Leadership Without Easy Answers Book Review [PDF]

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Book Review: Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ronald A. Heifetz Ku-Masi Lewis Tarleton State University Doctoral Cohort 20 EDAD-6324: Models and Theories Dr. Don M. Beach September 18, 2020



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Book Review: Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ronald A. Heifetz Undoubtedly, the role of leadership has many ebbs and flows. In some cases, the weight of the world falls on the leader’s shoulders. From business to education, constituents demand authority figures to have the solutions to the disruptions in their daily lives. Heifetz (1994) stated that “instead of looking for saviors, we should be calling for leadership that will challenge us to face problems which there are no simple, painless solutions—problems that require us to learn new ways” (p. 2). The purpose of this book is to inform leaders of the significance of “adaptive leadership” and the power it has for stakeholders to work to resolve conflict. Chapter One Chapter 1, “Values in Leadership”, the author delineates the difference between leading with merit and leading without a moral code. The author argues that leadership cannot be value free. Followers, believe in their leader’s intrinsic worth, which is a value. In order for people to be led and mobilized, a leader must influence his constituents to believe in their vision in order for there to be action. The leader has to balance the influence of conflicting values within their groups when making decisions. Heifetz further explains hidden values in situationalist, contingency, and transactional leadership theories. The situationalist theory states that individuals became remarkable leaders due to their influence during the historical times they emerged. The contingency theory states that particular styles of leadership are needed in certain situations. The transactional leadership theory proclaims that motivation of constituents involves exchange from both sides. The value that all of these theories hold is the ability to influence and mobilize. In times of strife, these two values are paramount to adapt to change.



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Chapter Two In Chapter 2, “To Lead or Mislead”, Heifetz posits that human beings and organisms need balance. When threatened, both of these living systems must respond in order to restore balance. Failure to evolve or adapt could threaten the existence of these systems; the same could happen to businesses and careers. Disequilibrium entails due to the conflicts in the values that people hold and the realities that they face. Heifetz (1994) states, “we perceive problems whenever conditions do not follow our way of thinking…adaptive work not only involves facing reality, but also understanding the values of others”, (pg. 31). Work avoidance, failure to address the realities of conflict, increases the disequilibrium. Taking action is the only strategy that allows for adaptation. Chapter Three Chapter 3, “Roots of Authority”, outlines societies need for authority. Beginning with primates’ assimilation of authoritative figures, dominance became the framework to secure the essential needs for survival. Heifetz reminds the reader of two important facts about authority. Authority can be taken away as easily as it is given; and authority, as seen in transactional leadership theory, is given as part of an exchange. However, sometimes the exchange is not mutual when dominance is evoked or manufactured by what Heifetz coins as habitual deference. “Many of us have been so conditioned to defer to authority that we do not realize the extent to which we are the source of the power” wrote Heifetz (1994, p. 58) to clarify this point. Assimilating to authority creates the constructs that define different cultures. Chapter Four



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Heifetz explains in Chapter 4 “Mobilizing Adaptive Work”, that during times of distress individuals look to those with authority for resolution. Regardless of our reluctance to dominance, we are still dependent on those in power to provide us with protection, direction, and order. Nonetheless, there is a difference between appropriate and inappropriate dependencies. Some issues are technical, there is a process and it is appropriate to depend on an expert in order to solve them. There are also certain problems that do not yield clear processes in how to respond. In these situations, a sense of inappropriate dependency is placed on those with authority. If those in power cannot provide protection, direction, and order during this time, they may be replaced in the hopes that another leader can. Making problem solving the sole responsibility of leaders is maladaptive and is not inclusive of the values and resources society possesses. “The flight to authority is particularly dangerous for at least two reasons: first, because the work avoidance often occurs in response to our biggest problems and second, because it disables some of our most important personal and collective resources for accomplishing adaptive work”, Heifetz (1994, p. 73) warns. The author further justifies the appropriateness of dependency through differentiating between Type I situations, which do not require adaptive work, and Type II and III situations which require adaptive responses. Chapter Five In Chapter 5, “Applying Power”, the reader is introduced to two types of authority, formal and informal authority. Formal authority is the power given to leaders based on the explicit job duties they perform. Informal authority is the power leaders obtain based on implicit expectations that go far beyond explicit duties. Despite having formal or informal authority, it is important for a leader to understand how to protect and establish their authority. In support of establishing and protecting authority, authority provides resources in order to direct attention,



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gather information, manage and frame information, orchestrate conflicting perspectives, and select the decision making process to find solutions. Chapter Six “On a Razor’s Edge”, Chapter 6, the author conveys that even though authority provides resources, a leader could lose these resources if they are unable to provide the protection, direction, and order that is expected. Adaptive challenges prompt authority figures to act to subside conflict. The challenge to leaders is to sustain what is expected of them while society is confronting new realities. Heifetz (1994) states that, “leadership is a razor’s edge because one has to oversee a sustained period of social disequilibrium during which people confront the contradictions in their lives and communities and adjust their values and behavior to accommodate new realities”, (pg. 125-126). Five strategic principles of leadership can assist with navigating challenges. First, identify the adaptive challenge. Second, keep stress levels tolerable in order to do the work. Third, identify the issues that need immediate attention. Fourth, allow the people to do the work that they can handle. And fifth, protect those doing the work who do not have authority. Chapter Seven Chapter 7, “Falling off the Edge”, explores leaders in history and their approaches to handling crisis. The leaders introduced in this chapter were Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Jimmy Carter. These leaders had three approaches that they could have used to address the issues of their time. They could avoid the issue or make it known to the public. Or, they can stay ahead of the situation and allow the public to know what they need to know when



