Tim Coburn Corporate Leadership as Corporate Authorship June 1st 2011 University of Bristol

1. 1 © Tim Coburn, 2011 This is now… Rethinking Corporate Leadership as… That was then… Corporate Authorship

2. 2 ‘We often ask the question now, ‘What will become of me?’ And lose the fact that what we do Creates identity. And so it is, with choices made, We build who we become: The stories of our life fulfill Our quest to be someone.’ Tim Coburn, 2003 © Tim Coburn, 2011

3. 3 © Tim Coburn, 2011 The nature of identity is changing…. ‘If you want to know me, then you must know my story, for my story defines who I am.’ Dan P McAdams

4. 4 © Tim Coburn, 2011 1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062 ‘Narrative form is not a dress which covers something else but the structure inherent in human experience and action.’ David Carr

5. 5 © Tim Coburn, 2011 THE END ‘… the very idea of individual selves – in possession of mental qualities – is now threatened with eradication.’ Kenneth Gergen

6. 6 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Just as I become who I am by imagining, enacting and updating mystory, so too, do people become families, communities, organisations and groups by composing, creating and narrating theirs’. In this respect, theleaders of these groups are the corporate story-makers.

7. 7 © Tim Coburn, 2011 This is now… That was then… Corporate Leadership as CorporateAuthorship

8. 8 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Leadership as Authorship ‘…from my early attraction to the leadership ideas of courage,humilityandservice… …I’ll explain how I arrived at… leadershipasauthorship. In so doing, I hope to engage you in developing your own view of systemsleadership,how you practice it and how you encourage others to do the same.'

9. The Practice of Authorship in Our Everyday Lives “What we really should do about…… is…” 9 © Tim Coburn, 2011 “Their view is different because…” “If you were in my shoes, what would you do….?” “Did you see…?! ….What did you make of it?” “Let’s be clear, the purpose of this organisation is to…” “Here’s a concern…. What question should I be asking?”

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13. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 13 My Journey

14. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 14 ‘How can I be sure?’

15. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 15 ‘I was… increasingly uncertain about the certainty with which I was speaking in my endeavour to educate, encourage and enable change for others.’ ‘I was beginning to think that talking with the conviction of an expert… was actually doing more to diminish than enhance their ability to make progress.’

16. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 16 The Organisation is… A machine An organism A brain A culture A political system A psychic prison An instruments of domination

17. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 17 The Way I Know Determines Informs The Observations I Make The Possibilities of My Performance The Meaning I Make of Them The Knowledge I Construct

18. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 18 ‘I would like us all to recognise that… …reality is made, not given …our understanding of the world is always seeing as, rather than seeing as is …and to take a moral responsibility for the way we see and act in every day life, difficult though this may be.’ Gareth Morgan

19. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 19 Keith Kinsella Jenny Rogers ‘Knowledge or wisdom, Tim?’

20. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 20 System Cybernetics Organisation Pattern Relationship Object Physics Ingredients Characteristics Person He changed the subject

21. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 21 Photo: David Kjaer/RSPB IMAGES; Charlie Hamilton James

22. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 22 ‘But, what does this tell us about human systems… and leadership?’

23. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 23 Human Systems Characteristics of all human systems? Identity Purpose Action Expression Belonging And the leader’s role?

24. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 24 Everything is mediated through language and constructed in conversation Identity Purpose Action Expression Belonging Human systems are systems of language and meaning

26. Occasional gags at a competitor's expense

27. Celebrating success together

28. Ensuring we can all enjoy a decent work/life balance

29. Avoiding blame culture, because it's OK to make the odd mistakeA Human System

31. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 27 Human systems are systems of language and every one is different Language and meaning are local and contextual not universal and objective

32. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 28 Leadership Dispositions for Working with Other Language Systems I am willing to put my knowledge at risk yes no I judge your knowledge against my criteria yes no

33. no humility curiosity I judge your knowledge against my criteria certainty reflexivity yes I am willing to put my knowledge at risk no yes Dispositions for working in human systems 29 © Tim Coburn, 2011

34. First Proposition Human systems are systems of language each with its own vocabulary and meaning for… Identity, Purpose, Action, Expression and Belonging

35. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 31 Say It’s what you… Talk It’s how you… Conversation It’s in the quality of… Do It’s what you… Act It’s how you… Decision It’s in the quality of…

36. Say It’s what you… Do It’s what you… Act It’s how you… Decision It’s in the quality of… Page 32 Talk It’s how you… Conversation It’s in the quality of… © Tim Coburn, 2011

37. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 33 Leadership it’s a big responsibility… so where can you turn for reliable knowledge?

38. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 34 Lived Experience Truth is experienced individually and expressed in unique ways of talking Scientific Investigation Truth is discovered by scientific investigation and other disciplined methods Truth is constructed socially – it’s what we agree to be true Five different ways to be absolutely right Common Sense Truth is revealed through personal, spiritual and natural enlightenment Truth is passed down and comes from culture and tradition Enlightenment and Revelation Culture and Tradition

39. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 35 All Five produce socially constructed realities… ‘The goings-on between people in the course of their everyday lives are seen as the practices during which our shared versions of knowledge are constructed.’ Vivien Burr

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41. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 37 The word is not the thing

42. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 38 How do you know what I mean? Chair Pencil Boat Road Desk Phone Students Parents Customers Staff Learners Leaders Achievement Freedom Trust Potential Competence Learning Easier Harder And this is the language of leadership and leaning

43. 39 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Example "We were disappointed we lost the game but it isn't a matter of revenge, it is about our own personal pride."

