Podcast Summary
Developing Leadership Through Practice and Growth: Leadership is a skill that can be developed through practices like self-reflection, taking others' perspectives, kindness, and compassion. Understanding adult development patterns can help support growth.
Leadership is not something that is solely inherent, but rather something that can be developed and cultivated. Jennifer Garvey Berger, a leadership development expert, argues that while some people may seem more mature or wise, most individuals need time and experience to grow into effective leaders. Accelerating this process involves practices such as self-reflection, taking perspectives of others, kindness, and compassion. While there is no quick fix or map to follow, understanding the patterns of adult development can help us better support the growth of leaders and ourselves.
Expanding Perspectives: Self-Sovereign to Self-Transforming: Individuals can evolve from being influenced by external factors to self-authored and eventually self-transforming, expanding our capacity to navigate complex situations and create innovative solutions.
As individuals, we can intentionally grow and expand our perspectives throughout our lives, moving from being influenced heavily by external factors to becoming self-authored, and eventually, collectively transforming our minds to lead and create new solutions. This development is often described as progressing through frames of mind, such as self-sovereign, socialized, self-authored, and self-transforming. For instance, in the self-sovereign frame, we struggle to understand others' perspectives, whereas in the self-transforming frame, we have the capacity to look across multiple stakeholders and create innovative solutions. As we evolve, we become more capable of navigating complex situations and coordinating diverse perspectives to form a larger, more comprehensive whole.
Understanding our evolving perspective on self and relationships: As we grow, our sense of self and relationships evolve. Early stages rely on external validation, while later stages involve self-authorship and multiple perspectives.
Our perspective on ourselves and our relationships with others evolves as we grow. In the early stages, our sense of self and acceptance comes from outside sources, making it difficult to navigate conflicting opinions. As we progress, we become more self-authored, able to define our values and principles. However, some people may find this process overwhelming and instead choose to hold multiple perspectives simultaneously, becoming self-transforming leaders. It's essential to be aware of where we are in this development process and understand how it intersects with traditional leadership development. Early-stage leaders may not have access to later stages, but as we grow and live our way into new perspectives, we can expand our understanding of leadership and ourselves.
Understanding adult development for effective leadership: Adult development offers a clear map for navigating the terrain of growing as a leader, focusing on physical and emotional needs, and recognizing developmental demands of leadership.
Adult development offers a clearer understanding of the process of growing as a leader, rather than just focusing on discovering personal values or being self-authored. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach, but a map for navigating the terrain of adult growth. This understanding can help us recognize the importance of taking care of our physical and emotional needs in order to grow and develop, and how to identify when we're showing up as our best selves. By focusing on the developmental demands of leadership, such as operating in ambiguous situations and being agile, we can create more effective leadership development programs. This approach goes beyond good intentions and hope, and provides a deeper understanding of what we're trying to achieve in leadership development. It's an ongoing process that requires continuous learning and self-awareness.
Leadership goes beyond charisma, create an environment for growth: Effective leaders create a comfortable space for risk-taking, idea-sharing, and personal growth. Genuine curiosity and openness to other perspectives are crucial in today's complex world.
Effective leadership goes beyond charisma and involves amplifying the potential of those around them. A great leader creates an environment where people feel comfortable taking risks, expressing ideas, and growing. This type of leadership is crucial in today's complex world, where uncertainty and change are the norm. Other essential variables for effective leadership include genuine curiosity and openness to other perspectives. A leader who is certain and closed off to learning cannot adapt to the ever-changing landscape. By cultivating curiosity and openness, leaders can create a collective force of leadership that is greater than any one individual.
Embrace curiosity, amplify alternative perspectives, and recognize ongoing development for effective leadership: Effective leadership involves continuous learning, listening to diverse viewpoints, and acknowledging personal growth as a lifelong process
Effective leadership involves curiosity, amplification, and a willingness to consider alternative perspectives, even if it goes against the traditional image of a confident and certain leader. This approach allows leaders to pick up on subtle signals and avoid potential disasters. However, in a world dominated by sound bites and simplistic problem-solving, it can be challenging to practice this kind of leadership. Additionally, understanding adult development as a process of growth, rather than something that can be learned through a lecture, is crucial for personal development. This process is ongoing, and it's essential to recognize where you are on the developmental spectrum and take steps to continue growing. Overall, being an effective leader requires a willingness to listen, learn, and adapt, even when it's uncomfortable or goes against the status quo.
Exploring new questions and perspectives for personal growth: Questioning our usual ways of thinking and seeking out diverse perspectives can lead to deeper understanding and informed decisions, promoting personal growth.
We can all benefit from asking different questions and taking multiple perspectives to navigate complex situations in our lives. Our brains are wired to save energy and often rely on simplified approaches, but engaging in these habits helps us behave as if we're more developed and speeds up our personal growth. To develop the habit of asking different questions, start by noticing the questions you typically ask and intentionally seek out new ones. These questions don't have to be better or more sophisticated, but rather, they should challenge your perspective and encourage deeper thinking. Children, for example, often ask questions that make us think and help us reframe our understanding of the world. Taking multiple perspectives involves seeing a situation from different viewpoints, which can broaden our understanding and lead to more informed decisions. By engaging in these habits, we can navigate complex issues more effectively and grow into the best versions of ourselves.
