15 Aug Answer the questions
Each of these 11 answers should be 50 words or more (not including the question!).
Integrative Leadership Reading 1: Introduction to the Integrative Leadership Model
There are many different models that can be used to learn about leadership. These models may have some differences, but at the core, effective leadership requires that one adopts specific behaviors that are known to be common among successful leaders. Throughout this course, we will be referring to a leadership development model called "Integrative Leadership."
At the most fundamental level, Integrative Leadership is based upon the notion that, in order to become a leader who can transform the world, you need to begin by transforming yourself. You need to develop "self-leadership" skills. Much like a pebble tossed into a pond, your self-leadership has the capacity to cause ripples. If you can lead yourself effectively, then you can create good and well-functioning relationships with others (family, friends, co-workers, classmates, etc). Once these individual relationships are mastered, you will be able to work as a leader and contributor to teams. Teams occur all the time in work and school – and even among friends and family. Teams are small(ish) groups that set out to accomplish something. As a self leader capable of having effective relationships with others, you can inspire and lead a team.
Individuals, groups, and teams, don’t exist in a vacuum. They exist in workplaces, classrooms, schools, churches, and other, large organizations. If you develop your leadership skills so that you can effectively participate on a team and even lead a team, then you can lead an even greater entity – you can become a leader who successfully influences an entire community or culture!
In essence, by developing your self-leadership skills, you can create a ripple effect that goes far beyond just achieving your own personal goals. Think of the great leaders you know of. Virtually all started by developing self-leadership skills and then those skills helped them to develop successful connections with other individuals, then teams, then large groups/institutions, and eventually entire communities and even cultures.
In the Integrative Leadership model, self-leadership comes about by practicing something called "Informed Mindfulness." We’ll learn more about this soon, but for now, here is what you should know:
Informed mindfulness is a concept that connects self-awareness and self-regulation with educated decision-making. The mindful person is aware, non-judgmentally, of what is occurring in the present moment and understands that his or her response is a choice. With informed mindfulness, as situations arise and decision points are faced, that same person is able to place what is happening in its larger context and, having clear values and being sufficiently educated, make an informed choice within that moment.
This concept—self-awareness and self-regulation coupled with knowledge, skills, values, and wisdom—forms the foundation of Integrative Leadership.
Integrative Leadership Question 1)
What could you accomplish (for yourself or for others) if you developed exceptional leadership skills? Your answer should be at least 50 words. Be as descriptive as possible.
Lesson 2:
We begin examining Integrative Leadership by exploring the first domain which is Self Leadership. (You can see it in the very center of the diagram pictured above.) According to the Integrative Leadership model, Self Leadership can be developed through Informed Mindfulness. Read this short segment about Informed Mindfulness, then answer the question at the very bottom of this page.
Informed Mindfulness
Informed mindfulness is a concept that connects mindfulness, self-regulation and educated decision-making. The mindful person is aware, non-judgmentally, of what is happening in the present moment and understands that how he or she responds is a choice. With informed mindfulness, as situations arise and decision points are faced, that same person is able to place what is happening in its larger context and, having clear values and being sufficiently educated, he or she is able to make an informed choice and not an emotional one.
For example, if people are mindful of the fact that they tend to avoid conflict, when such a situation arises and they begin to shift into avoidance behavior, they will be aware that they are engaging in that behavior. Awareness alone, however, is not enough. A person also needs to understand the options that might lead to improved results. In this case, it would help to think: "How do I accept this situation and deal with it in a beneficial way? What are my choices?"
Informed mindfulness naturally includes the qualities of curiosity and inquisitiveness. It requires having an attitude of openness and the release of preconceptions and prejudices as one studies a subject in order to educate oneself in the most accurate and honest way.
Combining mindful self-awareness with tacit (learned through observation) and explicit (acquired through formal education) knowledge as well as that which becomes self-evident through increasing awareness and contemplation leads to informed mindfulness.
Integrative Leadership Assignment Question 2)
Describe a time when you were quick to judgement and then found out that you were wrong. What did you learn about yourself from this experience? Your answer should be at least 50 words.
Lesson 3:
The Integrative Leadership Model says that people who are good at self leadership have developed some specialized skills or "Internal Qualities." Read the list of these Internal Qualities (below) and then answer the question at the bottom of this page.
List of Internal Qualities Essential to Self Leadership:
Integrity. In any transformative process, it is hard to lead and bring about change without personal integrity—without whole- ness, consistency, a high level of honesty with self and others, and an adherence to a strong moral code. Having integrity is what gives rise to a culture of trust. If Integrative Leaders encourage others to act with respect, they should show respect in their interactions.
