1. Global Leadership: A Special Discernment Challenge
André L. Delbecq J. Thomas and Kathleen L. McCarthy University Professor Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA Tel/Fax ©

2. Henri J.M.Nouwen
It is not easy to distinguish between what we are call to do versus dong what we want to do or think we should do.
When we listen collectively in silence to God’s voice and speak with our colleagues in trust we will know what we are called to do, and will do it with grateful heart

3. Each Period Has Particular Discernment Challenges
Agrarian Age
Familial Businesses (Virtue Ethics)
Industrial Age
Command and Control Bureaucracies
(Avoidance of Hubris and Power Distortions)
Technology Age
Flat, Organic, Decentralized, Loosely-Coupled
(Subsidiarity - Communitarian Ethics)

4. Organizational Discernment Associated With Global Age
Still Emerging
Requires Continuing Shared Exploration
Nano, Biological, Knowledge Age
Plus Global Overlay
But What IS Clear Is That Decision-Making Complexity
Is Changing

5. One Recent Exploration
Global Change Symposium (March, 2009)
Institute for Global Innovation Management
Northeastern University
The Global Leadership Advancement Center
San Jose State University
Center for Organizational Spirituality
Santa Clara University

6. Partial List of Participants
Harry Lane and Bert Spector, Northeastern Univ.
Jean Neumann Tavistock Institute, London
Barry Morris, Left Lane Consulting, Ltd.
Naoe Imura, Kyoto University
Allan Bird, Univ. of St. Louis, MO
Joyce Osland, SJSU
Julia Gluesing Wayne State University
Andre Delbecq, Santa Clara University
Sully Taylor, Portland State University
(Caveat: My Personal Perspective)

7. Premises Emerging From Literature and Dialog
After Sifting and Winnowing Theory and Cases
Focus on Mission and Strategy
Independent Variable
Treat Trans-national and Cultural Differences as Moderating Variables
Avoid Undue Reification of National Differences
E.g. Chinese vs. European vs. Latin
Acknowledges Success of Private Sector As An
Effective instrument of multinational integration

8. Key Discernment Questions Become:
What Does Organization Wish to Achieve?
What Would Be An Appropriate Strategic Process?
How Can Global Complexities Be Effectively Addressed
Not: How To Do Business In ____

9. Theoretical and Professional Implications
Global Leadership can be analyzed as a genre of complex, strategic change
Discernment challenges can be focused on discrete steps

10. Urgency of Discernment For Global Leadership
BUSINESS URGENCY
Market Imperative: Largest Potential For Growth Is International
Billion New Customers
Youth vs. Aging Demographic Differences
Average Technology Start-up Operates
in Twelve Countries Within Seven Years

11. BUSINESS URGENCY-cont.
Supply Chain Imperative: Interlinked Partnerships An Economic Necessity
Global suppliers for parts, process and service support
Global integration of the labor market
Knowledge Workers
Unskilled and Skilled Workforces
Differentiated Economic Roles in “Flat World”

12. BUSINESS URGENCY-cont.
Knowledge Imperative: Rapid Change an Economic Requirement
Freely available, open sourced information flows
Formal, informal and “unformal” (heuristic) knowledge emerges spontaneously
Instantaneous communication
Capacity of Continuous Change Becomes
A Required Organizational Capability

13. BUSINESS URGENCY-cont
Therefore,Global Leadership Is a Precondition for Firm Survival
Discernment Is Required To Enable Product/Service, Process Innovation, and International Market Penetration
Pope John XXIII: Avoiding False Dualism

14. Business as Pivotal Institution
80+% People of God
Serve neighbor
Needed product or service
Experience community
Primary group as central
Talents embraced or diminished
Gifts of Mystical Body Enabled
Wealth is Generated
Supports family, society, arts, education, religion etc.
God In All Things
“Not a Second Rate Path of Holiness”

15. Additional Societal Urgency
Business Must Share in Finding Solutions to Meta-Societal Concerns
Transformation of global markets following the meltdown of economic and financial systems
Stepping away from greed and fraud
Redistribution of access to wealth creation capacity to avoid world-wide anger
Avoiding the pitfalls of long term reliance on aid

16. Societal Urgency-cont.
Assist in Finding Solutions to Looming Environmental Tragedy
Impacting on species, water shortages, climate change and energy resources - ultimately on human survival.
Each Business Must Be Part of Solution

17. Societal Urgency-cont.
Dealing With Challenges of Demographic Instability and Migration
Movement of peoples toward zones of economic viability
Family disruption, education and social support shortfalls
Absence of social supports and environmental sustainability in newly developed economic zones
When you come into your land, do not oppress the stranger.
Remember you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

