Crucibles of Leadership slide show by Calvin Hill and Gilbert Delagarza. A presentation we collaborated on in our Executive MBA Executive Leadership Class.

1. Crucibles of LeadershipArticle written by Warren G. Bennis and Robert J. Thomas
Facilitators:
Calvin Hill
Gilbert DeLaGarza

2. Overview and Discussion
 What enables one leader to inspire confidence, loyalty, and hard work, while
others – with equal vision and intelligence – stumble? How individuals deal
with ADVERSITY provides a clue.
 Extraordinary leaders find meaning in – and learn from – the most negative
events. Like phoenixes rising from the ashes, the emerge from ADVERSITY
stronger, more confident in themselves and their purpose, and more
committed to their work.
 Such transformative events are called crucibles – a severe test or trial.
Crucibles are intense, often traumatic – and always unplanned.

3. Idea in Practice
 The Crucible Experience
• Trial and test
• Point of deep self reflection that forced them to question who they were and what
mattered to them
 The Many shapes of Crucibles
• Life threatening events
• Self doubt
 Essential Leadership skills

4. Sidney
Harman’s
Crucible
Buzzer
didn’t
sound
Managers
decide to
postpone
break
All Hell
broke
loose
I don’t
work for
no buzzer

5. True Leader
Plant
Transformation
Pioneering
Participative
Management
The Rebellion

6. The Crucible Experience
 Crucibles force leaders into deep self-reflection, where they explore their
values, questions their assumptions, and hone their judgement.
 Definition: A transformative experience through which an individual comes a new
or an altered sense of identity

7. The Many Shapes of Crucibles
 Some crucibles are violent and life-threatening (encounters with prejudice,
illness); others are more positive, yet profoundly challenging (such as
demanding bosses or mentors). Whatever the shape, leaders create a
narrative telling how they met the challenge and became better for it.
Violent Positive

8. Shapes of Crucibles Example
Negative Crucible Positive Crucible

9. Essential Leadership
4 skills enable leaders to learn from adversity
 Engage Others in shared meaning
 A distinctive, compelling voice
 Having the words needed for the situation
 Integrity
 Strong sets of values
 Shortcuts?
 Adaptive Capacity
 Applied creativity
 Ability

10. “
”
Hardiness provides the
perseverance and toughness
needed to remain hopeful
despite disaster.
An ingredient in the making of a Resonant Leader
Michael Klein made millions in real estate during his teens, lost it all by age 20 –
then built several more businesses, including transforming a tiny software
company into a Hewlett-Packard acquisition.

11. The Power of Neoteny
 Neoteny means the retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult species.
 It’s an appetite for learning and self-development, a curiosity and passion for
life.
 Many of us have this quality
 Ask yourself, why did you start your MBA?
 Example in the book is of the story of the Wolves

12. Group Responses to the text:
 I myself continue to focus on testing my teams strengths and
discovering their weaknesses by putting them through crucibles as
well being “good enough” we can all improve. - “turning metal into
gold”
 Leaders become preoccupied with success
 Bring the failures to the front lines as a coaching opportunity to grow
together
 Extraordinary leaders find meaning in-and-learn from the most
negative events
 “Don’t focus on quick fixes” – one on one conversation in China

13. Group Responses to the text:
 “No pain…no gain”
 “I shall not be like this.” – the incompetent CEO, or the “Dead beat
Dad”
 “Be positive under all conditions, get to the balcony and analyze the
situaion”
 If the picture looks dim, you can always use a flash to bring light in
the overal schemes of things
 This poor man was imprisoned, yet he maintained his faith and
worked on himself

14. Questions and Answers