Sustainable Leadership: How to Lead
Without Diminishing Influence
Jeff McClellan
Sustainability
• “One of the challenges facing humanity today is the choice between a sustainable and socially just future or maintaining the status quo. While the term sustainability is often co-opted, I have defined a sustainable society to be one that satisfies its needs without diminishing the prospects for the health and well-being of self, other peoples, future generations, or the environment” (Lange, 2009, p. 193)
Entropy vs. Neg-entropy
(Kegan & Lahey, 2001; Prigogine,
1984; Richardson, 2004)
Leadership and Influence
• Leadership is a social influence process whereby an individual intentionally influences others towards the accomplishment of some end
• Implications– Leadership Influence is relational and
dependent upon the • Capacity of the leader to engage in influence
processes
• Capacity of the leader to influence the follower via relationship
• Capacity of the follower to act based on the influence of the leader
Sustainable Leadership
• Sustainable leadership
– Replenishes or at least maintains the
capacity of the leader to engage in
influence processes
– Replenishes or at least maintains the
capacity of the leader to influence the
follower via relationship
– Replenishes or at least maintains the
capacity of the follower to act based on
the influence of the leader
Relevant Leadership Concepts
• Hardiness
• Flow
• SpiritualityLeader/Follower
• Servant-Leadership
• Authentic Leadership
• CommunityRelationship
Hardiness
(Khoshaba, D. M., & Maddi, S. R. , 2005).
HardiLeaders Engage In
• Hardy or Transformational Coping as Opposed to Regressive Coping
• Giving and Receiving of Effective Social Support
• Hardy Health Practices
– Relaxation
– Nutrition
– Exercise
– Appropriate Medication
(Khoshaba & Maddi, 2005; Maddi &
Khoshaba, 2005; Maddi & Kobasa, 1984)
Stress is Negative not Positive
Relaxed State
Stressors
Strain
Burnout
Stress/Strain/Performance
Lo
w
Perf
orm
an
ce
Hig
h
Sleep Apathy Interest Active Engagement Concern Distress Breakdown
Low Level of Strain High
The Midpoint: FlowA state of consciousness characterized
by focused concentration leading to
increased, fluidity of performance, a
detached sense of self and an altered
sense of time
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1997, 2003)
What Flow Looks Like
How it Happens
Flow
• Human brain processes about 110 bits of information per second
• To listen to a person speaking you process about 60
• In flow your processing capabilities are loaded with the task at hand in such a way that all other awareness fades away
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1997, 2003)
Flow
Lo
w
Leve
lo
f D
iffi
cu
lty
Hig
h
Low Level of Skill High
Level of focused attention, intrinsic motivation , and interest
Apathy
ArousalFlow
Control
Relaxed
ActivityBoredom/
Disinterest
Anxiety
Worry
(Adapted from Csikszentmihalyi, 1997, 2003)
Flow Requires
• High attentiveness
• Clear goals and feedback
• Skill/Challenge balance
• High sense of control
• Intrinsic motivation/interest
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1997, 2003)
Spirituality:
Transcendent
and Imminent
Meaning
Getting into flow
Establish Goals with Feedback
Choose Challenging Activity
Develop skill
Learn to focus attention
Values
What is Spirituality• The ability to
find and
experience
Purpose (Transcendent
meaning)
Meaning (Immanent meaning)
Connectedness
Integrity (Wholeness of self directed
towards purpose)
(Bolman & Deal, 2001; Boyatzis & McKee,
2005; Corey, 1998; Csikszentmihalyi, 2003;
Greenleaf, 1977; Hanh, 1999; Hinckley, 2000;
Kyker, 2003; Merton, 1961; Morris, 1997;
Nachmanovitch, 1990; Palmer, 2004; Peck,
1987, 2002; Sayers, 1987; Thompson, 2000;
Tolstoy, 1978; Tutu, 1999; Warner, 2001)
Servant-Leadership
• An inside out approach
– The servant-leader is servant first—as Leo was portrayed. [Servant-leadership] begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. (Greenleaf, 1977, p. 27).
• Identity not skill
– “leadership overarches expertise” (Greenleaf, 2003, p. 41).
The Heart of a Servant-Leader“Servant-Leaders
typically have a
passionate zeal
for creating a
preferred future. . . .
What differentiates
servant-leaders from
Maniacal dictators is
their deep desire to
pursue this vision
from the basis
Of humility, empathy,
compassion, and
commitment to
Ethical behavior”
(Lad and
Luechauer,
1998, p. 64).
Commitment to the growth
of people
BuildingCommunity
Foresight
Conceptual-ization
Awareness
Healing
Listening Empathy
Stewardship
Persuasion
The Heart of a Servant-
Leader
Based on Spears, 2002
Authentic Leadership
• Understanding their purpose
• Practicing solid values-integrity
• Leading with heart
• Establishing connected relationships
• Demonstrating self-discipline
– George, 2008
Fostering Community
No Conflict
Conflict
Strain
Dissolution
Conflict Continuum
Lo
w
Perf
orm
an
ce
Hig
h
Low Level of Conflict High
Community• “If we are going to use the word
'community' meaningfully we
must restrict it to a group of
individuals who have learned
how to communicate honestly
with each other, whose
relationships go deeper than
their masks of composure, and
who have developed some
significant commitment to
„rejoice together, mourn
together,‟ and to „delight in each
other, make others‟ conditions
our own.‟” (Peck, 1987 pg. 59)
• "Only in community
can the self exercise
and fulfill its nature:
giving and taking,
listening and speaking,
being and doing. But
when community
unravels and we lose
touch with one
another, the self
atrophies and we lose
touch with ourselves
as well" (Palmer,
2004, p. 39).
Building Community
• Create a shared sense of purpose and
process through
– Fostering Dialogue
– Working through Conflict
– Encouraging “Presence” and empathy
– Building Trust
– Collaborative/synergistic work processes
(Bernthal, 2006; Bohme, 1996; Cadwell & S. E. Clapham ”. 2003; Galford & Drapeau, 2002; Gergen & Gergen, 2004;
Gerzon, 2003, 2006; Hosmer, 1995; Lyman, 2003; Maslow et al., 1998; Mezirow & Taylor, 2009; Noddings, 2002, 2003;
Palmer, 2004; Peck, 1987, 2002; Schindler & Thomas, 1993; Senge, 1990; Slote, 2007; Stone, 2002)
Interdisciplinary Exploration
• What additional concepts from your fields
contribute to sustainable leadership?
– Replenishes or at least maintains the capacity
of the leader to engage in influence
processes
– Replenishes or at least maintains the capacity
of the leader to influence the follower via
relationship
– Replenishes or at least maintains the capacity
of the follower to act based on the influence
of the leader
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