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deemed appropriate. Using the wrong approach to address crises can inevitably cause a leader’s downfall as it did for all of the leaders mentioned in this chapter. Chapter Eight “Progress often demands new ideas and innovation. As well, it often demands changes in people’s attitudes and behaviors”, posits Heifetz (1994, p. 187). In Chapter 8. “Creative Deviance on the Frontline”, the author communicates that leaders often do not have the luxury to entertain the thinking of those who do not resemble the mindset of their base. Therefore, it is pertinent to an organization’s adaptive success that change is ignited by those who are not in an authoritarian role. The benefit of leading without authority allows parties to make decisions outside of the norms of the base, single issues receive the attention that they need, and allow those without authority to get a first-hand account of their stakeholders’ situations. Chapter Nine Chapter 9, “Modulating the Provocation”, continues to explain the position of those without authority and how they must strategize on the front line. Leaders without authority are able to encourage action, but they are not prepared for the responses they may receive. They may be more in touch with needs on the frontline, however, they are not equipped to forecast the ripple effect of their actions. Their movements must be bold and subtle at the same time; choosing the challenges that will allow them to mobilize the most stakeholders and be ready for the opposing authority figure to strike back. Chapter Ten and Eleven In Chapter 10, “Assassination”, and Chapter 11 “Personal Challenge”, the author explicates the risks of stimulating adaptive work for those with authority, and even those without



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it. The reality is that it is impossible to find common ground with everyone in society. Especially when one’s way of life and sense of being is perceived as being threatened. The author describes loss of identify, well-being, and even life as a consequence of leading adaptive work. Heifetz (1994) states, “At those times, an authority figure, even one who does not exercise leadershipsomeone who colludes with his community in avoiding adaptive work in an effort to restore equilibrium-will risk attack and loss of office”, (p. 237). Real leadership requires those of authority to lessen the distress by pacing the work that is to be done and always testing the environment to see how much stress it can withstand. In the end, the author challenges those who lead to bear the cross of leadership without losing oneself in the process by adhering to the following seven principles: 1.) participate and observe, 2.) distinguish the self from one’s role, 3.) concentrate on the issues; let those who create the conflict take ownership of it, 4.) collaborate to reach your goals; trust others with the issues, 5.) listen, but trust your own barometer, 6.) make time for independent reflections, and 7.) stay true to your own values. Application In my 12th year serving as a high school principal, in the same school might I add, I am more than familiar with the pains of being an authoritative figure. It took me a while to realize that it is not my responsibility to make everyone happy, even though the individuals in my building and in the community believe it is. It is because of this reason, I agree with Heifetz that individuals in leadership positions are the loneliest members of any organization. I believe that it is my job to ensure that every student receives the appropriate level of education that is mandated by the Texas Education Agency and the U.S. Department of Education, that our school is safe and orderly, and that our stakeholders have an opportunity to be included in the decisions that affect our school community.



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The current issue that I am facing as leader is COVID-19 related. Teachers, parents, and students share opposing views on whether it is safe enough for schools to reopen. Due to the mandates of our school district, who is being mandated by TEA, we must give students the option of returning for face-to-face instruction or attending classes using our virtual platform. No matter if it is one student or 400 students, all teaching staff will be required to provide face-toface instruction. As principal, I must convince teachers, parents, and students that we have developed protocols to ensure their safety. I must also attend to their social and emotional needs as their anxieties begin to elevate as the date to return draws nearer. This work is exhausting and leaves me with little time to take care of my family, let alone myself. My biggest take away from this book, given the context of this problem of practice, is the seven principles outlined in the final chapter, “Personal Challenge”. These principles will not necessarily solve the issue, however, it provides a blueprint on how I should navigate my actions in response to my stakeholders’ concerns. About the Author Ronald Heifetz currently serves as the King Hussein bin Talal Senior Lecturer at the Center for Public Leadership which he founded at Harvard Kennedy School. He has been a member of their faculty for nearly 40 years, previously serving as a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Heifetz’s work centers on providing consultation to businesses, organizations, and schools in creating and maintaining adaptive changes within societal boundaries. Heifetz is the author of Leadership Without Easy Answers (1994) and The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization (2009). He co-authored Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading (2002) with Marty Linsky.



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Ronald Heifetz was born February 7, 1951 and is a graduate of Columbia University (B.A.), Harvard Medical School (M.D.), and Harvard Kennedy School (MPA). He is married to Kathryn Herring Heifetz and has two children, Ariana and David.



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References Harvard Kennedy School. (n.d). Ronald Heifetz. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty/ronaldheifetz Heifetz, R. A. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Ronald Heifetz. (2019, September 28). In Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Heifetz