Week 5: Chapter 7 "Conflict"

" Master conflict - deal with anger in small doses, engage dissidents, and avoid needless power struggles."

Conflict - whether it appears in direct way or silent attitude, it is certain that this is the most difficult moment for the leaders. Also, it is true that for the group's sustainability, knowing how to manage the conflict is significant.

Dealing anger in small doses

I think it is a leader's role to be a "cushion" between the members. So in this sense, a leader not only has a role at the front but also at the back. In order to catch the germ of the conflict at the very first stage, leaders should regularly and carefully, watch the group. The book says, "...his keen awareness of the difference in people's personalities and needs was vital in minimizing destructive conflict among the crew." (p. 107) True, one's keen awareness do matter here. I think especially regarding this kind of ability, one's natural personality matters a lot compared to other sorts of skills introduced in this book. Because, I can't explain really, but one thing I can say is that, what leaders doing here is based upon feeling, not on something logical. 

Well, but leaving aside the question of whether we can capture the "moment" to take proactive action, at least we can scratch our noggin on "what concrete actions can we do?" I guess, again, knowing the personality of every single member of the group is important here and also, keep being informed of the current situation of the members: is he/she facing personal problem outside the group? is he/she feeling sick? Also, I guess having a member that tells you the situation about other members is also beneficial. As long as you are boss, it's hard to be at the completely same position as other members probably because of the emotional barrier. Therefore, having the friend with another level of perspective works. 

Engaging dissidents

One of the advises on book says "keep your personal opinions about people to yourself- and your closest advisers" I really feel that this is the point I have to improve. I think this is a matter of self-control - especially inevitable skill at political arena. The book showed us that you can "individually" talk to the person when you have him/her something to correct in their behavior. Now, I know its implication but once, I hated this kind of individual contact because to me, it appeared something like "lobbying". To clarify, I have negative image toward political lobbying because the image accompanying the word "lobbying" is "bribe". In fact, I heard lots of dirty things going on through lobbying in the debating community, which is really alike political arena. But now, I became more like realist, and do understand the necessity of individual contact - especially, the necessity to have a individual contact with the person who is at the confrontational standpoint: necessity to have a individual contact with dissidents.

Avoiding needless power struggles

I haven't experienced the situation like Shackleton such as being challenged of the authority, but do have an experience of severe conflict on vital issue that wasted lots of energy (endless quarrel that lasted for 3 hours till the 1 am) and bore almost nothing. Ever since that moment, I think I learned the choice of "retreat" or "truce".  

These tactics to confront conflicts helps us a lot. Nevertheless, it is still true that even with this tactics, leaders role in conflict situation is really heavy.

Leaders need to anyway creep the bumpy road with patience, determination, and passion...!

Week 5: Outline

So, this is my outline so far but it's tentative.
I'm going to especially develop more of the part "Ⅳ. Lesson's for Today's Leaders".

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Ei Miyauchi

Professor. Ken Enochs

RW Formal Outline

21 January 2015

Leadership and Management: Two Different Skills for Today’s Leaders

Ⅰ. Introduction

A. Back ground info (Leading to theme)

B. Show the structure of the essay

C. Thesis statement

Ⅱ. History of Leadership

A. Before Enlightenment

a. Plato's "Republic"

b. Plutarch's "Lives"

c. Sun Tzu's "The Art of War"

d. Machiavelli's "The Prince"

e. Hume's "Political Discourses"

B. Enlightenment

a. Hobbes

b. Locke ―English Revolution

c. Rousseau ―French Revolution

d. Result of Enlightenment： traditional authority of monarchs, lords and

bishops had begun to wane

C. Trait Theory

Ⅲ. History of Management

A. Industrial Revolution: Specialization

B. "Owner" and "Administrator"

C. Scientific Management: Frederick W. Taylor

D. Fayolism: Henry Fayol

E. Bureaucracy: Max Weber

F. Development of Management Theories

Ⅳ. Lesson's for Today's Leaders

A. What:  Leaders should be aware of the difference

a. Case Study

B. When: Smaller the group is, the more leader should be aware of both

a. Case Study

Ⅴ. Conclusion

Week 4: Chapter 4 "Stamina"

"Take care of yourself: Maintain your stamina and let go of guilt."

In order to overcome the obstacles, groups need sustainable energy and for that, leaders shouldn't forget about taking care of themselves, which is often too underestimated in contrast with its real importance.

However, from my personal experience, I think its quite difficult for leaders to keep the balance. 

In my case, in contrast with Shackleton, I think I'm good at taking care of my self but sometimes I "too much" take care of myself and probably resulting as a loss of my presence as a leader.

When I was too filled up with everything and feeling that I had no more capacity to deal with any more work, I told that to my junior staff not by saying directly but by showing certain attitude such as softly suggesting her to talk particular issue not to me but to other one of my peers. Since then, that junior staff apparently hesitate to bring any issue to me and instead, she's trying to solve or promote things by herself. This was not a preferable situation....actually it "is", since to tell the truth, its an on-going issue. 

Therefore, I now sometimes think that even if I actually did not have any more capacity, I should never show that to my members taking it as an obligation or role of a leader. 

Nevertheless, at the same time, I do think that it's an obviously case to avoid for the leader that keeping every frustrating feeling inside.

Therefore, I found the part "Find Outlets for Your Own Feelings" in the book pithy. 

I wrote the reflection note of the year at the end of 2014, and there I wrote that "this year, I was really helped by the lots of people around me giving me advice, always listening to my story with a sympathetic comment..." This meant that whenever I felt so depressed by the work as a Convener, I was helped a lot by the people around me (mainly they were not the members of my group). 