18. Societal Urgency
Therefore Global Leadership Based on Sound Discernment Is Also Required To Partner in Planetary and Human Survival

19. Echoes Ignatian Criteria for Discernment of Mission
Where people can be reached who can cause good to spread
Where there is impact on many people
Where results can be durable
Where there is impact on the poor
Ignatius of Loyola - Constitutions

20. A New Generation’s Challenge
Characteristics of the Next Generation That Are Hopeful
More concern for the common good
Immersion experiences and service learning
Greater capacity for collaborative effort
Team based education and recreation
Sense the weakness of prior societal patterns
See alienation of parents generation
Stronger values orientation
Spirituality as a mega-trend

21. Elements of Global Complexity- Multiplicity
Multiplicity: Differences In-
Culture, values, expectations
Norms of transparency and information sharing
Language and familiar managerial argot
Law, governance structures, control systems and regulation
Employee relationships
Economic, political, environmental frameworks

22. Additional Elements of Global Complexity
Geographic Dispersion
Multiple locations, time zones
Virtual communication difficulties
Unreliability
Distortions due to limitations of communication technology
Difficulties in interpreting cues and signals

23. Meets Criteria for Complex Change
Means and Ends Uncertain
A Discovery (Discernment) Process,
Not Simply a Rational-Technical Expert Process

24. Resolution Requires A Paradox
Increased Boundary Spanning Efforts
Multiple Stakeholders
Capacity for deep listening and interpretation
Patience in conducting dialog throughout the decision process
While At the Same Time--

25. Paradox-Cont. While At the Same Time--
Introducing Degree of Simplicity through
Clarity of decision sequences through a commonly understood process
Clear Loci of decision authority
Timely implementation

26. Ultimately Discernment Must Be Based On
Noble Purpose
Good Processes
Good People
Leading to Innovative Outcomes

27. Familiar Step Process Model for Complex Change
1) Visioning
2) Problem Exploration
3) Solution Search
4) Pilot Testing
5) Implementation
6) Double-Loop Assessment

28. Visioning Incorporating Noble Purpose
Meta Societal Goals
Triple Bottom Line
Addressing Real Human Needs Across Differentiated Populations (including bottom of pyramid)
Accepting Discipline of Efficiency and Effectiveness
Shared Vision Must Evolve Across Stakeholders
Interpretable in multiple cultures
Creating “Organizational Readiness”
Failures: Forcing Behavior

29. Requires Discernment - Not Simply Rational Analysis
Overlaying Emotional/Spiritual Intelligence
Holistic Reflection
Current Neurological Evidence
Inclusive of “In-Spiration”
Avoiding Often-documented Distortions
Hubris and Greed
Creating a Shared Sense of Noble Purpose
Failures: Focusing Only On Numbers

30. Without Prayer-In Spiration- There is No Discernment
Parallels Across Traditions
Reformed Christian Tradition - Veni Creator Spiritus (Lutheran, Anglican, Pentecostal etc.
Jewish Tradition - Creator God who Shares Wisdom and Acts in History
Taoist - Chi Permeating the 10,000 things
Hindu - Non-dualism
Etc.
Taking Time for Silence, Reflection and Sharing Out of Silence In Each Step of the Process

31. Frank Houdek, SJ
Everyone who seeks meaning in life’s efforts must learn to listen with all their capacity in order to recognize the single voice that bears a thousand names. It is the voice spoken to us from the center of our personal being.

32. The Upanishads
He is God, hidden in all beings, their inmost soul who is in all.
He watches the works of creation, lives in all things, watches all things.

33. Tao Te Ching Look it cannot be seen --- it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard --- it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held --- it is intangible.

34. 2) Problem Exploration Being Present to Voices of Those Impacted
clients/users/customers/patients etc.
Deep Listening
Experiential, not simply numeric
60 % success rate in innovation
Failure: Technology Push By Technical
Elites vs. Market Pull

35. 3) Solution Search Contact With Gatekeepers Across Knowledge Sources
Scientific/Technnical/Prior Experience
External to Sponsoring Organization
Utilizing Capabilities of Information Age
50% Solution Elements From External Sources
Search Behavior More Important than Brilliance
Failures: Intellectual “Incest”

36. 4) Pilot Testing Alpha Test With Early Innovators
Refining Design Through Action Learning
Beta Test With Average Adopters
Understand Support, Learning Curve, Demand
Action Learning
Failure: Moving from Design to Implementation

37. 5) Implementation Resourcing
Clear Organizational Mandate Based on Shared Review of Beta Evidence
Robust Implementation Design With Support to Each Adopting Segment
Support During Roll-Out More Important Than
Technical Design Attributes
Failure: Expecting Later Adopters To
Learn Without Assistance

