LeadershipintheAgeofComplexity:FromHerotoHost

MargaretWheatleywithDebbieFrieze2010 publishedinResurgenceMagazine,Winter2011 Fortoolong,toomanyofushavebeenentrancedbyheroes.Perhapsitsourdesireto besaved,tonothavetodothehardwork,torelyonsomeoneelsetofigurethingsout. Constantlywearebarragedbypoliticianspresentingthemselvesasheroes,theones whowillfixeverythingandmakeourproblemsgoaway.Itsaseductiveimage,an enticingpromise.Andwekeepbelievingit.Somewheretheressomeonewhowillmake itallbetter.Somewhere,theressomeonewhosvisionary,inspiring,brilliant, trustworthy,andwellallhappilyfollowhimorher.Somewhere Well,itistimeforalltheheroestogohome,asthepoetWilliamStaffordwrote.Itis timeforustogiveupthesehopesandexpectationsthatonlybreeddependencyand passivity,andthatdonotgiveussolutionstothechallengesweface.Itistimetostop waitingforsomeonetosaveus.Itistimetofacethetruthofoursituationthatwere allinthistogether,thatweallhaveavoiceandfigureouthowtomobilizethehearts andmindsofeveryoneinourworkplacesandcommunities. Whydowecontinuetohopeforheroes?Itseemsweassumecertainthings: Leadershavetheanswers.Theyknowwhattodo. Peopledowhattheyretold.Theyjusthavetobegivengoodplansand instructions. Highriskrequireshighcontrol.Assituationsgrowmorecomplexand challenging,powerneedstoshifttothetop(withtheleaderswhoknow whattodo.) Thesebeliefsgiverisetothemodelsofcommandandcontrolreveredinorganizations andgovernmentsworldwide.Thoseatthebottomofthehierarchysubmittothe greatervisionandexpertiseofthoseabove.Leaderspromisetogetusoutofthismess; wewillinglysurrenderindividualautonomyinexchangeforsecurity. Theonlypredictableconsequenceofleadersattemptstowrestcontrolofacomplex, evenchaoticsituation,isthattheycreatemorechaos.Theygointoisolationwithjusta fewkeyadvisors,andattempttofindasimplesolution(quickly)toacomplexproblem. Andpeoplepressurethemtodojustthat.Everyonewantstheproblemtodisappear; criesoffixit!arisefromthepublic.Leadersscrambletolookliketheyvetakencharge andhaveeverythinginhand. Butthecausesoftodaysproblemsarecomplexandinterconnected.Thereareno

simpleanswers,andnooneindividualcanpossiblyknowwhattodo.Weseemunable toacknowledgethesecomplexrealities.Instead,whentheleaderfailstoresolvethe crisis,wefirehimorher,andimmediatelybeginsearchingforthenext(moreperfect) one.Wedontquestionourexpectationsofleaders,wedontquestionour desireforheroes. TheIllusionofControl Heroicleadershiprestsontheillusionthatsomeonecanbeincontrol.Yetweliveina worldofcomplexsystemswhoseveryexistencemeanstheyareinherently uncontrollable.Nooneisinchargeofourfoodsystems.Nooneisinchargeofour schools.Nooneisinchargeoftheenvironment.Nooneisinchargeofnational security.Nooneisincharge!Thesesystemsareemergentphenomenatheresultof thousandsofsmall,localactionsthatconvergedtocreatepowerfulsystemswith propertiesthatmaybearlittleornoresemblancetothesmalleractionsthatgaveriseto them.Thesearethesystemsthatnowdominateourlives;theycannotbechangedby workingbackwards,focusingononlyafewsimplecauses.Andcertainlytheycannotbe changedbytheboldestvisionsofourmostheroicleaders. Ifwewanttobeabletogetthesecomplexsystemstoworkbetter,weneedtoabandon ourrelianceontheleaderasheroandinviteintheleaderashost.Weneedtosupport thoseleaderswhoknowthatproblemsarecomplex,whoknowthatinorderto understandthefullcomplexityofanyissue,allpartsofthesystemneedtobeinvitedin toparticipateandcontribute.We,asfollowers,needtogiveourleaderstime,patience, forgiveness;andweneedtobewillingtostepupandcontribute. Theseleadersashostsarecandidenoughtoadmitthattheydontknowwhattodo; theyrealizethatitssheerfoolishnesstorelyonlyonthemforanswers.Buttheyalso knowtheycantrustinotherpeoplescreativityandcommitmenttogettheworkdone. Theyknowthatotherpeople,nomatterwheretheyareintheorganizationalhierarchy, canbeasmotivated,diligentandcreativeastheleader,giventherightinvitation. TheJourneyfromHerotoHost Leaderswhojourneyfromherotohosthaveseenpastthenegativedynamicsofpolitics andoppositionthathierarchybreeds,theyveignoredtheorganizationalchartsandrole descriptionsthatconfinepeoplespotential.Instead,theyvebecomecurious.Whosin thisorganizationorcommunity?Whatskillsandcapacitiesmighttheyofferiftheywere invitedintotheworkasfullcontributors?Whatdotheyknow,whatinsightsdothey havethatmightleadtoasolutiontothisproblem? Leadersashostsknowthatpeoplewillinglysupportthosethingstheyveplayedapart increatingthatyoucantexpectpeopletobuyintoplansandprojectsdeveloped elsewhere.Leadersashostsinvestinmeaningfulconversationsamongpeoplefrom

