Sunday, October 27, 2019

TVLL 019: Stages of Small-Group Development | Tuckman

TVLL 019: Stages of Small-Group Development | Tuckman






Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7tOALvmv_Q&feature=youtu.be


Have you ever been part of a team or group?  Have you noticed how the group might have progressed through stages as it formed?  One researcher, by the name of Bruce Tuckman, studied this same phenomenon. 


This video provides a great summary of Tuckman’s work.  How can you apply the stages of small-group development to the teams in your organization? 


Additional References


Maples, M. F. (1988). Group development: Extending Tuckman's theory. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 13(1), 17-23.


Runkel, P. J., Lawrence, M., Oldfield, S., Rider, M., & Clark, C. (1971). Stages of group development: An empirical test of Tuckman's hypothesis. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 7(2), 180-193.


Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-399. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0022100


Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. C. (2010). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group Facilitation: A Research & Applications Journal, 10, 43-48.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

TVLL 018: Pave the Cow Paths


TVLL 018: Pave the Cow Paths



I ran across some interesting content the other day.  It reminded me of a rather innovative process, “paving the cow paths”.  I had first heard of this while attending the University of Maryland.  I used to think it was only applicable to design and engineering, but I now see that it has potential in other fields as well.  This short and rather enlightening video shows how this concept is being used in IT and social media.  How can this be applied to leadership?  If you listen, will those you lead actually tell you how to best lead them?  What are the pros and cons of utilizing this approach?

Saturday, August 31, 2019

TVLL 017: Groupthink

TVLL 017: Groupthink



Groupthink Video (3:02): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USJ8OSIjhvk

This video shows a theatrical representation of groupthink based on the events surrounding the Challenger disaster. Significant cultural change at NASA occurred following this tragic incident. One of those changes was creating a culture of safety.



Safety Culture Video (3:59): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9DIKZqB24

Does your organizational culture encourage or discourage groupthink? Are you free to or encouraged to express your thoughts in your organization? What are your organization's main priorities? Is conflict seen as something to be avoided or something that should be celebrated? How does this relate to leadership?



Short Challenger Documentary (6:57): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYX35Z_L-dw

Additional References:

Dimitroff, R. D., Schmidt, L. A., & Bond, T. D. (2005). Organizational behavior and disaster: A study of conflict at NASA. Project Management Journal, 36(2), 28-38.

Lunenburg, F. C. (2010). Group decision making: The potential for groupthink. International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration, 13(1), 1-6.

\Moorhead, G., Ference, R., & Neck, C. P. (1991). Group decision fiascoes continue: Space shuttle Challenger and a revised groupthink framework. Human Relations, 44(6), 539-550.





Teitel, A. S. (2018, January 25). How Groupthink Led to 7 Lives Lost in the Challenger Explosion. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/news/how-the-challenger-disaster-changed-nasa

Saturday, August 24, 2019

TVLL 016: Visual Cognition | Simons

TVLL 016: Visual Cognition | Simons




Original Video (1:21): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo






Alternative Video (1:41): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY






Follow-up Video (4:45): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtKt8YF7dgQ


So, this is a fun one. Many have seen this before. If you have seen the original video, look at the alternate video. If you have seen that one, look at follow-up video. If you are feeling frisky, watch all three.


How might this relate to leadership? What are you looking for that you missed? What did you miss because you were looking for something else? How do you determine or communicate task-level focus in your work center?

Friday, August 23, 2019

TVLL 015: The Stanford Prison Experiment | Zimbardo


TVLL 015: The Stanford Prison Experiment | Zimbardo

 

Video (7:39) *WARNING -- LANGUAGE*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsWJPNhLCUU
 

The Stanford Prison Experiment, as controversial as it was, offers us a cautionary view into the complexities of human behavior.  From psychology, to sociology, to criminal justice, and leading others, this experiment still offers many lessons.
 

What do the findings from this experiment mean for those in leadership?  Do you and your people own your actions/behaviors?  Are you a positive influence on others?  Are you positively influenced by others?  Does your organizational culture promote a healthy environment for all?  Are toxic leaders just good people in bad environments?

