Instructor: Jon Chilingerian, Ph.D.
Fall Semester: 2014
Class time: Tuesday 09:00 – 11:50
Office Hours: Monday 2-5; Tuesday 12-2, Wednesday 9:00-12:00 PM and by appointment
Phone: (781) 736-3828 (W); (617) 965-8009 (H)
MBA Program Coordinator: Norma DeMattos, (781) 736-3866 (ndemat@brandeis.edu)
E-mail: chilinge@brandeis.edu
________________________________________________________________________
OURSE
ESCRIPTION
O
VERVIEW
: This course has a dual focus: (1) leadership; and (2) managing organizations.
The purpose is to increase your understanding of behavior within organizations and to improve your effectiveness in analyzing, diagnosing, and leading organizations. As a course in applied behavioral science or organizational theory, you will be building upon your understanding of how managers in organizations can improve performance and how leaders can become the instrument of fair process and justice. The course can become an opportunity for you to develop your leadership skills through group work and reflection.
Course Focus 1
Effective managers must not only develop winning strategies, but they must also design an organization that can execute strategy. To do so, managers must understand the full complexity of organizations and implementation science, adopt appropriate tactics, and apply appropriate tools to get things done. The goal of this course is to prepare you to effectively lead and manage organizations and decision-making units, such as teams and informal networks. This entails developing knowledge and skills to analyze key issues in organizational design, leadership, power and influence, culture, change, and performance management.
The course takes three different perspectives on organizations: the strategic design perspective, the political perspective, and the cultural perspective. Each offers a different angle on what is an organization, and each offers different tools for action. We can illustrate the value of these three perspectives by taking decision-making as an example. You as a leader may be confronted with having to take too many decisions – this structural problem can be solved by changing the design of the organization, and in the course of doing this you’ll be acting as the architect of the organization. The problem plaguing your unit or organization, however, may be that decisions are not implemented because of contradictory sets of interests – in this case you have to address issues of power and politics, and act as a politician . Finally, you may be confronted with difficulties in implementing decisions because the assumptions that your co-workers hold about the work and the organization do not coincide with yours – in this case you will need to understand and take into account cultural issues and act as an anthropologist .
1 .
NOTE: E XTRA REQUIRED M ATERIALS ( IN CLASS AND PURCHASED FROM NORMA D E M ATTOS ):
S UB ARTIC S URVIVAL B OOKLET , MBTI ( SELF SCORABLE F ORM M), LEAD Q UESTIONNAIRES
1

The course combines conceptual and experiential approaches. We draw on four sources of knowledge to accomplish the course objectives: (1) conceptual frameworks and research findings from organization studies, sociology, political science, anthropology, and psychology; (2) business cases and media accounts; (3) simulations and exercises; and (4) your own work experiences. The class will be interactive, and active participation in discussions is expected.
The main objective of this course is to help you to understand individual, group, and organizational issues from a behavioral point of view.
Working Frameworks
You will develop conceptual frameworks for analyzing organizational structures, power and politics, culture, and change, with a focus on the interplay of rules, resources, and relationships in managing interdependencies. By identifying critical sources of tension in organizations, you can learn to harness them to produce beneficial outcomes for you and your organization.
Master Core Competencies for OB:
 Learn and/or review some of the leading ideas, concepts, frameworks and theories that help us to manage organizations (especially in human services)
 Develop and practice diagnostic skills in applying OB ideas to real managerial problems
 Sharpen interpersonal skills by participating in group work
 Learn how to manage a fair process
 Assess your leadership/managerial style
 Develop action planning skills
Acquire Diagnostic Skills
You will increase your skills in diagnosis that enable you to analyze the fit of an organization’s structure to its goals, to map out the networks of the organization, to assess the political landscape, and to interpret culture and identities.
Learn Key Concepts, Strategies, Tactics, and Tools
You will begin to build a repertoire of strategies and tactics to increase your effectiveness in varied situations, induce and lead change initiatives, and use politics in pragmatic ways to get things done. You will learn and apply tools and tactics for attaining organizational goals effectively.
Grading Scheme (explained in detail on next page)
A.
Class Participation, On-Line Polls, reflection paper 50%
B.
Team performance scores & 2-page analysis of 20% learnings (group work, sub-arctic & change pro)
C.
Team-Executive summary of two books
D.
Team Presentations of Keeping Google “Googley” on November 18
10%
20%
2

