1. Theme 2 – My Leadership in the System Part 1
Nurse Leaders Development Programme
12th September 2018

2. What are we covering today?
Introduction to Systems Leadership
What is it? What does it entail?
How does systems leadership relate to you and your role, and in particular, how does it impact on the individuals for whom you provide care?
Host Leadership
A Model to help you strengthen leadership and assess the (systems) issues you’re facing
LCAV in the context of social care
Applying this to your Leadership Impact Project

3. A System - definition
A set of individuals, organisations or bodies working and relating together or interacting in some way as part of an interconnecting network; a complex whole

4. And for whom is this important?

5. Evolutionary thinking
Unintended consequences – how wolves change rivers
The Big Picture - considering integration from the perspective of the person using the service

6. SIMPLE COMPLICATED COMPLEX SIMPLE COMPLICATED COMPLEX
Following a recipe
Building a moon rocket
Raising a child
Recipe is essential
Formulae are critical and necessary
Formulae have only
a limited application
Recipes are tested to
assure replicability of
later efforts
Sending one rocket
increases assurance
that next will be ok
Raising one child
gives no assurance
of success with the next
No particular
expertise; knowing
how to cook increases
success
High level of expertise
in many specialized
fields & coordination
Expertise can help
but is not sufficient
Recipes produce
standard products
Rockets similar in
critical ways
Every child is unique
Certainty of same
results every time
High degree of
certainty of outcome
Uncertainty of
outcome remains
SIMPLE
COMPLICATED
COMPLEX
Following a recipe
Building a moon rocket
Raising a child
Recipe is essential
Formulae are critical and necessary
Formulae have only
a limited application
Recipes are tested to
assure replicability of
later efforts
Sending one rocket
increases assurance
that next will be ok
Raising one child
gives no assurance
of success with the next
No particular
expertise; knowing
how to cook increases
success
High level of expertise
in many specialized
fields & coordination
Expertise can help
but is not sufficient
Recipes produce
standard products
Rockets similar in
critical ways
Every child is unique
Certainty of same
results every time
High degree of
certainty of outcome
Uncertainty of
outcome remains
From - Plsek, P. “Complexity, culture and
large systems change” presentation
Source: Brenda Zimmerman, PhD

7. Are we applying complicated solutions to complex problems?

8. WICKED ISSUES - GRINT
Novel, recalcitrant or intransigent
Complex – cannot be solved in isolation
Sit outside single hierarchy and across systems
No stopping rule and therefore no definition of success
No right or wrong solutions; rather you aim for progress and better developments
Uncertainty and ambiguity inevitable
Leadership role is to ask the appropriate question and engage collaboration: adaptive leadership – how do you adopt and adapt?

9. Current leadership challenges
Complex world – change is happening all the time
Tame and Wicked problems (Rittell and Webber, 1973, Grint, 2005)
Tame
May be complicated
There is an answer
Analysis and problem solving
Wicked
Cannot be separated from environment
Therefore many links and unexpected connections
No ‘at a stroke’ answer – there will always be further rolling issues and emerging difficulties
Have to be worked on in a fluid and emergent way…

10. Building collective understanding
What does working in complex systems really mean?
Small changes can have big effects
…. and big changes very little effect
Emergence – the whole is greater than the sum of the parts
Tolerance of uncertainty and flexibility
Recognising the futility of control

11. Something to consider…
Why were smokers providing technical support via a call centre more productive?
They had breaks to smoke where they had random conversations where they gained knowledge from each other to solve issues in new ways which enabled them to handle calls more quickly.
Recreating this possibility for everyone raised productivity by 40%

12. “UNPREDICTABILITY”…
… is built into every complex system, including organisations. When we hold ourselves and others to impossible expectations of control, we may be instigating patterns of anxiety and frustration that can grow and spread impairing organisational function”
Tony Suchman, Leading change in healthcare, 2011, Ed. Schuman et al. p.18

13. Emergence The map is not the territory Have direction, but
Plan one step at a time
Pause to notice what happens
Only then plan the next step
The plan is emergent

14. Workings with complexity values
Allowing solutions to emerge by:
Encouraging rich interaction, removing barriers and oppressive controls
Giving space and time,
Not over-specifying means
Valuing multiple perspectives
Using multiple approaches that make effective use of experience, experimentation, freedom to innovate and working at the edge of knowledge and experience