 
Reference Website:
 
 
Other Videos:
 
 
 
 

Sunday, August 18, 2019

TVLL 014: Power | French and Raven


TVLL 014: Power | French and Raven



French and Raven provide us a framework to examine and leverage power.  At times, and in different situations, we may have differing degrees of power with respect to each power base.  It takes a self-aware and humble leader to recognize the right time and the right need for the proper application of power.  Overuse is just as bad as abuse and lessens a leader’s credibility. 

How have you seen power used in your workplace?  Have you seen it abused?  With the addition of information power and the internet, what challenges do you think these two variables present for leaders?

Be sure to check out the video notes for links to additional content and references to original works. 

Friday, August 16, 2019

TVLL 013: Obedience or Engaged Followership | Milgram and Haslam


TVLL 013: Obedience or Engaged Followership | Milgram and Haslam


Haslam TEDxUQ Video (17:50): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxXMKg8-7o0

Many of us are familiar with the Milgram Experiment that suggested humans will go to very far lengths to obey a person of perceived authority.  Haslam provided a new look at the same experiments and extracted some interesting findings. 

Why is it important for leaders to understand both Milgram’s and Haslam’s work?  Do your employees blindly obey?  Are they engaged followers?  Are they free to question?  Are there other checks on behavior? 

The Milgram Experiment (11:46): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOUEC5YXV8U

Thursday, August 15, 2019

TVLL 012: The Hierarchy of Needs | Maslow


TVLL 012: The Hierarchy of Needs | Maslow



This video discusses Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  This is a rather foundational concept in traditional psychology and organizational psychology specific to the topics of motivation and leadership.  In fact, this concept has ties to many of the other concepts recently discussed. 

How does understanding Maslow’s hierarchy of needs help you as an organizational leader?  How can you assist in meeting the needs of your employees?  What benefits might you see meeting the needs of your employees?  How do you align personal and organizational needs?  What conceptual linkages can you make to the work of Deci and Ryan, Herzberg, or McGregor? 

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

TVLL 011: Theory X and Theory Y | McGregor

TVLL 011: Theory X and Theory Y | McGregor


Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXAzZRnJo2o

This video discusses McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y - not to be confused with Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (TVLL 010). McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y describe how beliefs about employee motivation can lead to certain supervisory behaviors.

Do you identify more with theory X or theory Y? Does your organizational culture tend more towards the assumption that employees behave more like the theory X or theory Y examples? Have you observed controlling practices within your organization? Have you observed resistive counterforces resulting from controlling practices within your organization? What effect might this have on productivity and profitability? How can you better meet the higher-level needs of your workforce?

TVLL 010: Two-Factor Theory of Motivation | Herzberg


TVLL 010: Two-Factor Theory of Motivation | Herzberg

Video (5:20): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PokpX56G_4 (WARNING: Language)

In this video we are introduced to Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation.  Herzberg identified several factors that contributed to happiness and motivation at work.  He discusses two generalized groupings of these factors – one he identified as hygiene factors and the other as motivational factors.  As discussed in the video, the hygiene factors do not motivate, they only prevent people from being unhappy.  Herzberg gives an example of why attempting to motivate using hygiene factors would likely be costly and ineffective.

Does your organization provide adequate support with respect to hygiene factors?  How can you best utilize motivational factors in increasing workforce motivation?  How do you make the work interesting and rewarding?  How is achievement recognized in your organization?  How does this theory relate to Self-Determination Theory (TVLL 009)?

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

TVLL 009: Self-Determination Theory | Deci and Ryan


TVLL 009: Self-Determination Theory | Deci and Ryan



This video introduces some fundamental concepts in leadership - autonomy, competence, and relatedness.  Self-determination theory (SDT) suggests that motivation is contingent on several internal and external factors that modify one’s motivational state.  SDT suggests that motivation can be though of as a continuum ranging from amotivation, to extrinsic motivation, and intrinsic motivation. 