Considering Different Perspectives and Lenses: Be open-minded, curious, and willing to consider multiple perspectives when approaching problems and making decisions to develop a more comprehensive understanding of complex situations.
The way we approach problems and make decisions is shaped by our habits, including the habits of thought and perspective-taking. The speaker emphasized the importance of considering different perspectives and lenses when making decisions, as it leads to development and a more comprehensive understanding of complex situations. This idea was linked to the concept of seeing in systems, which involves recognizing the interconnectedness and complexity of the world around us. The speaker also touched upon the natural human tendency to categorize and segment, and the importance of challenging these habits to better navigate complexity. Ultimately, the discussion highlighted the value of being open-minded, curious, and willing to consider multiple perspectives when approaching problems and making decisions.
Understanding Complex Systems with the Cynefin Framework: The Cynefin framework helps us distinguish between predictable, ordered systems and complex systems with unpredictable interactions, enabling us to adopt the right perspective and approach for addressing issues in each context.
In complex systems, there is no single root cause for phenomena, but rather a series of interconnected forces that create the effects we observe. This idea, known as the Cynefin framework, helps us understand systems by differentiating between predictable, ordered systems with simple or obvious cause-and-effect relationships, and complex systems with unpredictable, non-linear interactions. In complex systems, it's essential to adopt a helicopter view, examining the entire system and how its parts interact to create the phenomenon we're observing. This perspective gives us a broader scope for possible actions to address the issue, whether it's a desirable innovation or an unwanted conflict. The Cynefin framework, developed by Dave Snowden, categorizes systems based on their predictability and the level of expertise required to understand them. Simple or obvious systems have tightly connected cause-and-effect relationships, while complex systems require analyzing the specific type of interaction to address effectively. By recognizing the complex nature of systems and adopting a systemic perspective, we can more effectively navigate and influence the outcomes we desire.
Understanding Problem Domains: Simple, Complicated, Complex, and Chaotic: Identifying the problem domain can guide your approach to problem-solving. Simple domains have clear-cut solutions, complicated domains require expertise, complex domains need ongoing attention, and chaotic domains lack predictability.
The world can be categorized into four types of problem domains: simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic. Understanding which domain you're dealing with can help guide your approach to solving the problem. In simple domains, cause and effect are directly linked, and solutions are clear-cut. Complicated domains require expertise to uncover the connections between cause and effect, but once discovered, solutions can be implemented consistently. Complex domains have a connection between cause and effect, but it's not apparent until after the fact. Leaders in complex domains need to pay close attention to the current state of the system to identify emerging trends and adapt accordingly. Chaotic domains lack a connection between cause and effect, making it difficult to predict outcomes or find solutions. The framework of these problem domains, as outlined by Snowden, can help individuals and teams navigate the uncertainty and complexity of problem-solving, enabling them to ask better questions and take more effective action.
Learning from experiments in complex systems: Instead of fixing a single root cause, organizations can experiment with safe-to-fail or safe-to-learn approaches to continually learn and adapt in complex systems. Success isn't guaranteed, but valuable learning can be gained.
In complex systems, it's essential to continually learn and adapt. Instead of trying to identify a single root cause and fix it, organizations can experiment with safe-to-fail or safe-to-learn approaches. These experiments allow for learning even when things don't go as planned. An example of this is an organization dealing with silos, where instead of focusing on bonuses, they set up lunch meetings between employees from different silos. Although only a fraction of employees participated, the connections made led to new collaborations and a shift in the culture, resulting in significant new work and revenue. However, it's important to remember that not all experiments will be successful, but the learning gained is still valuable. The key is to design experiments with learning in mind, harvest the knowledge gained, and continue to adapt and explore.
Approaching challenges as experiments: Instead of expecting linear results, view challenges as opportunities for experimentation and potential discovery. Embrace uncertainty to foster innovation and progress.
In complex situations, it's essential to approach challenges as experiments rather than expecting linear results. Treating something as a pilot that must work for everyone may limit innovation and progress. Instead, designing interventions with the mindset of "this might not be the solution, but it could provide valuable information" can lead to significant discoveries. In the complex world, one unit of effort may yield nothing or substantial rewards. Companies like Google have demonstrated this through small experiments leading to new businesses or business models. However, it's the small cultural shifts that intrigue me the most. For instance, a client in a conservative organization who encouraged trying new things and reminded people of the fleeting nature of news cycles saw the organization transform rapidly. These little changes can lead to substantial cultural differences. Instead of dismissing ideas as unworkable, we should embrace our lack of certainty and focus on increasing the information flow from our experiments. This openness to uncertainty is crucial in navigating the complex world. I am currently writing a book on this topic, emphasizing the importance of embracing our not knowing and the potential rewards that come from it.