Authenticity. To be authentic, when a self-aware person makes a conscious choice about how to respond (rather than react) to a situation, that response should be consistent with his or her values and beliefs, a skill that rests on having the awareness of one’s actual values and beliefs.
Courage. Courage is the ability to do something despite fear. It is the capacity to act on one’s beliefs despite danger, difficulty, or disapproval. Another definition of courage is “having the mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship.” It implies a firmness of mind and will.
For Integrative Leaders, this means understanding their greater purpose and prioritizing that purpose over their own fears or the difficulties that a particular situation may create. Having the ability to determine an order for dealing with tasks according to their importance, rather than prioritizing around what is easy or comfortable, is an essential leadership skill.
Compassion. Compassion is sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. The practice of compassion is moving one’s concern from self to others.
In many ways, compassion requires courage. In addition to involving concern for the suffering of others, compassion includes the willingness to do what one can to help relieve that suffering, even if that relief of suffering for another causes the one with compassion to experience discomfort.
Empathy. When leaders are empathic, they have the capacity to understand the emotions that others are feeling; they are aware of and sensitive to both the suffering and the joy of others.
Humility. Humility is the state of maintaining a modest view of one’s own importance. It is a mental state in which one does not see one’s self as being “better” than others, but instead values everyone. One of the best ways to cultivate humility is by examining our dependence on others. For instance, someone else made the clothes you are wearing, someone else grew the food you cooked last night, other people constructed your house, built your car and paved the roads you drive on and throughout your life, many others have taught you things like math and language and how to drive a car or operate a computer. No one lives “on their own.” In a similar vein, organizational success is dependent on the work of each and every person in that organization.
Passion. All leaders have areas where they are stronger or weaker, but if nothing else, Integrative Leaders exude passion. They are clear, on purpose, and intrinsically motivated. Their desire to do good, to bring about a change in healthcare, and to help others resonates widely and influences all with whom they come in contact. It is passion that excites and motivates, and it is passion that creates resiliency and helps leaders face the challenges that inevitably arise.
Integrative Leadership Question 3) Say what career you are hoping to enter (Accounting, Sales, Human Resources, etc.) and then describe how one of the internal qualities described above would be helpful to you in that career field. Write at least 50 words.
Lesson 4:
Below are some factors that, in addition to the Internal Qualities described previously, are essential to self-leadership. Read through this list and then answer the question at the bottom of the page.
Additional Factors for Self-Leadership:
Self-reflection: Self-reflection is the consideration of one’s own actions in such a way as to transform one’s present and future experience. It is defined as “serious contemplation about one’s character, actions, and motivations.” Making time for self-reflection and then taking steps to deliberately move toward a place of greater integrity and authenticity is an essential part of Integrative Leadership.
Presence: Presence refers to the manner in which a person is present in his or her life and in the lives of others. The basic idea is that when a person achieves some level of virtue, that virtue begins to be naturally reflected in the person’s being and radiates through his or her thoughts and actions. Conse- quently, the level of virtue a leader has personally achieved has a direct effect on the people with whom that leader comes in contact.
Resiliency: The fact is, problems will arise and setbacks will occur, and how a leader responds to these will set the tone for the organization. Resiliency, on a physical level, is the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; emotionally, it is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Leaders become mentally and emotionally resilient through practicing informed mindfulness and self-reflection. Leaders become physically resilient by engaging in good self-care practices, which include maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating correctly, exercising, being in nature, getting enough sleep, using stress reduction strategies, protecting quiet time, and maintaining strong family and social connections.
Creating a Personal Board of Advisors: With informed mindfulness comes an understanding of one’s strengths and weaknesses. No one can be an expert in all things, and even a leader’s strongest areas can always be strengthened further. However, a crucial part of personal development comes through addressing the areas in which one is challenged. It can be intimidating to approach accomplished individuals, but leaders should not hesitate to ask potential mentors if they are willing to have a conversation or engage in a relationship or offer guidance. These mentors may accept or decline the invitation, of course, but mentors cannot say “yes” unless asked.
Integrative Leadership Question 4) In a few sentences, describe a time when you made use of one of the "additional factors" described above. Did it help you? Be sure to write at least 50 words.
Lesson 5:
The second domain of Integrative Leadership has to do with your one-on-one relationships with others. Strong leaders know how to build well-functioning friendships and working relationships with other individuals. They’re able to talk to others and build trust. They know themselves well enough to understand how they’re being perceived by others.
In this lesson, you will learn about two concepts: Trust and Emotional Intelligence.