A. Class Participation 50% (see “Tips on Preparing Cases” on page 20 )
The character of the course naturally lends itself to active exchange among participants .
The most important preparation is to have read and studied the cases.
In the classroom, the expectations are relatively simple: be well-prepared, arrive punctually to class, and actively participate. There are several ways in which the materials in this course help you to do this.
Short Introduction or overviews provide background on, and an introduction to, the session’s materials. Read first – these provide context
Study Questions guide you through each session’s content. Read second - these help you focus on what is most important
Assignments & Required Readings (incl. cases and articles) provide the content for our class discussion. If time do he optional readings--
Read and study the cases – these provide content (you can’t participate in class discussions without them)
How do I get a high grade for class participation? Individual contribution consists of;
1.
Attending classes prepared to listen and build on the ideas of others;
2.
Quality of individual comments in class discussions;
3.
On-time submission of four online questionnaire/case polls;
4.
One reflection paper on leadership.
Attending Class (In-class comments/contributions).
There are many ways to participate, beyond showing-up, speaking, and not surfing the internet in class. Listening carefully to what your colleagues are saying in class and building on their ideas is critical. Listening for understanding is critical to good leadership. If you do not understand what your colleagues are saying, raise your hand, and ask them to clarify. Quality and clarity are more important than quantity – one insightful, concise comment that builds on the ideas of others and advances the learning could create more value than speaking five times in one session.
Missing class: Please note the only “excused” absences are those due to uncontrollable events (e.g. medical/family emergencies or critical personal events). Prioritizing your time is part of your Brandeis experience. If you decide it is in your best interest to miss or be late to class your professor won’t take it personally, but it may negatively affect your participation grade. Please notify your professor ahead of time if you will miss class.
Polls : The polls should be no more than 1,300 characters with spaces. Use word count.
Polls will not be graded, but they will count towards your class participation. Be ready to defend your positions in class. They are due the evening before class by 7:00 PM. Submit via LATTE (for help ask Norma DeMattos - ndemat@brandeis.edu
).
Leadership reflection paper due November 25: (<6,000 characters with spaces):
Students will write a reflection paper on a personal leadership challenge. These focus on your personal experience and the interaction (or clash) between theories, models, concepts and/or tools from the course and practice. Your leadership challenge can emerge from your team experience this semester or a past experience. The essay should begin by framing the leadership challenge, and setting your objectives for improving your performance as a leader and explaining how the concept or tools would help you in practice.
3

B.
T EAM P ERFORMANCE AND HARVESTING THE LEARNING (20%)
•
Each student will self-select into a small (5-7 persons) diverse group to work together on several assignments and class exercises. You are responsible for building your group into an effective learning team over the course of the semester. You are responsible for managing relationships and productivity on your team, including helping other team members to learn.
How do I get a high grade for team performance ? The team grade consists of a.
Implementing the “Tips on Teams” on page 21, and agreeing to use it.
Read tips on Teams page 21. b.
Doing reasonably well on simulations and showing improvement as a team. I do not grade the performance of the team based on the simulation but on your ability to help each other as a team. When you are on a team, some people do more work than others. Complaining about that to the professor is not effective. Create a safe space for each member of the team and learn how to communicate and work together. c.
Doing team process checks after class . Do process checks after each meeting and keep the team results. See page 21. d.
Submitting one team reflection paper on your team’s experience signed by all members due November 25.
Each team will write a 6,000 character
(with spaces) diagnostic and analytical paper. The paper page single-spaced critique of their teams’ evolution and ability to work together. Include the quantitative data from the process checks in an appendix in good visual display. Did your group progress? Why or why not.
C. Executive Summary of the Two Books when the books are assigned (10%):

Each group will write a 2-3 page (<8000 characters with spaces) executive summary and review both of the two assigned books.
DUE September 16 Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivate US
Due October 14 Crucial Accountability: Tools For Resolving Broken Promises,
Violated Expectations and Bad Behavior .

How can we use the ideas and tools from the book? These summaries will be posted on
LATTE and shared with the other teams. To get “extra credit” teams can add a third book due by November 4.
The Leadership Challenge (2012). 5th edition, James Kouzes, and Barry Posner,
San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
4

D. Group presentation: Keeping Google “Googley” (20%)
You can’t know what to analyze until you know what you are trying to achieve. So the presentation should start with a statement of what you believe are the most pressing performance problems and misalignments for Google, and based on this, what the key goals are that the organization should try to achieve. Each group will get 15 minutes to present their diagnosis, analysis and recommendations of the Goggle Case.
Here is the assignment:
You have been asked by Google’s Kim Scott to help her understand and solve the company’s organizational problems. She will select the team with the best understanding of Google, and the most innovative ideas that aligns with the organization’s mission and strategy. You are expected to produce a report that will diagnose Google’s situation and make some prescriptions. A good analysis will outline the key performance problems facing this company, and based on these, articulate the goals that the division should try to achieve.
Importantly, the report should provide thorough and well-argued explanations for why the identified problems exist. It will then offer some clear prescriptions, both for what to do and how to implement the proposed solutions.
Some things to keep in mind:

Be sure to think through what each of the three perspectives presented in class
(Strategic Design, Political, Cultural) would have to say about the causes of the problems and the effectiveness of your proposed solutions. You can use the congruence model to help organize your analytical thinking.