Are you, as a leader, meeting the needs of your workforce?  How can you increase autonomy in your workforce?  What can you do to help develop competence in your workforce?  How can you increase relatedness in your workforce?  What does it mean for the individual if one or more of these needs are left unmet?  How can you use the tenets of self-determination theory to increase intrinsic motivation within your workforce?  

Note: This video was created by Laura Kriegel.  The audio excerpt is from the opening keynote at The Self-Determination Theory Conference 2013 by Dr. Richard Ryan.  The original keynote presentation can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4E10e8zIkw

More information can be found at the Center for Self-Determination Theory website, located at: https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/research/theoretical-overviews-and-research-reviews/

 

Monday, August 12, 2019

TVLL 008: Mentoring



TVLL 008: Mentoring






Many successful individuals would admit that they did not become successful in isolation.  They had help.  Success is a team sport.  Whatever their title, you probably had help in getting to where you are today.  I am thankful for the many people in my life that took time out of their schedule to mentor me.  I know I would not be where I am if it weren’t for a few key individuals.   

How do we help those around us become better versions of themselves?  How do we help others span self-imposed boundaries?  How do we help those around us develop as leaders?  How do we develop a bias for action and an ability to seek out the yes in each situation? 

Sunday, August 11, 2019

TVLL 007: The Peter Principle


TVLL 007: The Peter Principle


Video (8:40): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZDdxYBaFsw

I am fortunate to have not one but two careers where leadership development is valued. Indeed, it is my passion. I have learned a lot from each but from very different perspectives.

As we examine the Peter Principle in this post, I offer my perspective on two different promotion systems. I am both a firefighter/paramedic and an Air Force Reservist. I am fairly junior in Fire/EMS and more senior in the Air Force enlisted ranks. These competing perspectives keep me grounded and offer insights that might be lost if I did not co-exist in each of these worlds.

In Fire/EMS, one can spend their entire career at a level they choose. Want to drive fire trucks for 25 years? Awesome, be the best driver/operator out there. Want to be a Fire Chief some day? Awesome, you’ve got some work to do. There are choices here. There are opportunities to carve out your niche or promote. You can plant your flag and declare this is where I will establish my base of experience or start my developmental journey to the top.

In contrast, the military (more so active duty than the National Guard or Reserve) has an up-or-out style promotion system. Standards set high-year-tenure dates for enlisted members and officers are looked at for retention after 2-3 promotion cycles if they were not selected for advancement. If you are an excellent technician or company officer, you might not be allowed to keep “turning wrenches” for the entirety of your career. At some point, you’ll be asked to promote past that level and “fly a desk”. What if your passions and skills align at the tactical level and not the operational or strategic levels? What does this mean for the organization? Are highly skilled technical experts or subordinate leaders being lost to policies that do not value their skill sets for the balance of their careers?

Both systems offer incremental/developmental education/training to help those wanting to promote. Neither system eliminates complications relating to the Peter Principle and there are exceptions to every rule. Nonetheless, it is interesting to compare these two systems. Understandably, there may not be a right or wrong answer.

What are the similarities or differences in your promotion system? What priorities are set by your promotion system? How can you ensure you are promoting the right people to the right positions? How can you ensure you aren’t promoting them past their last level of competence? More than technical/tactical performance, does your organization consider leadership as a competency that is factored into your promotion system?

Friday, August 9, 2019

TVLL 006: Navigating the Multigenerational Workplace

TVLL 006: Navigating the Multigenerational Workplace | Leah Georges | TEDxCreightonU






Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzfAOc4L6vQ


In this video, Dr. Leah Georges presents us with an interesting perspective on “navigating the multigenerational workplace”. She questions whether these generational divides are even real and challenges us to “meet people where they are”.


Have you encountered generational issues in your workplace? Were they truly generational issues or were they attributable to some other unexplored factor? How can you seek to better understand the differences and similarities in those around you? How can you individualize and not generalize your leadership approach?