Trust
Trust is a critical element of leadership. To develop trust in a relationship, you must adhere to a code of ethics. Trustworthy people do what they say they will do. They are honest in their dealings. They tell the truth, maintain confidences, and they are capable of doing what they say they will do. In addition, someone trustworthy can be counted on to be helpful and not hurtful. We trust people when we believe they have a genuine concern for our best interests or the best interests of others.
You would not trust your health to a doctor who was incompetent. You would not take financial advice from someone whom, you suspect, might gain from your financial losses. You would not share something personal with a "friend" who has a reputation for gossip or who speaks poorly of you when you are not around. The only way to build trust is to demonstrate trustworthiness by keeping your word, being honest about your motives and intentions, ensuring that you are capable of doing what you say you can do, meeting your obligations, and putting others or the team above your personal agenda.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence.png
Emotional intelligence is a concept that describes how mindfulness and self-awareness manifest in the actual process of building relationships with others. Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions.
Take a look at the diagram below. Box 1 refers to Self-Awareness. Being self-aware means that you are aware of your strengths and your weaknesses. You know what "triggers" you emotionally. Emotionally intelligent people know themselves well and continually work to improve themselves by developing their emotional wellness and self-confidence.
Box 2, Managing Self is all about how you manage the emotions we talked about in Box 1. People who are emotionally intelligent have emotions just like anyone else – but they know how to manage those emotions effectively. They know how to mange negative emotions such as anger, jealousy, sorrow, etc. They have self-control to avoid unproductive or inappropriate outbursts and tantrums. They channel negative emotions into positive energy. When a co-worker receives a promotion, they become inspired rather than jealous. When overwhelmed, they soothe themselves with exercise, a cup of tea, a or a chat with a friend. Sure a good cry can be helpful at times, but an emotionally intelligent person knows the right time and place for it.
Box 3, Social Awareness, refers to the emotionally intelligent person’s ability to "read" other’s. They can tell when they are boring other people, or when they are angering a friend or members of their work team. Emotionally intelligent people "know the right thing to say." An emotionally intelligent student will question a teacher about a grade in a way that appeals to the teacher by politely asking how the grade was determined. A student lacking in emotional intelligence might just yell at the instructor (and be escorted out of the classroom by security!) If you are aware of how others perceive you and your actions and you demonstrate concern for their perception, you are displaying emotional intelligence.
Box 4 is about Managing Others – it means putting other people first and helping them to achieve their goals. It is using influence to help and inspire others. It is demonstrating your trustworthiness in a way that brings out the very best in others. Emotionally intelligent people are great team members. They work with others, keep their agreements, resolve conflicts fairly and without diminishing others.
To develop emotional intelligence, ask yourself the following:
What am I feeling and why?
What emotions/behaviors are appropriate for this situation?
How are others perceiving me? What do they see when they observe my behaviors? Am I likeable (even when I disagree with someone)?
How can I help others? How can I bring out the best in others?
Obviously, the more emotional intelligence a leader has, the better he or she will be able to navigate human interactions.
Integrative Leadership Question 5)
This question concerns your emotional intelligence. Describe what you believe is your greatest character strength and compare that to what you think others would say about you. For example – If you believe that you are "brave," would others say that they believe you are brave? Why or why not? Your answer should be at least 50 words.
Lesson 6:
Appreciative Inquiry is the name of a method of asking someone questions while avoiding judgment and trying to bring out "the best" in the person you are talking to.
When you use Appreciative Inquiry, you don’t "yell" at someone because they "messed up." Rather you avoid making a judgment and seek to understand what happened and why. Imagine two scenarios where you arrive late to meet a friend for a movie. In the first scenario, the friend assumes that you are thoughtless or disorganized and so she greets you by saying "What’s wrong with you? You made us miss our movie! You are always so thoughtless!" In the second case, your friend assumes that you would not intentionally be late. She greets you by saying "Hi! We can’t make the movie anymore. I know how hard you are working at your new job. What if, in the future, we just met for coffee instead? That way, we could spend more time talking.
Integrative Leaders use their emotional intelligence to develop insightful, functional relationships. In building such relationships, it is critical to understand and care about the individuals one is working with, especially what motivates them and the extent of their capabilities. One way to discover what is the "best" about an individual is through the process of appreciative inquiry.
Appreciative Inquiry involves the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential. It involves inquiry through the crafting of "unconditional positive questions."
By its very nature, appreciative inquiry implies a generosity of spirit toward others, and a surrendering of one’s ego in the interaction. The focus of the inquiry is on the other person.