Any changes that you suggest must be supported by realistic, reasoned implementation plans. Moreover, you should also consider the downsides and potential side-effects of your solutions.

Be clear about the assumptions underlying your analysis and action recommendations.
When making claims about the company, back those up with evidence from the case.

Above all, be specific and concise. You only have 15 minutes to present,
5

III.
C OURSE M ATERIALS I NCLUDE THE F OLLOWING :
R
EADINGS ON
LATTE.
LATTE
CONTAINS
required reading, cases, and other materials.
R
EQUIRED
B
OOKS
:

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivate US, (2009) By Daniel
Pink, New York: Riverhead Hardcover

Crucial Accountabilty: Tools For Resolving Broken Promises,Violated
Expectations and Bad Behavior . Second editon By Kerry Patterson, Joe
Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler. New York: McGraw Hill. 2013
*ISBN:* 0071446524
NOTE: E
XTRA REQUIRED
M
ATERIALS
(
IN CLASS AND PURCHASED FROM NORMA
D
E
M
ATTOS
):
S
UB
-
ARTIC
S
URVIVAL
B
OOKLET
, MBTI (
SELF
-
SCORABLE
F
ORM
M), LEAD
Q
UESTIONNAIRES
H
ARVARD
B
USINESS
S
CHOOL
C
ASES
(
PURCHASED THROUGH THE COURSEPACK AT
HBS
PUBLISHING
):
HTTPS
://
CB
.
HBSP
.
HARVARD
.
EDU
/
CBMP
/
ACCESS
/28160290

Marie Trellu-Kane

Wolfgang Keller at Königsbräu-TAK (A)

Elizabeth Parker (A) and (B).
 Keeping Google “Googley”

Reverend Jeffrey Brown: Cops, Kids, and Ministers
Communication
An important source of communication is the course web site. After each session, you will find there a summary of the main learning points and annotated versions of each session’s slides. It will aid your learning if you briefly review the summary after class. Please talk with me in class or make an appointment to talk if anything is unclear.
Although there are office hours, I am happy to meet with individuals or small groups by appointment.
6

Assignments and Key Due Dates**
September 2 I. Introduction to Leadership and OB: Managing People in
Organizations
September 9
Case: Terror at the Taj
II. Strategic Thinking : Individual & Group Decision Making
**Online Poll Question Case: Speed Ventures (A), (B), and (C)
September 16 III . Strategic Design of Organizations : Formal and Informal Structures
Case: The Ascent to Leadership: Leading Teams up Mt Everest
September 30 IV. Organizing People : Diversity and
** Online Poll Question
**Self scored MBTI
Individual Differences MBTI
Case: Marie Trellu-Kane
MBTI due
October 7 V.
**Team performance
New Leadership Challenges : Teams and Collective Intelligence
Simulation: Sub-Artic Survival
October 14 VI. Effective Leadership Styles and Performance Management
Case: Wolfgang Keller at Königsbräu-TAK (A)
12 question Lead Instrument due **Lead Self
October 21 VII. Adative Leadership and Fair Process (self-managing teams)
October 28
Video: Twelve Angry Men
VIII. Exercising Power and Influence in Organizations
**Online Poll Question
November 4 IX.
Case: Elizabeth Parker (A) and (B)
Diagnosing Complex Organizational Problems
Case : Leuven (A)
November 11 X. Leading Project & Global Teams Without Authority
**Online Poll Question Case : Nestles (A)
November 18 XI. Organizational Culture and Leadership
**Team presentation
November 25
**Team performance
**Reflection paper
Case: Keeping Google “Googley”
XII.. Leading Change
In Class Simulation: Change Pro
Individual Leadership Challenge
December 2 XIII Strategic Thinking Aimed at Solving Social Problems
Case: Reverend Jeffrey Brown: Cops, Kids, and Ministers
7