manypartsofthesystemasthemostproductivewaytoengendernewinsightsand possibilitiesforaction.Theytrustthatpeoplearewillingtocontribute,andthatmost peopleyearntofindmeaningandpossibilityintheirlivesandwork.Andtheseleaders knowthathostingothersistheonlywaytogetcomplex,intractableproblemssolved. Leadersashostsdontjustbenevolentlyletgoandtrustthatpeoplewilldogoodwork ontheirownLeadershaveagreatmanythingstoattendto,butthesearequite differentthantheworkofheroes.Hostingleadersmust: provideconditionsandgoodgroupprocessesforpeopletoworktogether. provideresourcesoftime,thescarcestcommodityofall. insistthatpeopleandthesystemlearnfromexperience,frequently. offerunequivocalsupportpeopleknowtheleaderisthereforthem. keepthebureaucracyatbay,creatingoases(orbunkers)wherepeopleareless encumberedbysenselessdemandsforreportsandadministrivia. playdefensewithotherleaderswhowanttotakebackcontrol,whoarecritical thatpeoplehavebeengiventoomuchfreedom. reflectbacktopeopleonaregularbasishowtheyredoing,whattheyre accomplishing,howfartheyvejourneyed. workwithpeopletodeveloprelevantmeasuresofprogresstomaketheir achievementsvisible. valueconvivialityandespritdecorpsnotfalserahrahactivities,butthespirit thatarisesinanygroupthataccomplishesdifficultworktogether. ChallengesfromSuperiors Itsimportanttonotehowleadersjourneyingfromherotohostusetheirpositional power.Theyhavetoworkalllevelsofthehierarchy;mostoften,itseasiertogain supportandrespectfromthepeopletheyleadthanitistogainitfromtheirsuperiors. Mostseniorleadersoflargehierarchiesbelieveintheirinherentsuperiority,asproven bythepositiontheyveattained.Theydontbelievethateverydaypeopleareas creativeorselfmotivatedasarethey.Whenparticipationissuggestedasthemeansto gatherinsightsandideasfromstaffonacomplexproblem,seniorleadersoftenwill blocksuchactivities.Theyjustifytheiroppositionbystatingthatpeoplewouldusethis opportunitytotakeadvantageoftheorganization;orthattheywouldsuggestideasthat havenobearingtotheorganizationsmission;orthatpeoplewouldfeeloverly confidentandoversteptheirroles.Intruth,manyseniorleadersviewengagingthe wholesystemasathreattotheirownpowerandcontrol.Theyconsistentlychoosefor control,andtheresultantchaos,ratherthaninvitepeopleintosolvedifficultand complexproblems. Leaderswhodoknowthevalueoffullengagement,whodotrustthosetheylead,have toconstantlydefendtheirstafffromseniorleaderswhoinsistonmorecontrolsand