Thursday, August 8, 2019

TVLL 005: Equal Pay for Monkeys


TVLL 005: Equal Pay for Monkeys



In this rather funny video, we are exposed to the idea of fairness - the idea that each monkey is doing the same work with one rejecting an inferior reward.  If monkeys can observe and act on an unfair situation, you can bet that the members of your organization can.  Leaders need to understand the difference between equality and fairness.  How do you explain equality?  How do you explain fairness?  Are there any absolutes with these terms or are they situational?  Is it fair to reward extra effort if outcomes are the same?  Where do you encounter issues of equality and fairness in your organization?

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

TVLL 004: Blue Angels Debriefing – Humility and Ownership


TVLL 004:  Blue Angels Debriefing – Humility and Ownership



In TVLL 003, we talked about conformity.  This post is about humility and ownership.  As a desirable characteristic of leadership, humility is critical for success.  This video shows The Blue Angels debriefing process.  In the debrief, you see that all team members are equal.  They all own their mistakes and commit to improving themselves for the team.  Team members are aligned with their mission and their egos take a back seat to the overall goal.  They take true ownership in their spot on the team. 

Have you ever been faced with a similar opportunity to debrief your group’s performance?  How do the debriefings typically go?  Are you in a position to change the format?  Who speaks first?  How can you demonstrate humility and increase ownership in your next debrief?
I’m glad to be here and I am very appreciative of your support.  I hope you find this content beneficial for your own development.  If you do, please feel free to recommend this page to your peers.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

TVLL 003: The Asch Conformity Experiment

TVLL 003: The Asch Conformity Experiment




Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyDDyT1lDhA

In this post, we examine the Asch Conformity Experiment and how members of a group respond to in-group pressures. Whatever we do in our vocation or avocation, we usually do it in a group setting. After watching the video, I wondered what the findings from this experiment might have to do with leadership and group decision-making. The more I thought about it, the more relevant is became. To me, this experiment communicates the need for leaders to be well educated and trained in their craft. It also suggests how important integrity and humility are in leadership. Often, it is the leader who speaks first, the one providing direction, or setting the tone. What happens if that person is wrong? Will others blindly follow? This experiment shows us just how bad that can be. Subordinate members of the group may be reluctant to speak up. This type of blind conformity could lead to some very bad outcomes if not understood.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were sure you knew better but felt like you couldn’t speak up? Does your organizational culture (i.e., military/para-military rank structure) make communication difficult? What risks might you encounter if your junior members aren’t allowed/encouraged to speak their own thoughts?

TVLL 002: Imposter Syndrome

TVLL 002: Imposter Syndrome




Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQUxL4Jm1Lo

Imposter syndrome is the false notion that you are somehow not equipped to provide meaningful contributions in your line of work.  This is both an individual and a leadership concern.  From the individual perspective, are you limiting your potential based on a perceived lack of knowledge or confidence?  How can you overcome this?  From a leadership perspective, how many of your subordinates are self-limiting based on their perceived lack of knowledge or confidence?  What can you do to help them thrive in their position and grow in your organization?  In addition to the above, think how this might apply to job descriptions, applications, interviews, and promotions?   Line versus officer, enlisted versus commissioned, degreed versus experienced, manager versus specialist/technician, does your organizational culture perpetuate this self-limiting notion?

Often, we hear that leadership is somehow associated with a position or a rank.  In truth, anyone can be a leader, at any level, within a given organization or group.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

TVLL 001: The Fun Theory – Piano Staircase Initiative | Volkswagen


TVLL 001: The Fun Theory – Piano Staircase Initiative | Volkswagen 



It is somewhat fitting that I start off with this video.  In this experiment, Volkswagen engineers wanted to see if they could get more people to take the stairs by making it fun to do so.  Think how the results of this rather simple experiment can be applied to leadership and learning.  What can you do to make your work/academic environment more fun?  Can you remove barriers to fun?  Slight improvements in working/academic environments can have huge impacts in employee/student engagement and productivity. 
It is my intention to make learning, psychology, and leadership fun.  Many of my posts will follow this format – some sort of content and some reflective questions.  I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I am willing to start a discussion with some interesting questions.