S ESSION I. T OPIC :
September 2 Introduction to Leadership and OB: Managing and Leading
People So They Can Manage and Lead Themselves
In class video case: Terror at the Taj Mahal Tower and Palace Hotel in Bombay
Overview: India’s 26/11
On the night of November 26, 2008, 10 armed individuals from “the Army of the Righteous” entered Mumbai, India (formerly Bombay) and attacked multiple locations. The Taj Mahal Palace
Hotel and the Oberoi Trident Hotel were prime targets and nearly 1800 guests and employees were captive. Over three nights and two days 159 people were killed and 211 were wounded across the city. During this siege 34 people died at the Taj Hotel.
Both the Taj and Oberoi hotels underwent devastating attacks. However, something unique happened at the Taj Hotel; they praised for strategic thinking and quick teaming. At the expense of their own safety, the Taj employees and managers acted quickly. Doors were locked to keep the terrorists at bay. Hotel guests were quickly instructed to lock-up and stay in their rooms. Banquet guests in the dining areas were protected and shielded during evacuations. Why did the people in the Taj organization behave the way they did—luck or by design?
The learning objectives are:
1.
To understand what we mean by organizational behavior and leadership by analyzing a devastating attack and self-less behavior.
2.
How can leaders develop a customer centric organizational culture?
3.
To review the basic elements of organizational design: people, structures, and tasks
Assignment: How much of this behavior is explained by national culture, the hospitality industry, the family atmosphere of the hotel, rules and procedures? What do the casualty rates of the two hotels teach us? How do you recruit and train such employees?
8

S ESSION II. T OPIC :
September 9 Strategic Thinking and Decision Making
Assignment :

Fill out Speed Ventures Questionnaire—online poll

Prepare Case: Speed Ventures (A), (B), and (C)*

Read Ancona, D. et al. 1999. “The Organization as Strategic Design,”
Introduction
The objective of this session is to get you to think analytically about strategic decision making as a leadership competency. You should think about questions such as: What processes do you use to come to your decisions? How do you differentiate facts from assumptions? How do you challenge assumptions? How do you choose from among alternatives? How do you form your ideas about what will happen in the future?
How do you evaluate the consequences and likelihood of an outcome? And how do you form judgments about the value of a particular event?
The session will be in double reflection. We will use a trivial and simple decision—whether to put a car in a race and in doing so we will try to make a high quality decision. I want to draw your attention as leaders to two processes: (1) the rational process needed to reach a high quality decision; and (2) the interpersonal process—how we engage and interact with each other to build commitment to strategic goals and decisions.
The learning goals are on several levels. First, I want you to learn something about your self—how you think. Second, learning something about how groups make decisions under uncertainty and time pressure. This runs to the heart of what is the “truth.” The truth alone is never good enough— ideas have to be explained, and people have to be persuaded. What persuades you may not persuade others. And third, how good leadership practices, employing decision models, stakeholder analysis, and SWOT analysis, can improve decision processes.
Assignment for Speed Ventures:
1.
Analyze the Speed Ventures situation. What are the main problems?
2.
Please be prepared to vote whether or not to run the race. Should Speed Ventures Race?
3.
Please fill out the questionnaire and hand in before class begins
Online Poll Question

Please fill out the questionnaire and hand in before class begins
9

S
III. T
:
September 16 Strategic Design of Organizations: Formal and Informal
Structures
Assignment :
1.
Case: The Ascent to Leadership: Leading Teams up Mt. Everest (Chilingerian)
2.
Read: Drive, by Daniel Pink (Entire)
In-Class
Video Case Two: Lincoln Electric
Please Take the MBTI instrument [ Please fill out the Myers Briggs Indicator hand-out before the next class, and be sure to score it. Purchase from Norma DeMattos.]
Introduction
Formal & Informal organizational structures are not just descriptions of information flows and reporting relationships in organizations; they are tools for coordination. In this session, we will watch three videos in class to see examples of organization and network designs.
We will look at formal and informal ways to coordinate organizational activities, with a particular focus on organizational incentives. You cannot effectively manage people without understanding what drives people . We will explore the tools organizations have at their disposal to employees’ needs and efforts congruent with the organization’s objectives. The congruence model will become one of your most important tools.
We will briefly discuss the events concerning Mt. Everest in 1996. In some ways the ascent to a powerful position of authority in a changing and uncertain world is not unlike the ferocity of a team climbing the slopes of Mount Everest. Mount Everest, a tortuous, vertical ascent of 29,028 feet, is the world's highest mountain. In 1996, 98 men and women summited Mount Everest and 15 people died--this was the most recorded deaths in a single year. Rob Hall and Scott Fisher led two expedition teams in April-May 1996.
The Fisher/Hall teams are the focus since they were caught near the summit in an unexpected storm.
Five people (two clients and three guides) died, including the team leaders Fisher and Hall. What went wrong with this team? H ow do events get out of control, how do leader's avoid overcommitment to failed action, and what explains teams that succeed or fail to climb Mount Everest?
Study Questions
1.
According to Pink, what drives people? What lessons do you learn about strategic design and congruence : incentives, motivation, leadership, organizational structures and managerial practices in the Lincoln Electric Video.
2.
What happened on Mount Everest in 1996? What is your Everest?
10

S ESSION IV. T OPIC :
September 30 Organizing People: Diversity and Individual Differences and the congruence model
Assignments:

Case: Marie Trellu-Kane
 Hand in: MBTI (Self Scored)

Read : Tushman, M.L. & O’Reilly, C. A. 2007. Managerial Problem Solving: A Congruence
Approach,” Chapter 4, pp 1-44 in Tushman, M.L. & O’Reilly Winning through innovation: a practical guide to leading organizational change and renewal. Boston: Harvard Business School
Press
Optional Reading
 “Managing Yourself” by Drucker
 “Introduction To Type” Myers-Briggs [Skim]
Introduction
Today we will use strategic design tools to diagnose organizational problems. Marie Trellu-Kane is the co-founder of Unis-Cite, a French non-profit organization aimed at creating a youth civilian service in France. How do we align the organization’s critical task, people culture and formal arrangements? What is the relationship between leadership style and effective performance? What roles does mission play in the non-profit sector?
Before you can manage and lead other people, you should understand your preferences for acquiring and processing information to make decisions. To help you to understand the human element and to help you to perceive people as more predictable, we will use the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI) - the most widely used psychological instrument in the world. The MBTI is based on the work of Swiss Psychoanalyst Carl Jung.
Study Questions

What is your assessment of Unis-Cite’s action to date and its development model?

What should Trellu-Kane do? Develop a plan of action.

What is your MBTI profile? Share the results with your team.
Online Poll Question

Develop a plan of action for Marie Trellu-Kane
11

S ESSION V. T OPIC :
October 7 New Leadership Challenges: Motivation, Virtual Global Teams and Collective Intelligence
Required Reading:
 Read:
“Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human
Groups.” Woolley A.W. et al.,
Science 29 October 2010
 How to Manage Virtual Teams, Siebdrat, Hoegel, and Ernst. (Summer 2009) Sloan
Management Review
Video Case: IDEO
Group Simulation: Sub-Artic Survival
Optional Reading
 “Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups, “ by Druskat and Wolff (HBR 2001)

Decisions 2.0: The Power of Collective Intelligence. Eric Bonabeau. Sloan Management
Review. Winter 2009.

"The Discipline of Teams" Katzenbach and Smith (HBR March 1993)
Introduction
The first part of the session opens with two learning sets about 1) the new science of collective intelligence, and 2) the" new" basic work units in global organizations—virtual global project teams. According to Katzenbach and Smith (2003), a team is a "small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable." How do we get people and technology to act intelligently when working together on a team?
The second part involves the blossoming science of collective intelligence and a demonstration of your group’s collective intelligence. You will experience a simulation first working alone as an individual and then in collectively in groups. In the subarctic simulation, you have survived a plane crash with your group. Your group must decide on a strategy. You have 15 items from the crash that you must rank in order of importance to the group’s survival. Your challenge is to rank the items based on their importance. Your group will receive an overall measure of their performance.
Information is incomplete and ambiguous. You have time pressure and uncertainty. Can you make an effective group decision? We will have a plenary session to identify the main insights, with a summary.
Study Questions
1. What is collective intelligence? How can leaders get teams to act intelligently?
12

S ESSION VI.
T OPIC :
October 14 Effective Leadership Styles and Performance management
Assignment:

Fill out 12 item “Lead” Questionnaire in “So You Want to Know Your Leadership Style”
(purchased from Norma D.)

Read : Wolfgang Keller at Königsbräu-TAK (A)
Reading:

Crucial Accountabilty [Entire]
Optional Reading:
 “Enhancing the Benefits and Overcoming the Pitfalls of Goal Setting” By Locke and
Latham
 “Leadership that Gets Results” by Goleman
 “Goal-Setting-A Motivational Technique That Works” by Latham and Locke
Introduction
This session will focus on leadership. The case is about a leader who is trying to change the strategic direction of his organization. Was he an effective leader? The second part of the session will focus on your leadership style and will introduce a situational leadership model that can help guide you to choose an effective leadership style. The Hersey Blanchard model is based on the idea that appropriate leader behavior depends on the readiness of the leader’s direct reports and followers. Readiness refers to the degree of motivation, competence, experience, commitment and confidence in accepting responsibility. As the readiness of followers improves, the leader’s behavior should also change. The learning objectives are: to understand what we mean by leadership style and its importance in developing people and to evaluate and assess your leadership style and to learn how to adapt your style depending on the situation.
Study Questions
1.
From Wolfgang’s perspective, how well is Brodsky doing? From your perspective, should Brodsky be fired?
2.
Be prepared to use the tools from Crucial Accountability to demonstrate a crucial confrontation between you and Brodsky.
3.
What is your preferred and dominant leadership styles? Are you an adaptive leader?
13

