These slides were prepared for a workshop on writing a reflective journal for postgraduate management students at Massey University, New Zealand.

1. WRITING WORKSHOP 4
152707 Leading and Organizing Change
These slides can be viewed at:
tinyurl.com/152707WW4

2. You will learn how to:
• Summarise and quote from management
literature
• Organise your notes under topics which are
relevant to your leadership experiences
• Use these notes to write scholarly critique
of leadership experiences
Learning outcomes

3. ASSIGNMENT QUESTION

5. REVIEW OF STRUCTURE

6. Suggested Journal Structure
Introduction (one or two paragraphs)
Vignette 1 (four paragraphs)
Vignette 2 (four paragraphs)
Vignette 3 (four paragraphs)
Conclusion (two or three paragraphs)

7. Suggested structure for each vignette
Story of a leadership experience (1 paragraph)
workshops 1 & 2
Analysis of the leadership experience (1 paragraph)
workshop 3
Scholarly critique of the leadership experience (2
paragraphs)
workshop 4 (this one!)

8. SCHOLARLY CRITIQUE 1:
Research & Notes

9. Research & Note-Taking Suggestions
Identify leadership topics which are relevant to
your three stories. (See workshop 3)
Find relevant concepts, theories and research
findings in Management books and journal articles.
Make notes in your own words and copy short
quotes from these high quality sources.
Organise these notes and quotes under relevant
topic headings (sometimes they’ll fit under more
than one heading).

10. TASK 1:
NOTES & QUOTES
You’ll see some short texts about leadership.
Read each example and discuss with your partner, is it:
Original Management text
or
Martin’s summary

11. Management or Martin?
One approach to change leadership identifies four key
principles: maximise stakeholder participation; strengthen
relationships; build task-focused teams; ensure that decision-
making is inclusive.
1. widen the circle of involvement
2. connect people to each other
3. create communities for action
4. embrace democracy
(Axelrod, 2000, pp. 33-35)

12. Management or Martin?
Benefits of collaboration include: a unified face to customers,
faster internal decision-making, reduced costs through shared
resources, and the development of more innovative products.
Through effective collaboration, teams can make decisions
more efficiently, use organisational resources more cost-
effectively, develop products more creatively and speak to
clients with one voice (Weiss & Hughes, 2013).

13. Management or Martin?
Leaders and followers are both following the invisible
leader – the common purpose.
A common misconception about the leadership is that it
consists in giving clear and persuasive orders to followers.
This concept of leadership is narrow in scope and
inconsistent with a democratic ethos. Within democratic
organisations, in which individuals are empowered, rather
than subjugated, effective leadership aims, instead, to ensure
that everyone – including leaders themselves – understands
and contribute to shared goals. In this way, as Parker Follett
explained, “Leaders and followers are both following the
invisible leader – the common purpose” (1987, p. 55).

14. Suggestions for effective use of source material
Avoid brainless cut and pasting from sources – it’s a waste of time.
Identify relevant concepts, theories, research findings. Remember them in
your head. Look away from (or close) the source. Make notes as much as
possible in your own words. Look back at the source to double-check if your
summary notes are accurate.
Only copy the text if the original language is special (e.g. an authoritative
definition of an important concept). Keep quotations short and include the
page number it came from.

15. TASK 2: ORGANISING
RESEARCH NOTES
The two leadership topics I chose to discuss in
relation to my first story were:
• The process of leading change
• Leadership power
Discuss with your partner the following notes and
quotes from my research: Which topic do they fit
under?