38. 6) Double-Loop Assessment
At end of each step
At end of total effort
Creating Organization Learning Regarding Way of Proceeding
Failure: Each Project Must Create A Process From Scratch

39. Leadership Requirements
Elements of Complexity in Visioning, Problem Identification, Solution Search, Pilot Testing and Implementation Together With Multiple Boundaries and Cultural Complexities Exceed Capacity of Single Person Leadership
Decision Team Headed By Committed Champion
No Known Success Story Associated
Superior Single Leader

40. An Intermediate Sized Group With Decision Authority
“Adhocracy” With Authority To
Manage Step Process
Manage Communications With Stakeholders
Proceed Through Beta Testing (unless unexpected findings emerge)
Hand-back Strategy to Authority Matrix For Implementation
Strategic Change Team
Failure: Associated With Bureaucratic Locus of Change

41. Rule of Three- Justice Requirement
Principle of No Surprises
Mandate Following Visioning But Requiring Continued Communication
(Modifications That Improve, Not Veto’s)
Rule of Three - Intensive Communication
When Problem Adumbrations Emerge
When Solution Adumbrations Emerge
When Final Design Recommendations Emerge
Minority Accommodations
For a Time
Evaluation Against Concerns

42. Key Roles, Strategic Team
Technical Champion: Scientific, Technical, Engineering Knowledge Leader - Formal Leader
Statesperson: Sponsor of Effort in Corridors of Vertical Power - Political Interface
Coordinator: Communication and Relations Leader Horizontally Across Impacted Units
Multi-Nationalist: Experienced and Linked Through Prior Relationships Across Cultures
Internet Monitor: Linked Into Cyber Communication Networks
May Require Multiple Players For Each Role

43. Boundary Spanning As Critical
Majority of Failures In Strategic Change Efforts Related to Boundary Spanning Failures Not Technical Inadequacy
More than 60 % Success Depends On Communication
No Known Success Story Associated
With Individual Leadership

44. The Technical Team
Selected for Expertise Relative to the Challenges of Each Stage of Step Process Model
Adhocracy Not Composed of Fixed Team Composition
Must Include Interpenetration Across Multi-national Knowledge Base
“Marketing” is Not Multi-cultural
Interpenetration

45. Required Overarching Global Leadership Skills
Political Savvy and Cultural Sensitivity
Capacity for Relationship Building
Excel at Systems Thinking
Conceptual Flexibility
Authenticity, Transparency, Integrity
Courage In Face of Difficulties
Beyond Expert Power
Professional, Psychological, Spiritual Maturity

46. God Works In Our Imperfections
Solo Celebrity Leader a Superstitious
Attribution of Causality
New Understanding of the Distribution of Gifts in the Mystical Body
Error Correction Through Shared Discernment
Accomplished Through In-Spiraton Within
Our Human Condition

47. Dealing With New Virtual World
Spontaneous “uncontrolled” Communications
Example
4 member team, 2300 individuals, messages (Gluesing, NSF Study)
Requiring Network Leader as New Role

48. Virtual World-cont.“The Buzz”
Who is talking?
Who are emergent sub-topic champions?
Who are network gatekeepers for summative perspectives?
Who is not included but important?
What is technical, emotional, value content?
Etc .
Critical Role of Network Leader
Hopeful New Software

49. Concl: Discernment in Context of Global Leadership Must-
Move Beyond “Success” to “Significance”
Include Meta Goals With Business Goals
Impose a Degree of Order Through Step-Process Sequence
“Controlled Chaos”
Demands Pooled Leadership Within a Diverse Team
“Exceed Capacities of Single Individuals”
Requires High Level Psychological and Spiritual Development
Global Corporation Has a Critical
Capacity and Role

50. Conclusion: A Warning
More than Half the Time Strategic Decision-Making Fails
Assume from past practices
Under-attend stakeholder voices
Truncate Search Behavior
Do Not Bring to Bear Values
Difficulties Manifest in Best Organizations
Paul Nutt, Ohio State, 1999

51. The Foundation I will say one more thing and please don’t forget it.
Pray. Pray much.
Problems such as these are not solved by human efforts.
Pedro Arrupe, S.J.
“Final Address to Jesuits in Thailand”
Essential Writings
p. 109

52. Abraham Joshua Heschel
We are God’s stake in human history. We are the dawn and the dusk; the challenge and the test.
How strange to be a (Chosen Child of God) and to go astray on God’s perilous errands.
We have been offered as a pattern of worship and as prey for scorn,but there is still more in our destiny.
We carry the gold of God in our souls to forge the gates of heaven.