S ESSION VIII. T OPIC :
October 21 Leadership, Influence and the Importance of Fair Process
Film In class: Twelve Angry Men (self-managed class)
Read :
1.
Fair Process: Managing in the Knowledge Economy. (Jan 2003) W. Chan Kim & Renee
Mauborgne. HBR
Overview
Being able to influence others is one of the key aspects of being a successful manager and leader; indeed, many would argue it is THE core aspect of relational/relational success. Thus, the beginning of class we will watch the movie 12 Angry Men . The film portrays a group of twelve strangers who are assigned a critical work task: they must make a life or death decision.
Following the film, you will work in groups to discuss the case. Next week, we will have a discussion about the major scenes in the movie 12 Angry Men.
You will spend the remaining class studying the influence strategies that pop up in the exercise and the movie and talk about relevant research findings on successful influence techniques.
Study Questions

H OW CAN WE CONNECT A FAIR PROCESS MODEL OF LEADING WITH THE SCIENCE OF
INFLUENCE
?

W
HAT DO LEADER
’
S DO
?
[W
HAT DOES THE
A
RCHITECT DO IN THE FILM
?]

W
ATCH HOW THE LEADER GUIDES AND MOTIVATES THE GROUP AND ADAPTS HIS STYLE
TO DEAL WITH THE ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS OF THE GROUP IN THE JURY SITUATION .
14

S ESSION VIII. T OPIC :
October 28 Exercising Power and Influence in Organizations: Building
Commitment to Goals
Assignment :
Case: Elizabeth Parker (A) and (B).
 Pfeffer, J. 1992. “Managing with Power”
.
Harvard Business School Press , Boston.
Chapters 1 and 2.

Ancona, D. et al. 1999. “The Political Lens,” in “Organizational Behavior and
Processes”. Second Edition. South-Western College Publishing , Cincinnati.
Introduction
Pfeffer says power is essential to initiate and sustain goal-directed action. Yet, organizations with scarce resources and interdependent individuals will produce different opinions on the organizational goals and how those goals should be met. Consequently, building and wielding power, negotiating and forming alliances maybe essential for any manager to be effective.
We will study how Elizabeth Parker takes control in two very different situations. Her leadership teaches some key lessons about developing and exercising power and influence.
The central theme of this session is understanding the nature of power, how to get it, and how to use it.
Study Questions
1.
In case A, Elizabeth Parker describes her background and what she did as she started a new job and career. Elizabeth Parker believes that her organization should be accomplishing its mission. How does she take charge of her department? What were the key factors that led to her success at the end of the case?
2.
In case B, Parker faces a new challenge. What plan of action do you recommend?
Online Poll Question
Is Elizabeth Parker building and wielding more power in case A or case B? Why?
15

S ESSION X. T OPIC :
November 4 Diagnosing Complex Organizational Problems
Assignment :
Case : Leuven Medical Center (A)
 “Systems Thinking: Critical Thinking Skills for the 1990’s and beyond” by Barry
Richmond
 “Domain Theory: An Introduction to Organizational Behavior” by Kouzes and Mico
(Tentative) Masterclass Guest Speaker : Shirley Huang, MD, Pediatric Medical Director, New
England Quality Care Alliance
Introduction
While political will and skill are central to being an effective manager, there is a dark side to power. Concentration of power and professional autonomy heroic leadership can also lead to overconfidence, an inability to challenge authority, and strategic mistakes in business. What happens when powerful well-intentioned human service professional pursue diverse interests, that divide and entrap people?
We will discuss the Leuven Medical Center transplant story--an amazingly complex situation that arises when clinical managers and physicians must quickly resolve their bed capacity constraints.
The case is an exemplar in leadership and organizations, putting a small-window on cross-cutting technical, political, cultural, and people issues inside a medical center. This organization highlights the ever-constant need for improved coordination and commitment to common goals into sharp relief.
The case also reveals the web of inter-connections among the key people—i.e., nurses, physicians and other caregiver—and among the key care activity centers—i.e., transplant surgery, intensive care, blood transfusion, labs, anesthesia, and so on. The case runs right to the heart of the job of managing human service organizations as a knowledge-based, professional organization with some basic flaws in its organizational design. And bad luck in a transplant case may be the residue of bad design.
Study Questions
1.
What went right and what went wrong at Leuven?
2.
Using the Congruence model as a general analytic can your group fix Leuven?
16

S ESSION X. T OPIC :
Assignment :
Case: Nestlé’s GLOBE program (A): The early months