16. Which topic: process or power?
One approach to change leadership identifies four key principles: maximise
stakeholder participation; strengthen relationships; build task-focused teams; ensure
that decision-making is inclusive (Axelrod, 2000).
process
Mistakes in change planning are often blamed on technical errors or weaknesses in
the team, instead of on a mistaken attempt by a leader to impose values or objectives.
This kind of mistake is often an indication of a narcissistic leadership style in which
followers are seen as extension of the leader instead of as individuals with their own
needs and potential (Higgs, 2013).
power
Top-down, individual change leadership depends on the willingness of followers to
embrace the process of change. This is not always the case. Therefore, especially in
less hierarchical organisations, bottom-up, emergent change may be more appropriate
(Bamford & Forrester, 2003).
power

17. Which topic: process or power?
Followers who feel respected by their leader(s) are more likely to be open to
their influence and also to feel greater job-satisfaction (Quaquebeke &
Eckloff, 2010).
power
Leadership in which power is distributed among team members, rather than
concentrated in one individual, is characterised by collaboration, trust and
empowerment (Cunliffe & Eriksen, 2011)
power
The need for careful planning is shown by the fact that up to 80% of change
initiatives fail (Appelbaum, Habashy, Malo, & Shafiq, 2012).
process

18. Which topic: process or power?
Leaders cannot work in moral isolation: “if it’s unethical or immoral, it is not
leadership” (Burns, 2003, p. 48).
power
Five kinds of power have been identified: reward, coercive, legitimate,
expert, referent (Raven, 2008) – the last two have to be earned – through
showing expertise and logical persuasion or through showing example that
makes others want to emulate you.
power
As Kotter (1990, p. 26) noted, “Leadership produces change. That is its
primary function”. It is leadership that drives forward each stage of the
change process, from defining a future vision, aligning followers with that
vision and providing them with the necessary inspiration for the change to be
achieved (Kotter, 1996).
process & power

19. SCHOLARLY CRITIQUE 2:
WRITING

20. Scholarly critique writing suggestions
Write two paragraphs focusing on what you learnt
about leadership from the experience in your story.
Use leadership theories as a lens to look through as
you examine your earlier experience from the
perspective of someone who has learnt about
leadership.
Explain how certain concepts or findings made you
review your earlier understanding of what happened.

21. TASK 3: CITATIONS
Read the first paragraph of scholarly critique,
based on my leadership story and discuss with
your partner:
How many citations do you think are needed?
Where is the best place to put them?

22. My assumption that I needed to show leadership in order to achieve change is
one which has been widely shared in Management. In fact, the ability to drive
forward necessary organisational change has been seen as the primary function
of leadership, as the leader first defines a future vision, aligns followers with that
vision and provides them with the necessary inspiration for the change to be
achieved. According to this view, my main error was an operational one: a failure
to create, a ‘guiding coalition’ in which my main aim at the early stage would be to
widen the circle of colleagues committed to the change. This coalition-building
strategy might also have addressed the powerlessness which I experienced in
proposing my change. My approach had relied on the effectiveness of my claim
to expert or referent power, which I sought to exercise through a display of logic,
expertise and example. The legitimacy of my claim might have been reinforced
by showing respect for the opinions of my team at an early stage, since research
has shown that followers who feel respected by their leader(s) are more likely to
be open to their influence.

23. My assumption that I needed to show leadership in order to achieve change is one
which has been widely shared in Management. In fact, the ability to drive forward
necessary organisational change has been seen as the primary function of leadership,
as the leader first defines a future vision, aligns followers with that vision and provides
them with the necessary inspiration for the change to be achieved (citation).
According to this view, my main error was an operational one: a failure to create, a
‘guiding coalition’ (citation) in which my main aim at the early stage would be to widen
the circle of colleagues committed to the change. This coalition-building strategy might
also have addressed the powerlessness which I experienced in proposing my change.
My approach had relied on the effectiveness of my claim to expert or referent power
(citation), which I sought to exercise through a display of logic, expertise and
example. The legitimacy of my claim might have been reinforced by showing respect
for the opinions of my team at an early stage, since research has shown that followers
who feel respected by their leader(s) are more likely to be open to their influence
(citation).
Place citations immediately after the information they support

24. TASK 4: Components of
scholarly critique
Look at the paragraph again.
Discuss with your partner the difference between
the yellow and green phrases.
Why are the ‘yellow’ and ‘green’ phrases mixed up
in this way?