15. Comfort zone
Discomfort zone
Panic zone

16. Leadership Dilemmas

17. Let’s think about Hosting
Host [hohst]
noun
‘A person who receives or entertains guests’ – Oxford English Dictionary

18. What are hosts? Where do we find hosts? What do they do Beforehand
During hosting
Afterwards

19. Step forward: Leader as Hero

20. Step back: Leader as Servant

21. Leader as Host, Host as Leader
“The uncertainty involved in wicked problems implies that leadership, as I am defining it, is not a science but an art – the art of engaging a community in facing up to complex collective problems.” Grint, 2010)
Hero
Servant
Host sits above both hero and servant, encompassing aspects of both and the movement between them

22. Four positions for the dance of the host leader
“In the spotlight” – up front, in full view
“With the guests” – public, yet intimate
“In the gallery” – overview
“In the kitchen” – more private and intimate work
In the spotlight - Being the focus of attention; Out front; Making things happen
With the guests - Still out front, but being ‘one of the group’; Not the centre of attention; ‘Get out and get under’
In the kitchen - A more private and intimate space; Preparing and reflecting; Time with confidants and advisors; Coaching, mentoring, developing, learning
In the gallery - Standing back; Taking an overview of what’s happening; Don’t just do something, stand there; Can be physical place, state of mind (or both)

23. Six new ROLES of engagement
Initiator
Inviter
Space-creator
Gatekeeper
Connector
Co-participator

24. Looking at the dimensions (1)
Stepping forwards
Stepping back
Initiator
Getting things started
Responding
Inviter
Thinking invitationally
Giving choice & space
Space-Creator
Creating the space
Allowing people to use the space
Inviter
Uses soft power when possible – the outstretch hand of welcome and engagement
Thinks invitationally and invites thoughtfully
A good invitation is:
Attractive – it’s going to be great!
Acknowledging – why I’d like YOU (personally) to be there
Optional – ‘no’ has to be OK (to allow for an authentic ‘yes’)
Giving space for choice and reflection
(Can insist occasionally… once the relationship is developed)
Space creator
Creates the space (‘ba’) for interactions, conversation, emergence, new ideas and possibilities
Physical and ‘psychological’ space – ‘safe enough’
A good space depends on what you hope will happen in it (theatre, dinner etc.)
Good host will be there first to set up the space…
And then hold the space while proceedings continue – stepping back, watching, nudging

25. Looking at the dimensions (2)
Stepping forwards
Stepping back
Gate-keeper
Excluding and defining
Including and allowing
Connector
Making connections & intros
Allowing contact
Co-participator
Initiating and providing
Joining in
Gatekeeper
Decides who/what can be part of this event
Looks after thresholds – opening and closing the ‘gate’
Sets up routines, rituals and house rules (connects
to space-creator)
Can flex ‘container size’ – balance of
Who and how many people
Questions under consideration
When things are tough, reduce container size
Boundary-spanning
Can (in the end) exclude questions and people
Temporarily
Till another time/place/group
For good (in principle) – but beware…
Connector
Connects at three levels:
With the guests – meeting and greeting
Be interested in the ‘walk’ of the other
The guests with each other – ‘social butterfly’
Connect, then leave them to get on with it
Knows the connectedness of everything – so is ready for surprise, synchronicity and unexpectedness
Co-participator
Small signs of progress – user’s guide to the future
Just as the host serves their guests first and then eats the same food…
A Host Leader will put their guests first
And then join in in a full and (mostly) non-dominating way
A great chance to be ‘with the guests’ and ‘in the gallery’
Watch out for ‘pressure points’ – times when you need to be there ‘just in case’ 25

26. Thinking like a host leader and your current experiences
Individually consider where you may have already used the components of host leadership (as an individual/leader)
On your tables - Looking forward where might you introduce aspects of the model to your role?

27. Leading Change Adding Value

28. I Statements
I can live the life I want and am supported to manage any risks
I have choice and control and feel safe
I have the information and advice I need to stay healthy and as independent as I want
I am still connected to my local community through friends and family
I have a voice to control the planning and delivery of my care and support
I have caring compassionate support delivered by competent people
My family is supported to care which helps us all to cope