For example, a department may be underperforming. In trying to determine why, a leader could approach the situation with anger, disappointment, or frustration. But beginning by trying to understand the strengths of the department is more useful. One could ask the employees, what do you think your strengths are? What has been your best work experience to date? What processes have been the most effective? What about the work excites you?
Listening to the answers will not only deepen a leader’s understanding of the group, it will also change the group dynamics. In his article, Five Theories of Change Embedded in Appreciative Inquiry, Gervase Bushe, PhD, says, “As we talk to each other, we are constructing the world we see and think about, and as we change how we talk we are changing that world. From this perspective … creating new and better theories/ideas/images is, therefore, a powerful way of changing organizations.”
When my students don’t do their homework, I, as their instructor, feel disappointed and frustrated thinking that they don’t care about the class and they won’t learn what they need to learn. Based upon Appreciative Inquiry, I might ask students who don’t do their homework "What assignments do you find most valuable or interesting?" or "Which assignments are you most proud of" or "what circumstances make it easier for you to complete your assignments on time?" In doing so, I am helping them to realize the value they receive from the course, while informing me of ways that I can make the course more meaningful and valuable to my students,
Because Appreciative Inquiry is an important concept, I have included two additional resources concerning AI for you to look at in this module. Review those resources (click the "next button at the bottom of this page) and then come back and answer the question below.
Integrative Leadership Question 6)
Imagine that you are frustrated because your English teacher gave you a C- on a short story you wrote. You thought your story was quite good and deserved an A.
Come up with an Appreciative Inquiry style question that you could ask your professor. Remember: because you are using Appreciative Inquiry your questioning should not focus on what is wrong with your paper (so don’t ask the teacher to tell you what you did wrong). Instead, focus on what is right with your paper or focus on what your instructor likes to see in short stories.
Using Appreciative Inquiry should lead to greater understanding and a stronger relationship with your professor.
For this assignment, you only need to write one sentence!
Lesson 7:
At this point you have learned about the first two Domains of integrative Leadership: Self-Leadership and Building Functional Relationships with Others.
Corey Booker is a United States Senator from New Jersey (he is also currently hoping to be the Democratic nominee for US President – but this assignment is not meant as an endorsement of Booker). Watch his 2017 commencement (graduation) address to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. You can read more about Senator Booker here.
Corey Booker’s Commencement Address to Penn, 2017 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Integrative Leadership Question 7)
Make a list of three stories from Senator Booker’s speech and explain how they relate to the first two domains of Integrative Leadership (Self-Leadership and Building Functional Relationships). Do not just say "Senator Booker exhibited self-leadership when he…." Instead, you must identify the SPECIFIC skill from the sections we already covered (trust, self-awareness, compassion, emotional intelligence, passion, empathy, authenticity, etc.) You might need to go back to the earlier Integrative Leadership readings if you don’t remember what these are.
Your answer should be at least 50 words.
Lesson 8:
The third domain of Integrative Leadership concerns teams and effective group dynamics. Read the passage below.
Building on their informed mindfulness and relationship skills developed in Domains One and Two, Integrative Leaders foster effective group dynamics in order to create compelling and powerful teams.
As with individual relationships, building effective group dynamics begins with creating a culture of trust. When members of a team learn to trust each other, they become willing to engage in open discourse and healthy conflict. With all members encouraged to express their opinion, the group listens in a nonjudgmental way, allowing new and divergent ideas to emerge. Ultimately, after all team members have had a chance to be heard and with guidance from the leader, the team commits to a plan of action.
Understanding what motivates people helps leaders create an organizational culture that inspires commitment and peak performance. Effectively handling the inevitable conflicts that arise strengthens the culture of trust. With commitment comes accountability—which means being openly responsible for something, a willingness to own not only the decision-making process but also its results—and with the courage to be accountable comes sustainable results.
Group Dynamics
Group dynamics is a field of study concerned with the behaviors and psychological processes that occur in social and organizational settings. In many ways, effective leadership depends on how well one understands a given group’s decision-making processes—that is, how new ideas emerge and are adopted or rejected. Central to group dynamics is the premise that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and that any group will evolve both positive and negative behaviors as well as shared perceptions.
People are constantly influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors or follow certain trends.
Despite any leader’s best efforts, negative group dynamics can and do occur. Negative dynamics are created when there is (1) weak leadership and the team does not have clear direction, (2) an excessive deference to authority such that people are afraid to speak up, (3) a situation where certain team members block the flow of information through criticism or domination of conversations, or (4) a dynamic in which not everyone on the team contributes equally and/or is treated equally, therein generating resentment.