25. My assumption that I needed to show leadership in order to achieve change is one which
has been widely shared in Management. In fact, the ability to drive forward necessary
organisational change has been seen as the primary function of leadership, as the leader
first defines a future vision, aligns followers with that vision and provides them with the
necessary inspiration for the change to be achieved (citation). According to this view, my
main error was an operational one: a failure to create a “guiding coalition” (citation) in
which my main aim at the early stage would be to widen the circle of colleagues committed
to the change. This coalition-building strategy might also have addressed the
powerlessness which I experienced in proposing my change. My approach had relied on
the effectiveness of my claim to expert or referent power (citation), which I sought to
exercise through a display of logic, expertise and example. The legitimacy of my claim
might have been reinforced by showing respect for the opinions of my team at an early
stage, since research has shown that followers who feel respected by their leader(s) are
more likely to be open to their influence (citation).
Scholarly critique of experience ‘flip-flops’ between theory and experience.

26. TASK 5: Tone in a
scholarly critique
Look at the paragraph one more time.
What is their purpose of the phrases highlighted in
red?

27. My assumption that I needed to show leadership in order to achieve change is one
which has been widely shared in Management. In fact, the ability to drive forward
necessary organisational change has been seen as the primary function of
leadership, as the leader first defines a future vision, aligns followers with that vision
and provides them with the necessary inspiration for the change to be achieved
(citation). According to this view, my main error was an operational one: a failure to
create, a ‘guiding coalition’ (citation) in which my main aim at the early stage would
be to widen the circle of colleagues committed to the change. This coalition-building
strategy might also have addressed the powerlessness which I experienced in
proposing my change. My approach had relied on the effectiveness of my claim to
expert or referent power (citation), which I sought to exercise through a display of
logic, expertise and example.
Hedging shows that you understand the difference between
theory and fact; a lot of hedging signals to the reader that you
don’t necessarily agree with the theory you are using and
prepares the reader for a counter-argument.

28. TASK 6: Providing
evidence of learning
through critical reflection
Look at the second paragraph of scholarly
critique.
What lessons have I learnt by reflecting on this
experience?
How is the tone different from the first paragraph?

29. However, I have become increasingly uncomfortable with this ‘operational’ model
of change leadership. If ‘creating a coalition’ is reduced to a tactical stage in a
change process which has, in reality, been determined from above, it seems to me
both morally and practically impoverished; and as XXX (citation) points out, “if it’s
unethical or immoral, it is not leadership”. My failure, it now seems to me, was
more of an ethical than an operational one: it was not a lack of leadership, but a
lack of followership. Unknowingly, I had what XXX (citation) describes as a
narcissistic concept of leadership, in which the rest of my team were seen,
essentially, as extensions of myself, functioning only to implement a change I had
set in motion. If I had had a greater sense of followership, I might have avoided
making decisions for the team and, instead, focused on empowering them to
decide what the problem was and how to address it, limiting my role to helping my
colleagues work in unison towards common, agreed goals (citation) . My problem
was not a lack of power, but the inability to see the power which was already there;
distributed among my team members, rather than concentrated in myself. A more
appropriate leadership style might have focused on nurturing the collaboration,
trust and empowerment, which is characteristic of this context (citation) so that
sustainable, bottom-up, emergent change may have been allowed to emerge
(citation). My attempt to impose my change may actually have inhibited the power
of my team to develop their own change.

30. However, I have become increasingly uncomfortable with this ‘operational’
model of change leadership. If ‘creating a coalition’ is reduced to a tactical
stage in a change process which has, in reality, been determined from above, it
seems to me both morally and practically impoverished; and as XXX (citation)
points out, “if it’s unethical or immoral, it is not leadership”. My failure, it now
seems to me, was more of an ethical than an operational one: it was not a lack
of leadership, but a lack of followership. Unknowingly, I had what XXX
(citation) describes as a narcissistic concept of leadership, in which the rest of
my team were seen, essentially, as extensions of myself, functioning only to
implement a change I had set in motion. If I had had a greater sense of
followership, I might have avoided making decisions for the team and, instead,
focused on empowering them to decide what the problem was and how to
address it, limiting my role to helping my colleagues work in unison towards
common, agreed goals (citation). My problem was not a lack of power, but the
inability to see the power which was already there; distributed among my team
members, rather than concentrated in myself. A more appropriate leadership
style might have focused on nurturing the collaboration, trust and
empowerment, which is characteristic of this context (citation) so that
sustainable, bottom-up, emergent change may have been allowed to emerge
(citation). My attempt to impose my change may actually have inhibited the
power of my team to develop their own change.
LESSON
LESSON
LESSON
LESSON