Harnessing the Science of Persuasion. R. Cialdini. HBR (October 2001)
 Ancona, D. et al. 1999. “The Cultural Lens.” in “Organizational Behavior and Processes”.
Second Edition. South-Western College Publishing , Cincinnati.
Introduction
Organizing on a global scale is among the most difficult managerial challenges. Different multi-national designs will lead to wide variations in the distribution of power. In the past, the design choices were either a) country-subsidiary structures, or b) business-unit structures. Today a simple either-or organization design seems impossible. How do we differentiate and integrate the activities that take place in different country and subsidiary cultures?
Companies like Nestle not only find themselves in hundreds of countries, but also are dealing with different languages, cultures, currencies, tax systems, and regulatory agencies, their key customers have also globalized. Serving a CarreFour in Taiwan, Mexico or Brazil, requires Nestle to undertake new initiatives: making purchases across business-units, common order-fulfillment processes, common supply-chain process, and coordinated buying. To deepen its global organizational capability, Nestle has decided to put all of these new projects and initiatives in enterprise software from SAP. We will learn how Chris
Johnson manages this GLOBE project. To succeed, Chris Johnson must not only understand strategic design, but also understand power & politics, and culture .
Study Questions
1.
On a scale from one to ten (ten being very difficult), how difficult will it be for Chris Johnson to make a success of his new job?
2.
What and who will be the keys to success for Chris Johnson in his new job?
3.
What would you advise Chris to prepare for his upcoming meeting to discuss staffing with
Mario Corti? What should he ask for? On what issues should he be willing to compromise?
Why? If he follows your advice, what will be the risks and ramifications for him, and how should he deal with them ?
Online Poll Questions: Answer A, B or C

On a scale from one to ten (ten being very difficult), how difficult will it be for Chris
Johnson to make a success of his new job? Just post your number 1-10.

Mario Corti has suggested an organization and 12 people to begin your team. None of them checked out. Would you take all 12 people on Mario Corti’s list? Would you negotiate to take some of the 12, or would you not take any?
A) I would take all 12. B) I would take some but not all. C) I would not take any on his list.
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S ESSION XI. T OPIC :
November 18 Organizational Culture and Leadership
Assignment :
Case: Keeping Google “Googley”
Group Presentations (see page 5)
Required Reading:
 Schein, E.H. 1990. “Organizational Culture”. The American Psychologist .
 Beer, M. & Nohria, N. 2000 “cracking the code of change”. Harvard Business Review

Review: Drive, by Daniel Pink (Entire)
Introduction
There are probably more definitions of culture than there are people studying it. Culture is an elusive concept, but one with tremendous face validity—everyone understands what culture is, but that understanding is often vague and fuzzy. In this session we will discuss one useful model of culture and see how it helps us understand how to change a culture. Google is one of the best examples of an organization that had to create a culture that breaks down barriers to communication and idea formation. The designed a structure of small teams that foster innovation. People could spend 20% of their time working on anything they like. That is how Gmail was created.
We will analyze the way a corporate culture, and the core values on which it is based. With rapid growth, organizations will experience challenges to its mission and values. Where should a leader focus attention?
Study Questions
1.
What is unusual about Google as an organization? What are the problems at Google?
2.
What can Google do to remain an “entrepreneurial” organization?
15 minute Group Presentations
A
NALYZE THE
G
OOGLE CASE AND BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING
:
W HAT CAN G OOGLE DO TO AVOID BUREAUCRACY AND MAINTAIN RAPID DECISION MAKING AND
INTERNATIONAL CONSISTENCY
?
DEVISE AN ACTION PLAN
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S ESSION XI. T OPIC :
December 2 Leading Change
Assignment :

