Accessed at http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182194
Moss Kanter, Rosabeth. (2011). Zooming: How Effective Leaders Adjust their Focus. Harvard Business Review. YouTube. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saNj6B0Vasw#t=118
Roosevelt, T. (1910). "Citizenship In A Republic". Accessed at http://www.theodore- roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html
Thompson, George. (2009). Verbal Judo: Diffusing Conflict Through Conversation. Columbia Business School. YouTube. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btBw70HAys4
Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations, 8th edition. Prentice Hall.
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