31. However, I have become increasingly uncomfortable with this ‘operational’
model of change leadership. If ‘creating a coalition’ is reduced to a tactical
stage in a change process which has, in reality, been determined from above,
it seems to me both morally and practically impoverished; and as XXX
(citation) points out, “if it’s unethical or immoral, it is not leadership”. My
failure, it now seems to me, was more of an ethical than an operational one: it
was not a lack of leadership, but a lack of followership. Unknowingly, I had
what XXX (citation) describes as a narcissistic concept of leadership, in which
the rest of my team were seen, essentially, as extensions of myself, functioning
only to implement a change I had set in motion. If I had had a greater sense of
followership, I might have avoided making decisions for the team and, instead,
focused on empowering them to decide what the problem was and how to
address it, limiting my role to helping my colleagues work in unison towards
common, agreed goals (citation). My problem was not a lack of power, but
the inability to see the power which was already there; distributed among my
team members, rather than concentrated in myself. A more appropriate
leadership style might have focused on nurturing the collaboration, trust and
empowerment, which is characteristic of this context (citation) so that
sustainable, bottom-up, emergent change may have been allowed to emerge
(citation). My attempt to impose my change may actually have inhibited the
power of my team to develop their own change.
UNEQUIVOCAL
LANGUAGE
DIRECT STATEMENTS
(LESS ‘MIGHT HAVE’)
PERSONAL VOICE
(instead of
‘According
to this view …’ etc)

32. TASK 7: Providing
evidence of learning
Look at the second paragraph again.
What is the main purpose of the highlighted
phrases?

33. However, I have become increasingly uncomfortable with this
‘operational’ model of change leadership. If ‘creating a coalition’ is
reduced to a tactical stage in a change process which has, in reality,
been determined from above, it seems to me both morally and
practically impoverished; and as XXX (citation) points out, “if it’s
unethical or immoral, it is not leadership”. My failure, it now seems to
me, was more of an ethical than an operational one: it was not a lack
of leadership, but a lack of followership. Unknowingly, I had what
XXX (citation) describes as a narcissistic concept of leadership, in
which the rest of my team were seen, essentially, as extensions of
myself, functioning only to implement a change I had set in motion. If
I had had a greater sense of followership, I might have avoided
making decisions for the team and, instead, focused on empowering
them to decide what the problem was and how to address it, limiting
my role to helping my colleagues work in unison towards common,
agreed goals (citation). My problem was not a lack of power, but the
inability to see the power which was already there; distributed among
my team members, rather than concentrated in myself…..
THESE PHRASES
HIGHLIGHT THE
CONTRAST BETWEEN
PAST AND PRESENT
UNDERSTANDING.
THEY SHOW HOW
KNOWLEDGE OF
THEORY AND
REFLECTION HAS LED
TO LEARNING

34. SUMMARY
• understanding of Management theories
• ability to view experience through the lens of
Management theories
• learning about yourself through reflection
• learning about the value and / or limitations of
Management theories
Effective scholarly critique of leadership experience provides
evidence of your:

35. © 2017
This PowerPoint Presentation and the accompanying handouts are
copyrighted by Centre for Teaching and Learning, Massey
University and may not be used, except for personal study,
without written permission from the copyright owner. Please
note that examples are provided for illustration of writing
principles only and no reliance should be placed on any of the
ideas referred to in the texts.
Martin McMorrow, Centre for Teaching and Learning
09 212 7117 ctlalb@massey.ac.nz
These slides can be viewed at: tinyurl.com/152707WW4