How to improve on success

A major healthcare company had for 10 years successfully conducted a leadership development program (LDP) designed to prepare young leaders to take on leadership roles in the organization.     

The annual three-day off-site conference is a key event each year, offering workshops and discussions as well as a dedicated community service day. Traditionally, in-house trainers and facilitators had conducted the annual retreat; however, in 2008 the program director sought to intensify the retreat and move away from a focus on functional learning.

Expert attention    

For the June 2008 LDP annual retreat, Laura Freebairn-Smith designed a one day training program, "Discovering Your Leadership Style," to give a greater dose of self-awareness and attention to core values to the study of leadership. The learning objectives for this program were: to explore leadership models; for each participant to explore his/her individual leadership style; and for each participant to develop his/her own leadership framework.

The session covered the individual's leadership role, through changing and creating organizations, managing human dynamics and resolving organizational tensions. With "a good blend of teaching and activity and participation," as one participant commented, the interactive program included an overview of the leadership field, trait theory and skill theory, a review of several leadership models, an exploration of Vroom's group leadership model and development of a personal leadership story. Not just an academic program, Laura brought "real world examples and potential solutions," one participant commented, and that with an MBA perspective Laura's approach was "research-based, logical and 'real'."    

Outcomes

Objectives for both participants and the LDP were fulfilled. Participants expressed their satisfaction by rating the one-day training as 5.6 out of 6. The response to the program was so positive that Laura Freebairn-Smith was invited to return to present a similar one-day program at another retreat in August 2009. 

 > Read and download the full case on our website

In the case above, Laura Freebairn-Smith introduced Victor Vroom's leadership decision-making model to participants in the healthcare company's leadership development program. Developed by Victor Vroom and Philip Yetton (published in their 1973 book Leadership and Decision-Making), it is an enduring model in the study of organizational psychology.

Oftentimes, new managers think that they must make decisions alone. Instead, Vroom offers a model for decision-making based on a continuum of the level of subordinates' (or team) participation, with three points along the continuum defined: autocratic, consultative, and group-based. 

Using a decision tree to diagram this model, Vroom/Yetton defined five styles of decision-making, each appropriate to different situations based on the degree to which the leader encourages participation. The five styles set forth in the model are:

1        Autocractic I: Leader makes decision on his own using information readily available at the time.

2        Autocractic II: Leader obtains additional information from group members and then makes decision alone.

3        Consultative I: Leader makes decision after consulting individually with team members.

4        Consultative II: Leader collectively obtains input from team but makes decision alone.

5        Group II: Leader meets with team to discuss situation; leader may facilitate discussion, but team reaches consensus decision. 

You can learn more about this model in Leadership and Decision-Making (1973) by Vroom and Yetton.

On March 11, 2011, over lunch at Mory's in New Haven, we will hold our second in a series of OD Salons centered around the questions:

• What role does honesty play in organizational life? 
• What is organizational honesty? 
• What action taken or not taken by your organization or someone in it would cause you to quit your job? 
• What is your "ethics line" and what is it for others in your organization?

Through these Salons, we offer our clients and colleagues an opportunity to explore in more detail deeper questions about organizational life--a chance to play with ideas about what is and what can be in the organizations in which we work.

• There is no charge to attend Salons.
• Lunch is included. 
• Invite a colleague! 
• Salon participants will receive a 20% discount on future in-house workshops.

Following the Salons, a summary of the event, including thoughts from the participants, will be posted on our website and available for continued discussion.

For more detail on the concept of a "salon" or details about all of our scheduled OD Salons, visit our website. To register, email Joan or call (203) 288-6688.