44. 40 Example "We were disappointed we lost the game but it isn't a matter of revenge, it is about our own personal pride." © Tim Coburn, 2011

45. Second Proposition Leaders are the authors, architects and arbiters of the language that constructs and sustains corporate life

46. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 42 Examples of Authorship in Your Life? Project Department Profession People Organisation

47. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 43 ‘Leaders achieve their effectiveness chiefly through the stories they relate’ Howard Gardner

48. Narrator, yes…. …and author, director, reader and repairer …protagonist even, and not least, integrator

49. The Corporate Story-Maker

50. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 46 ‘As in the real theatre, in the corporate world it is the compelling story line that captures the imagination and retains the attention.’

51. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 47 Social Movement

52. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 48 Social Movement

53. © Tim Coburn, 2011 Page 49 Authoring the Lives of People You Lead

54. 50 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Their world… 1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062 Taking DownWalls

55. 51 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Their world… 1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062 DefyingAuthority

56. 52 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Their world… 1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062 IncreasinglyConnected

57. 53 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Their world… CloudInversion

58. 54 © Tim Coburn, 2011 LEAD? TEACH? LEARN? Their world… search find link listen watch discover learn blog share talk discuss create collaborate phone tablet laptop desktop tv KnowledgeInversion

59. 55 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Engagement Improves Satisfaction Productivity Retention Performance Their world… 79% Not Fully Engaged Engagement Improves with 1. Leadership 2. Learning 90,000 Employees 18 Countries All Sectors A Human System

60. Culture, Nation Tradition Politics, Faith Gender, Age, Ability If you really want to engage me you have to discover who I am and the realities I live by ‘Are you talking to me or chewing a brick?’ Organisation Profession Family Manager, Work Team, Job Relationships Conversations Words My Fond Memories Actions Education Home My Word Hoard Immediate Future Work Community MY WORLD MY FUTURE My Hopes & Aspirations Thoughts Feelings My Historical Facts My Recent Past My Current Reality My Realistic Expectations MY PAST Generation Critical Events Personal Change Life Stage Life Time Era Age 56 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Systems of Meaning

61. Yes, engage me… ‘The unity of a human life is the unity of a narrative quest’ Alasdair MacIntyre

62. “I am my story-maker…” 1947 1956 1963 1975 1989 1995 2002 2011 2019 2025 2034 2042 2050 2057 2062

63. My Story’s in Your Gift One day there’ll be a story Of the life that I have lived. I’ll be the story-maker, You’ll decide if it’s a gift. For I have passion for what’s possible And dreams that take me there. Where mountain tops evaporate In destiny’s thin air. I am my story-maker, You choose the words for me? No… My heart will beat forever If your voice sets mine free. For I have passion for what’s possible And dreams that take me there. Where mountain tops evaporate In destiny’s thin air. So, the story that you tell one day Will be the one I lived. My life in words you gave me; My story’s in your gift. For I have passion for what’s possible And dreams that take me there. Where mountain tops evaporate In destiny’s thin air. The Learner’s Voice © Tim Coburn, 2011 Tim Coburn, 2003

64. Third Proposition A view corporate life as a system of language invites a view of corporate leadership as corporate authorship

65. 61 © Tim Coburn, 2011 System Cybernetics Organisation Pattern Relationship Systems of Meaning Object Physics Ingredients Characteristics Person It’s time to change the subject

66. 62 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Local Contextual Relational For the time being Knowing ‘how to go on’ Made by everyone Manifest in language Knowledge Universal Objective Truth For ever Knowing ‘this’, ‘that’ and ‘how’ Found by experts Manifest in facts Of course, we need both

67. 63 © Tim Coburn, 2011 When we believe the realities we live by are… made by everyone Learning occurs by… collaborative construction We might call this… ‘learning-by-making’ With the advantage of… everyone knowing something Learning When we believe the realities we live by are… found by experts Learning occurs by… didactic instruction We might call this… ‘learning-by-listening’ With the advantage of… experts knowing everything New paradigm, new pedagogy

68. 64 © Tim Coburn, 2011 Leadership as Authorship Everything is mediated through language Authoring… your dispositionin creating productive relationships Authoring… conversations that create new realities for people to live by Authoring… socialmovements that enable the fulfillment of narrative integrity Leadership You are the author, narrator and protagonist in the story of your life And, you have to read, repair, relate and respond to the stories around you, too Like life, leadership is like a quest for narrative integrity Corporate Leadership as Corporate Authorship

69. 65 © Tim Coburn, 2011 This is now… Learning and Leadership… That was then…

70. Tim CoburnVisiting Fellow, Centre for Systems Learning and LeadershipGraduate School of Education, University of BristolContact:tim.coburn@bristol.ac.uk 66 © Tim Coburn, 2011