Discovering the Power of Leadership Metaphors for Development and Action

New Lenses on Leadership:

Presented by David Magellan HorthAnd

Charles J.Palus (Chuck Palus)

Think about the way you are when you are at your best as a

leader.

Choose a card that describes what that’s like …

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

A B C D

E F G H

What are metaphors?Metaphors and analogies are fundamental modes for thinking and

living• Not (just) a part of speech• Like-ness• Exploring new or complex ideas• Lakoff & Johnson, Metaphors We Live By• Hofstadter, Analogy as the Fuel and Fire of Thinking

Life is a journey Time is a river Love is war, love is a journey, love is a rose Life is a sport Social organizations are plants Managers are coaches Leadership is an art Leaders are pilots Leaders are generals Leaders are parents Leadership is a journey

And so on… For every thought we have.

What are leadership

metaphors?“Leadership” is a fantastically diverse category—and getting bigger, and broader.

• How to talk about and engage this variety?• Theories plus metaphors• Direction, Alignment, Commitment: The DAC Framework• Anything that produces DAC might be leadership.

What are the metaphors and analogies for leadership based on DAC?• Leaders, and, Leadership• Coach, guide, tyrant, queen, king, parent, gardener, architect, preacher, …• Squadron, flock, band, mob, gang, team, community, coalition, …

Leadership Metaphor Explorer™• Supportive Teachers• World-Class Athletes• Silicon Valley of Innovation• Self-Catalyzing Renaissance • And so on …

© 2012 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Leadership in Permanent White Water

Making Shared Sense of Complexity

Metaphoric Reasoning

Shared Sense Making

Leveraging Polarities

Recognizing Patterns

Navigating Complexity

Yields to

Tangled Transparency

Paradoxical (New) Possibilities

Unpredictable Understanding

Rapid (New) Reality

ThroughRUPT

In your organization or community …

When you are doing your best work together:

How are shared direction, alignment, and

commitment (DAC) created?

Choose a card that describes what that’s like …

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

Q

I J K

L M N

O P

What behaviors & beliefs will help drive the business

strategy?

Leadership Culture as Shared Action Logics

Dependent leadership culture beliefs

People in authority areresponsible for leadership.

Interdependent leadership culture beliefsLeadership is a collective activity.

GlobalAdaptive

Sustainable

Multi-regionalEntrepreneurial

Heroic

LocalRoutine

Regimented

Business Strategy:

current

capability

ceiling

new cultural

core capability

Leadership

Strategy

What behaviors & beliefs will help drive the business

strategy?

October 2009 30

CTS

working

Our relationships

NOWOur relationships for the

FUTURE strategy

Across

Clusters

with

Partner A

with

Partner B

A few

key

words

for each

…

Flow together

Harness power

Unified agenda

??TAPE cards to

chart

Create one chart per

small group

Capture a few key words for

each

Debate and decide one

card per each cellConnected

Mutual

respect

Virtual

spaces

What behaviors & beliefs will help drive the business strategy?

What behaviors & beliefs will help drive the business strategy?

http://bruceflye.com/

What is it?

83 cards with illustrated metaphors for shared work and

leadership.

How is it used?

Personal reflection, peer coaching, leadership development

events: What kind of leader do I want to be? How do I see

you? … What kind of leadership culture do we have? What

kind do we want? What’s our leadership strategy?

2010 Center for Creative Leadership. All rights reserved.

Leadership Metaphor

Explorer

www.leadingeffectively.com/metaphor/

www.leadingeffectively.com/visualexplorer/

Thank You for Participating

Exclusive Offer – Save 25%Leadership Metaphor Kit Comprehensive Facilitator Guide One deck of 83 reusable cards

Facilitator’s Guide : $131.25 (reg $ 175.00)

Enter code webinarNLL at checkout. Offer ends 12/31/14

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