MulhollandPadraig

February 26, 2024

Module 6: Project: Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao)

Part 1:

In Frederic Laloux's book "Reinventing Organizations," he discusses leadership

styles linked to each model or level of organizational development. These styles are

aligned with the level of consciousness from which individual leaders operate. The

stages and their associated leadership approaches are as follows;

Red: Magic/Tribal = Fear-driven leadership, Amber: Traditional/Agrarian =

Rule-centered leadership, Orange: Scientific/Industrial = Heroic-oriented leadership,

Green: Post-modern/Informational = Servant leadership and Teal: Integral/Evolutionary

= Integral leadership.

For Part one of this assignment I have done some secondary research, and have

been able to identify different leaders in our modern day world (public, and private

sectors) associated for each stage and level of leadership. Starting these off with the

red style of leadership I have found that red style leaders are the most fear-driven

leader of the bunch. While researching red style leaders I found this one to be a little

more difficult to find modern day examples as most organizations have decided to reel
away from these styles as it has been proven for obvious reasons to have low

satisfaction ratings. However I have been able to identify that more social structures and

“cliques” can be associated with red organizational styles. Joost Wouters states that,

"Red Organizations can still be found today in the form of street gangs and mafias."

(Wouters, 2018). I think the importance of knowing about and being able to identify red

leadership styles is the most important aspect of critically analyzing a team's leading

style. I would advise to steer away from teams that demonstrate these attributes.

Continuing on with orange we see in Laloux's "Reinventing Organizations" that

when it comes to Orange Leadership styles it is very scientific/industrial lead, or known

as heroic-oriented leadership. When reading Chapter 2.3 we read Laloux explain that,

"“In Orange Organizations, it's the role of bosses to keep the pressure on employees

and to prevent them from slacking off. Top management sets ambitious targets in the

company's yearly budgets and mid-term plans, and these targets then cascade down

the organization. It’s part of a leader's role to always challenge subordinates to do more,

to do it faster, to do it cheaper.” (Laloux, 2014) Through extensive research I have found

a good example of this type of organization would be, Shell. Shell CEO, Ben Van

Beurden even stated, “We are working to reshape Shell into a more focused and

resilient company”, (Shell) stating classic Orange style characteristics.

For the purpose of green leadership, otherwise known as

post-modern/informational, or servant leadership I have found John Donahoe, CEO of

Nike to have followed in this style of leadership. He has spoken candidly about his style
of leading with Dartmouth by stating, "Today, I practice what I call servant leadership,

which is founded on two principles: purpose and service. These are my two

fundamental sources of inspiration; and being a servant leader means I’m here to serve

the purpose of my organization, to serve our customers, to serve our employees, to

serve the community in which we operate." (Dartmouth Campaign) Having this style and

approach is so important when it comes to the satisfaction of your team and

shareholders.

Finally amber, I have chosen to write about my own experience working in an

Amber style organization. Laloux states that amber organizations are mostly rule-based

leadership styles and according to further research we find that "Today these

organizations are still very present: most government agencies, public schools, the

Catholic Church, and the military (an army is a good metaphor for these organizations)

are run on Amber principles and practices." (Wouters, 2018). I have worked for the local

government my entire professional career and have noticed these structures to be

strong and influential. "People identify with job titles and job descriptions and their place

in the hierarchy. "Command and control" is the dominant leadership style: decisions are

made at upper levels of the hierarchy while lower levels simply follow orders." (Wouters,

2018). While I think these styles work in government run departments such as Parks

and Recreation for example, I would add that it might only work because of that exact

instance.
 Part 2:

Moving forward to part two of this assignment we have been given the task to

read through, in large detail "The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu's 'Tao Te Ching' Adopted

for a New Age" by John Heider while identifying three traits that had the most impact on

me personally, while referring to Laloux's "Reinventing Organizations" (particularly

Chapters 2.6 and 2.7) and how they relate to the traits of a Teal leader. The three traits I

have resonated the most would be, 3 - "Being Oneself", 5 - "Equal Treatment" and lastly

14 - "Knowing What Is Happening" All three of these traits demonstrate the teal leader

and the knowledge of the Tao they lead.