We do not have to tell every single situation or our feelings. Just telling part of the everything to someone and receiving warm words or wise advises is really, enough and effective. Actually, no other year than the last year I felt the preciousness of my reliable friends.

Essentially and basically, leaders are solitary. 

However, sometimes and in some cases, leaders should know how to reach for the help.

Week 4: Research Proposal

Leadership and Management: Two Different Skills for Today’s Leaders

The word “Leadership” and “Management” are often used as synonyms. However, looking back at the historical background of these words, each has a distinct meaning. The concept “Leadership” can be dated back to ancient times such as argument about aristocracy made by Prato. Also, “The Prince” by Machiavelli written in 16C, is probably the most powerful book regarding this theme. On the other hand, the concept “Management” is quite new, as it was born as a result of industrial revolution in the modern times, when owners became separated from administrators (Bjerke 1999). This paper aims to clarify first, the difference between the concept “Leadership” and “Management” and second, the concrete cases where both skills are needed. It seems that today’s leaders, the people who lead organizations, need to be aware of both Leadership and Management skills, have them, and utilize them.  Especially, when the smaller the organization is, the more important it becomes for leaders. Francisco and Bass points out the political traits of organization such as power, conflict, and coalition and also, political aspect of the leaders (2008). Chait, Ryan, and Taylor claims that there are three modes of governance (fiduciary mode, strategic mode, and generative mode) and that that is the most effective way (2005).

From the very beginning of this course, I had this question in me: What's the difference between Leadership and Management? Actually, the book I decided to read when I started my job as a convener was "Management" by Peter Ferdinand Drucker. To clarify my assumption here, I'm thinking that management deals with human's rational part, and leadership deals with human's emotional part. I think, even though we know there are emotional part and rational part inside us, we are neither always aware of it nor taking care of these two when we're in groups. So, I think clarifying the difference can be useful in terms of it enables us to be more effective and efficient in working in groups.

Week 3: Abstraction ＋ Emphasis ーthoughts related to "element 2: easy symbols"

As I promised to next write about element 2 in the previous post, I will ー but I would like to expand the scope a bit more so that I can think in a more flexible way.

So, we learned that easy symbols work well for the leadership. The question is, WHY? The answer is easy: "because they are impressive and therefore memorable".

I want to generalize this point into "what factors work well for the effective impression?"

ーmy answer is "Abstraction and Emphasis"

First, in order to give something strong and flamboyant impression, I think you have to abstract the essence, the core part of what you want to tell or show. Then, you have to emphasize it.

Let me show you some example.

A

B

These are photos both I took in Seoul, Korea. Basically these are taken in the almost same place and time...but don't you think B is more impressive?:D (Yes!)

A, I didn't do anything to this picture. B, I processed it.

Since what I wanted to trim from the scenery was the beautiful gradation of the sky, in the picture B, I emphasized the saturation. In other words, I "abstracted and emphasized".

I like processing these kind of photos because I think by processing, I can save not only the image of that moment but also the feeling and impression I had then. May be that's why so many people fell in love using apps like "Instagram" or "Pinterest" (actually I do love both lol)

Week 3: Chapter 2 "Symbolism and Personal Example"

"Set a personal example with visible, memorable symbols and behaviors."

I haven't studied philosophy before so this can be wrong, but human seems to have two natures: reason and emotion. Chapter 2 seems to be more focusing on leadership tactics for this human "emotion".

Basic idea from Shackleton stated in the chapter 2 is, as concisely shown in the quote above, two things: 1. personal presence 2. easy symbols work quite well to encourage groups.

Thoughts on element 1: personal presence

This reminds me of the argument about "charisma". Looking back at the history, so-called great leaders seemed to have this element. Personally, through their visible performances, "charismatic" leaders seem to send a silent message saying that they have two seemingly opposite traits (which work well to draw the fidelity from the members): "friendliness" and "force". 

The more the leader shows great sophisticated skills, the more people feel the leader afar since majority of the people are not that much "perfect".

Therefore, leaders need to in some way show that they are at the same place as them. When one of the member lost his mittens, Shackleton threw his. I thought this is one of the examples of leaders showing that they are at the same position with other members. By throwing his, he showed his will to the members that he too will suffer from the cold together with his member. 

Nevertheless, it is also true that when leaders show too much friendliness all the way up to the point that they completely loose their difference in their act from other members, this is not a good situation for the groups - in terms of confronting the Edge. 

My basic image of leadership contains the assumption of affirmation of the hierarchy at the end of the day. I mean, yes, leaders are not "Boss" (actually I've written about it in my previous post), but the fact itself that you are distinguishing "leader" from "members" can be interpreted as having that assumption. However, I do understand that from another point of view, this distinction is as same as difference in characters, whose difference doesn't have a competitive nature. So the point I wanted to make here is, as far as they are leaders, they should never forget about their unique role, which is different from that of the members. 

And I say, that is "force".

Well, but why in the first place leaders "need" force? I didn't mention it yet. I'll answer to it here.
I don't want to be like a totalitarian leader, but I think some of the points they made related to leadership were right. And one of them related to my point is that, human, in their nature, desire for the power on which they can rely on, or which removes their fear.
If leaders can supplement this hollow, then they can get not only rational support but also emotional attachment from their members.
Leaders are the ones who make decisive decision at the last moment and decisive decision often tend to entail antipathy. In order to minimize this antipathy, obviously which is not good for the atmosphere of the group and therefore not good for the group unity, building firm emotional relationships with members do matter a lot for the leaders. 

Because these two features are something opposite in their nature, balancing between these two become one of the tuff things for leaders, I think - and I actually feel. 

Thoughts on element 2: easy symbols

...I didn't expect writing till here takes this much time!!!

So, I'll write about this in my next post.

I sometimes forget about the time when I'm too absorbed in something......nah!