Positive group dynamics are created when (1) the mission and vision are understood by everyone, (2) there is a culture of openness and trust, (3) roles and responsibilities are well defined, (4) accountability for success is embraced by everyone, (5) problems are tackled quickly, and (6) barriers are broken down through good communication.
Motivation
There are two types of motivation—external and intrinsic. External motivation is driven by external rewards: In order to pass a test, you have to read a textbook. Intrinsic motivation has to do with internal rewards: You want to learn about a subject so you read the textbook because you know it will help you to learn.
Three psychological needs motivate intrinsic human behavior and affect psychological well-being. These are the need for (1) competence or mastery, (2) autonomy, and (3) relatedness or close relationships. Extending people enough autonomy to make decisions in their jobs, helping them achieve mastery, and understanding how their personal goals relate to the vision and mission of the organization will result in a higher functioning team.
Integrative Leadership Question 8)
Think of a time when you were part of a group and felt that you and the others were at peak performance. Which of the concepts in the article above contributed to the positive group dynamics? Your answer should be 50 words or more.
Lesson 9:
Read the passage (below) and then give a brief answer to the question that follows.
When working in groups at work or at school interpersonal conflicts may arise and when they do, Integrative Leaders need conflict-resolution skills. Holding a “courageous conversation” means addressing the conflict in a constructive and non-judgmental way. Such a conversation addresses the issue at hand, identifies the consequences of the issue, clarifies the responsibilities of all those involved, and determines the possibilities for a successful resolution.
Here is a model that you might want to use when two or more people in your organization are having a conflict.
Integrative Leadership Question 9)
Describe what you think of the model discussed in the link, above. Do you think this could help you when conflict arises?
Lesson 10:
Read the following passage about overcoming resistance in organizations. Then answer the question at the end of the passage.
Situational Awareness
With their own teams functioning at a high level, Integrative Leaders turn their attention to improving and transforming the greater organization in which they find themselves.
A leader cannot change an organization or system unless he or she understands its processes and can identify the attitudes, norms, behavior patterns, beliefs, processes, and rules that need to change in order for the vision to manifest.
Situational awareness could be likened to informed mindfulness on an organizational level. It is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information in one’s environment with regard to a specific goal or mission. When leaders find themselves in a challenging situation, they should look at it from a multitude of angles and ask, if I were the CEO what would I think of this situation? If I were the Finance Officer what would I think? If I were the customer, what would I think? Who is affected? Given the influencing factors, what is likely to occur? What are the potential positive and negative outcomes and how can I impact those outcomes?
Overcoming a Resistant Culture
To overcome resistance, Integrative Leaders should demonstrate credibility in everything they do while accomplishing the following:
Understand people’s resistance and its root cause (speak to people individually and in groups)
Act or communicate to address the root cause (explain what is happening and why)
Involve people in the change process (make sure that the individuals involved help implement the changes)
Create alliances (build relationships across the organization)
Build communities of acceptance (pull together groups of people who will accept and advocate for the changes)
Integrative Leadership Question 10)
Imagine that you are the head of an organization and you are considering changing work hours from 9AM to 5PM five days a week to 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM four days a week. Based on the list above, what are three things that you could do to help your organization overcome a resistant culture. Give SPECIFIC examples of what you would do and how you would do it (do not just copy the list, above!) Your answer should be at least 50 words.
Lesson 11:
Integrative Leadership Domains.jpg
The last domain of Integrative Leadership concerns cultural change. Think about Women’s Suffrage, Civil Rights, Gender Equality, Climate Consciousness, and Consumer Safety. These are all examples of cultural change that extended far beyond the individual leaders, groups, and organizations who initiated the change.
Culture can be defined as a set of learned behaviors and ideas (including beliefs
attitudes, values, and ideals) that are characteristic of a particular society, social group or
organization. It is important to note that culture is learned and therefore changeable. Cultural change depends, in part, on the perceived value of the change. True sustainability can only be achieved by creating value – even for people who are only indirectly impacted by the change - and implementing a continued process of evolution that will maintain that value.
Integrative leadership extends the cultural change to outsiders. The change is no longer maintained or carried forward by those who crafted the ideals or who stand to benefit from the change most directly. Individuals, groups, and organizations who were not originally part of the change movement must align with the change, and add their perspective and additional value until the change becomes a sustained cultural movement.
For example, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, raised the minimum wage for all of Amazon’s employees. He then challenged Amazon’s competitors to do the same. In doing so, Bezos extended his influence beyond the culture of his own firm.
Integrative Leadership Question 11)
If you could change any one thing about the culture of today’s society, what would it be and why? Your answer must be at least 50 words.