morebureaucracytocurtailtheiractivities,evenwhenthoseveryactivitiesare producingexcellentresults.Strangetosay,buttoomanyseniorleaderschoosecontrol overeffectiveness;theyrewillingtoriskcreatingmorechaosbycontinuingtheirtake charge,commandandcontrolleadership. ReengagingPeople Thosewhovebeenheldbackinconfiningroles,whovebeenburiedinthehierarchy, willeventuallyblossomanddevelopinthecompanyofahostingleader.Yet,ittakes timeforemployeestobelievethatthisbossisdifferent,thatthisleaderactuallywants themtocontribute.Itcantake12to18monthsinsystemswherepeoplehavebeen silencedintosubmissionbyautocraticleadership.Thesedays,mostpeopletakeawait andseeattitude,nolongerinterestedinparticipatingbecausepastinvitationswerent sincere,ordidntengagetheminmeaningfulwork.Theleaderneedstoprovehimor herselfbycontinuallyinsistingthatworkcannotbeaccomplished,norproblemssolved withouttheparticipationofeveryone.Ifthemessageissincereandconsistent,people graduallyreturntolife;evenpeoplewhohavediedonthejob,whorejustwaitinguntil retirement,cancomealiveinthepresenceofaleaderwhoencouragesthemand createsopportunitiesforthemtocontribute. Leadersashostsneedtobeskilledconveners.Theyrealizethattheirorganizationor communityisrichinresources,andthattheeasiestwaytodiscovertheseistobring diversepeopletogetherinconversationsthatmatter.Peoplewhodidntlikeeachother, peoplewhodiscountedandignoredeachother,peoplewhofeltinvisible,neglected,left outthesearethepeoplewhocanemergefromtheirboxesandlabelstobecome interesting,engagedcolleaguesandcitizens. Hostingmeaningfulconversationsisntaboutgettingpeopletolikeeachotherorfeel good.Itsaboutcreatingthemeansforproblemstogetsolved,forteamstofunction well,forpeopletobecomeenergeticactivists.HostingLeaderscreatesubstantive changebyrelyingoneveryonescreativity,commitmentandgenerosity.Theylearn fromfirsthandexperiencethatthesequalitiesarepresentinjustabouteveryoneandin everyorganization.Theyextendsincereinvitations,askgoodquestions,andhavethe couragetosupportrisktakingandexperimentation. AreYouaHero? Manyofuscangetcaughtupactinglikeheroes,notfrompowerdrives,butfromour goodintentionsanddesirestohelp.Areyouactingasahero?Hereshowtoknow. Youreactingasaherowhenyoubelievethatifyoujustworkharder,youllfixthings; thatifyoujustgetsmarterorlearnanewtechnique,youllbeabletosolveproblems forothers.Youreactingasaheroifyoutakeonmoreandmoreprojectsandcauses andhavelesstimeforrelationships.Youreplayingtheheroifyoubelievethatyoucan savethesituation,theperson,theworld.

 Ourheroicimpulsesmostoftenarebornfromthebestofintentions.Wewanttohelp, wewanttosolve,wewanttofix.Yetthisistheillusionofspecialness,thatwerethe onlyoneswhocanofferhelp,service,skills.Ifwedontdoit,nobodywill.Thisheros pathhasonlyoneguaranteeddestinationweendupfeelinglonely,exhaustedand unappreciated. Itistimeforallusheroestogohomebecause,ifwedo,wellnoticethatwerenot alone.Weresurroundedbypeoplejustlikeus.Theytoowanttocontribute,theytoo haveideas,theywanttobeusefultoothersandsolvetheirownproblems. Truthbetold,theyneverwantedheroestorescuethemanyway. PartsofthisarticleareexcerptsfromWalkOutWalkOn:ALearningJourneyInto CommunitiesDaringtoLivetheFutureNow.MargaretWheatley&DeborahFrieze. BerrettKoehlerPublishers,ForthcomingApril2011.