boundary-spanning leadership

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

WHAT is

boundary spanning leadership?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

What is boundary

spanning leadership?

Why is it

needed?

So What are the

implications?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Based on two CCL research projects…

Leadership Across Differences Involved over 2800 surveys & nearly 300 interviews with leaders at all levels

12 countries in 6 world regions Corporate and nonprofit sectors

Leadership at the Peak Conducted with 128 senior executives who participated in CCL’s Leadership at the Peak program

32% CEO/President 60% SVP/Director 8% VP/Other

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

What are the challenges faced by leaders that need to span boundaries?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

V E R T I C A L

across levels & authority

H O R I Z O N TA L

across functions

& expertise

S TA K E H O L D E R

across external groups & interests

D E M O G R A P H I C

across diverse

groups & differences

G E O G R A P H I C

across markets

& distance

The 5 boundaries of LEADERSHIP { }

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

POLL: Leadership Across Boundaries

1.  What type of boundary is your organization at its best (in terms of boundary spanning)?

2.  What type of boundary does your organization struggle the most (in terms of boundary spanning)?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

WHY is boundary spanning needed?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

How important is it for you to collaborate effectively across boundaries?

How effective are you?

2009 Boundary Spanning study with 128 senior executives

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

2009 Boundary Spanning study with 128 senior executives

Middle management represents a potential bottleneck for collaborative leadership

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

HOW can boundary spanning leadership

be practiced?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

REFLECTING

MOBILIZING TRANSFORMING

BUFFERING CONNECTING WEAVING

REFLECTING

6 boundary spanning PRACTICES { }

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Buffering Define Boundaries

SAFETY The state of psychological security that develops when

boundaries are defined and maintained

Example: Demarcate clear roles, then filter the information, people and resources that flow across

boundaries

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Reflecting Understand Boundaries

RESPECT The state of intergroup awareness and positive regard that develops when

groups understand both their similarities and differences

Example: Foster perspective-taking across groups to surface assumptions and increase knowledge exchange

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Connecting Suspend Boundaries

TRUST The state of mutual confidence and intergroup integrity that develops

when boundaries are suspended and new relationships built

Example: Bridge disconnected people and groups to foster cross-organizational collaboration

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Mobilizing Reframe Boundaries

COMMUNITY A state of belonging, ownership, and accountability that develops

when boundaries are reframed and collective action taken

Example: Craft shared symbols, icons or stories that represent who “we” are and galvanize common purpose

© 2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Weaving Interlace Boundaries

INTERDEPENDENCE A state of mutual dependence and collective learning that

develops when boundaries are interlaced within a larger whole

Example: Tap group differences and act on commonalities to develop innovative solutions

© 2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

Transforming Cross-Cut Boundaries

REINVENTION The state of renewal, alternative futures, and emergent possibilities that develops when intergroup boundaries are cross-cut in new directions

Example: Create sustained space for group boundaries to blend, shift, change in positively, transformative ways

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

REFLECTING

MOBILIZING TRANSFORMING

BUFFERING CONNECTING WEAVING

REFLECTING

6 boundary spanning PRACTICES { }

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

REFLECTING

COMMUNITY REINVENTION

SAFETY TRUST INTERDEPENDENCE

RESPECT

6 boundary spanning OUTCOMES { }

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

REFLECTING

INSPIRING RESULTS { }

Solve problems

Develop innovative solutions

Change and transform

organizations * *

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

SO WHAT are the implications?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

What are the skills that boundary spanners must master?

© 2009 Center for Creative Leadership. All Rights Reserved.

How can you improve the delivery of Effective

Feedback across Boundaries?

What is the role of effective communication and feedback in

boundary spanning?