3 - "Being Oneself":

When reading over “The Tao of Leadership '' for number three “Being oneself” I

find the common similarities between that and what Laloux says in “Reinventing

Organizations”. Heider points out in his text that, "The wise leader does not make a

show of holiness or pass out grades for good performance. That would create a climate

of success and failure. Competition and jealousy follow." (Heider, 1985), I would say this

is a great translation of how praise in certain aspects brings out unhealthy competition,

resulting in jealousy in the workplace. Laloux even states in chapter 2.7, "we discussed

how Teal pioneers never talk about competition. Here are two other terms I have not

encountered even once during the research: change and change management."

(Laloux, 2014). When it comes to my own style and merits of leadership I believe that

there is a great middle ground to this, rather than completely eliminating praise, reduce
it to levels that are fair and show the commitment team members and leaders have put

forward into their projects and overall duties.

5 - "Equal Treatment":

“The Tao of Leadership'' for number five is “Equal Treatment", Heider states that,

“People are not better than the rest of creation. The same principle which underlies

human beings underlies everything equally. Neither is one person or one person better

than the rest of humanity. The same principle is everywhere. One person is as worthy

as the next. Why play favorites?” (Heider, 1985) I would say that this goes hand in hand

with what Laloux says in chapter 2.6 of "Reinventing Organizations", “In Teal

Organizations, there is no strategy process. No one at the top sets out a course for

others to follow. — With the purpose as a guiding light, everyone, individually and

collectively, is empowered to sense what might be called for. Strategy happens,

organically, all the time, everywhere, as people toy with ideas and test them out in the

field. The organization evolves, morphs, expands, or contracts, in response to a process

of collective intelligence. Reality is the great referee, not the CEO, the board or a

committee. What works gathers momentum and energy within the organization; other

ideas fail to catch on and wither.” (Laloux, 2014) When we have more of a structure

based on cumulative ideas and an open format, for different perspectives of all levels,

the organization is able to come up with new outcomes that other organizations might

not have been able to work out. I would say this is something that I will be taking with
me when I enter a full-time role in the organization that I find myself in after my

bachelors program comes to an end.

14 - "Knowing What Is Happening":

And finally, for my third trait I went with number 14 in “The Tao of Leadership''

which is "Knowing What Is Happening". According to Chapter 2.6 of "Reinventing

Organizations' ' we learn about how Teal style organizations have a strong emphasis on

listening.On what basis do Teal Organizations make important decisions, if not based on

trade-offs related to profit and market share? By listening in to the organization's

purpose. This is new vocabulary in an organizational setting. — In Evolutionary-Teal, an

organization is viewed as a living system, an entity with its own energy, its own identity,

its own creative potential and sense of direction. We don't need to tell it what to do; we

just need to listen, partner with it, join it in its dance, and discover where it will take us.”

(Laloux, 2014) Heider further studies these ideas of surrendering and listening by

stating in trait 14 ""Knowing What Is Happening" by stating, “When you do not

understand what a person is saying, do not grasp for every word. Give up your efforts.

Become silent inside and listen with your deepest self.” (Heider, 1985) This could be

one of the most important roles for a leader and a team to grasp and hold onto.

Listening has been the best method of getting the positive results wanted from all levels

of an organization including but not limited to, leaders, team members, customers and

stakeholders.
 Citations:

“Getting help is a sign of strength.” Dartmouth Campaign. (n.d.).

https://calltolead.dartmouth.edu/stories/getting-help-sign-strength, accessed 26

February 2024.

Laloux, F. (2014). Reninventing organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations

Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness. Nelson Parker.

Introduction from the CEO. Shell Investors’ Handbook 2012-2016. (n.d.).

https://reports.shell.com/investors-handbook/2016/company-overview/introduction-from-

the-ceo.html, accessed 26 February 2024.

Wouters, J. (2018, August 3). What colour is your organization? Amber, Orange, green,

or Teal?. LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-colour-your-organization-amber-orange-green-teal-

joost-wouters/. accessed 26 February 2024.

Heider, John. The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching-Adapted for a New Age.

Humanics New Age, 1985. Print.