The ChangePro Simulation Abridged User Manual.
 “Informal Networks: The Company Behind the Chart” by Krackhardt and Hanson
Introduction
Today will summarize everything you have learned. It will test your team’s ability to diagnose and take action. Computer simulations are growing in popularity as practice fields for organizational learning. Today you will be using a computer simulation developed to challenge your change management skills. You will spend most of the class working in your teams trying to lead a change initiative in a simulated organization. Then, we will collectively compare how you performed in leading change.
Study Questions
1.
The ChangePro instructions detail the various tactics available to you in the simulation.
Review them and consider how and when each tactic might be appropriate.
2.
What, in your view, are the three biggest challenges facing a manager charged with leading change?
S ESSION XIII. T OPIC :
December 2 Leadership Aimed at Solving Social Problems
Assignment:
Case: “Reverend Jeffrey Brown: Cops, Kids, and Ministers” *
Read: “Managing Strategic Issues and Stakeholders” by Chilingerian
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•
A diverse team brings many points of view, which sometimes creates conflict and misunderstanding. Listening to understand a person is not listening to refute or argue.
Manage your team members by listening-to-understand each person’s feelings and perceptions. Once you analyze their perceptions, you can understand different assumptions that are being made. Listening to understand and connecting with people is fundamental to good leadership. See Crucial Accountability.
•
A second way to work with a diverse team is to use the MBTI as a tool. Explore the MBTI personality types on your team and read the MBTI descriptions of each other. Learn how to talk with each other. Opposites (for example--ENFPs and ISTJs) will have a hard time communicating, connecting and cooperating. Learn how to communicate with diverse personality types.
•
There are four key roles and responsibilities:
–
Someone to facilitate or chair the process (helps with the rational & relational)
–
Someone to take minutes
–
Someone to keep time
–
Someone to harvest the learning
•
Develop ground rules for your team
–
Rotation of 4 roles so everyone plays each role
–
No interrupting/no one dominates, etc.
–
Keep 10-15 minutes at end to do process checks
–
Agree to call a time-out or say “I am not getting it”
•
Process Checks for every team meeting: use a 5-point scale very poor
1 2 3 4 very good
5
–
Did we achieve the objectives of the group today?1-5
–
Evaluate the rational process. 1-5
•
Did we analyze the situation separating facts from assumptions? 1-5
•
Did we set clear, engaging objectives?1-5
•
Did we discuss the full-set of consequences?1-5
–
Evaluate the relational process. 1-5
•
How well did the team work together? Listening, deep engagement?1-5
•
Did the group confront and challenge each other respectfully? 1-5
•
How well did each individual participate in/contribute to the meeting?1-5
–
How can we improve our performance as a team?(qualitative comments)

Agree to discuss low scores to capture learnings.
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We will discuss the cases in class. Here are my recommendations—You should study the cases and prepare a 1-3 page “brief” on the case. The brief is intended to organize your ideas and facilitate class presentations. You should write the brief after you have studied the cases and readings.
After you have studied the case and read the readings use the following format:
1. Frame the problems/issues into a decision question: frame the major leadership or organizational issues and/or problems around a key goal or objective, differentiating the long from the short-run. The question might be—”What is the best course of action for this case in order to achieve X”? In some cases the goals may not be clear.
2. Analyze the problem/situation by identifying the pertinent facts vs. assumptions.
Ask yourself three questions: where did the facts come from, how do I know they are correct? Are they a final, reliable reality or an interpretation or an assumption? Be sure to identify your assumptions explicitly. What OB models or concepts are most useful to understand the problem?
3. Alternatives and consequences: think about the alternatives courses of action and the full set of consequences. Analyze each alternative and consider what the trade-offs are.
What are the risks and uncertainties ? Remember to relate your analysis to your recommendations.
4. Recommendation: identify, justify, and support your recommendations, giving careful consideration to rebuttals from your classmates.
5. Implementation: (if applicable) assess the feasibility of your solution by developing a plan of action necessary to implement the recommendation.
21

ECOMMENDED
OOKS FOR ADVANCED STUDY AND MASTERY

The Leadership Challenge (2012). 5th edition, James Kouzes, and Barry Posner,
San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Essentials of Organizational Behavior.
Stephen P. Robbins, Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Prentice Hall (2007). Ninth Edition
NOTE (If you do not have a strong background in Organizational
Behavior, you should read this book, otherwise it is optional)
 Why Great Leaders Don’t Take “Yes” For an Answer
.
Michael Roberto.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Publishing (2005)

The Tipping Point.
Malcolm Gladwell London: Little, Brown, and
Company (2000)

Breaking Through: Making of Minority Executives in Corporate America
David A. Thomas and John J. Gabarro, Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School Publishing Press (1999)

The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex
Situations . Dietrich Dorner, Reading, MA: Perseus Books (1996)

Driven: How Human Nature Shapes Our Choices . Paul Lawrence and
Nitin Nohria, San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass and Son (2002)

Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to
Cooperation. William Ury, New York, NY: Bantam Books (1993)

The Leadership Challenge.
James Kouzes and Barry Posner, San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass (2002)

Action Coaching. Peter Cairo and David Dotlich, San Francisco, CA: Josseybass (1999)

Competing by Design: The Power of Organizational Architecture .
David Nadler and Michael Tushman, New York, NY: Oxford University Press (1997)

The Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making. Scott Plous. New York, NY:
McGraw Hill (1993)

Organizing Genius.
Warren Bennis and Patricia Ward Biederman,
London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing (1998)

Organizational Culture and Leadership, Second edition. Edgar H.
Schein, San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass Inc (1992)

Managing Conflict , 2 nd
Edition. Richard E. Walton, Reading, MA:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company (1987)

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Roger Fisher and William Ury, New York: Penguin Book. (1992)

Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role. Dan
Ciampa and Michael Watkins, Boston: Harvard Business School Press
(2005)

Primal Leadership. Daniel Goleman, Annie McKee, and Richard E.
Boyatzis, Boston: Harvard Business School Press (2002)
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