Questioning our beliefs and staying open to new possibilities: Recognize that our thoughts aren't facts, practice questioning beliefs, and stay open to new ideas to continue learning and growing.
We all fall into the trap of believing our thoughts are facts, but they're not. Our brains can't tell the difference between an opinion and a fact in a brain scan. Therefore, it's essential to practice questioning our beliefs and being open to new possibilities. This practice of not believing our own press and recognizing the feeling of certainty in our bodies can help us stay grounded and open to learning in both our personal and professional lives. Even knowledge workers, who may feel they're paid to know, should remember that they're also paid to be curious. By staying open to new ideas and being willing to move forward in not knowing, we can continue to learn and grow.
Understanding patterns and tendencies for growth: Identifying dispositions and attractors in individuals and organizations can lead to intentional shifts towards more productive and creative environments, allowing for continuous learning and adaptation.
The value of an individual or a team lies not in how much they know but in their willingness to learn and adapt. The concept of dispositions and attractors can help us understand the patterns and tendencies of a system, allowing us to make intentional shifts to create a more productive and creative environment. Organizations, like systems, can be disposed towards certain patterns, and identifying these dispositions can lead to experiments and interventions to create new, more desirable patterns. Attractors are the feedback loops that reinforce existing patterns, and breaking free from these can lead to new, more positive basins of attraction. In essence, the ability to learn, question, and adapt is crucial for both individuals and organizations, and understanding the underlying patterns and tendencies can help us navigate and shape our collective future.
Individuals can make a difference despite lack of positional power: Shift small behaviors, like praising or sharing vulnerabilities, to create ripples leading to larger changes. Develop new habits to foster growth and positive change.
Everyone has the power to make a difference, even if they don't hold a lot of positional power in their organization. By shifting small aspects of their behavior, such as praising colleagues, speaking up bravely in meetings, or sharing vulnerabilities, individuals can create ripples that lead to larger changes. Additionally, habits play a significant role in personal and organizational growth. Deep learning and the formation of new neural pathways are similar to developing new habits. To change a habit, one must recognize the cues that trigger the old habit, make a conscious effort to shift behaviors, and embrace the growth and creativity that comes with the new habit. Over time, this new habit becomes self-reinforcing and automatic. In essence, everyone has the power to change patterns and develop new habits that foster growth and positive change.
Improve listening skills to navigate complex situations: Effective listening through genuine curiosity and holding onto multiple perspectives can lead to continuous learning and effective communication in complex situations.
Developing the ability to ask meaningful questions and genuinely listen to others' perspectives can significantly improve how we identify and navigate complex situations. A client of mine noticed he wasn't truly listening to people's answers because he was asking questions he already knew the answer to. By recognizing this and making a conscious effort to ask questions based on genuine curiosity, he was able to become a more effective leader. Another client discovered that when dealing with disagreements in complex topics, it's beneficial to hold onto both perspectives instead of trying to collapse them into one right answer. The power of genuine listening cannot be overstated – it leads to continuous learning and effective communication. By becoming more aware of our habits in predictable situations and learning to adapt them for unpredictable ones, we can become more agile and effective leaders.
Deep listening and openness to change are crucial for growth: Deep listening enhances relationships and makes us effective learners. Being open to change is essential for personal and professional growth in a rapidly changing world.
Developing the skill of deep listening and being open to change are essential for personal and professional growth. Listening deeply to others requires focusing on their words without getting distracted by our own thoughts. It not only enhances our relationships but also makes us more effective learners. Moreover, in a rapidly changing world, being open to change and growth is crucial for individuals, organizations, and even countries to thrive. Adult development itself can be seen as an "antifragile" property, meaning that embracing change and learning from mistakes makes us stronger and more resilient. As parents, we can practice these skills with our children, using them as a ground for our own curiosity and understanding, rather than trying to change them. This approach can lead to better relationships and a more contagious habit of listening and learning.
Fostering brain-shifting habits in children: Encouraging kids to ask different questions, take multiple perspectives, and think in systems helps them become socially adaptive individuals. Parents can model these habits to instill lifelong curiosity and understanding of human thought and behavior.
Encouraging children to develop the habits of asking different questions, taking multiple perspectives, and thinking in systems can help them shift from being self-sovereign to social, self-author, and self-transforming individuals. These habits, which are psychologically spacious, can benefit people of all ages. Parents can model and practice these habits to instill them in their children, creating a lifelong interest in understanding human thought and behavior. Parenting is a challenging endeavor, and it's essential to remember that children are constantly developing and changing. Love and patience are crucial in helping them navigate their growth. Jennifer's insights on parenting and development were enlightening, emphasizing the importance of practicing brain-shifting habits and embracing the ever-changing nature of child-rearing. Overall, the conversation highlighted the significance of fostering curiosity, empathy, and resilience in children, which can lead to a more fulfilling and adaptive life.
