Generative Leadership for a VUCA World

LIFE LEADERSHIP DIGEST – Article by Steve Trivett – 11/04/2023

Generative leaders have the ability to think and act in ways that are more effective during times of increasing unpredictability. They have the power to bring something of value into existence not just get things done.

Leaders are generative when they create something new and of value to people and the planet. Value is an assessment made by others who agree to take care of what they care about. They know that accepting the offers of others and acceptance of your requests can help generate a mutually beneficial future.  

Leaders have always used active language and listening skills to produce and share new ways of creating improvements that are valued. In today’s VUCA World, leaders are realising that complex problems are creating unpredictable environments, and require the integration of multiple perspectives. They may have to park their own opinions and welcome other people’s innate wisdom, to value their capacity to offer unique insights. A sense of partnership emerges and the richness of collaboration that results makes the process generative.

Human systems are gradually having to adapt to a rapidly changing world, one dominated by degeneration and unpredictability. Individuals and organisations are both looking for alliances based on shared concerns, influence through empathy and dialogue, and control through personal responsibility. For example, the capacity to use Generative Tools that value engagement, humility,  insights, stories, team networks, coaching, and making commitments that take care of each other’s welfare and the health of the planet. 

The world needs generative leaders to collaborate and transform relationships to make them more creative and flexible. This is because reality is not predictable, it exists in a state of flux. New ways of combining different waves of energy are needed to understand how sources of energy can enhance or debilitate. For example, a mood state can generate positive or negative energy. A generative mindset fosters ambitious and curious behaviours in order to overcome a mind stuck in stories of resignation or resentment. 

Even though speaking and listening are innate human skills, it appears they are not that well-developed.  Leaders once thrived on telling and selling answers to get compliance to use their positional power in a top-down culture. But today, the emergence of a VUCA World is producing relationships that are multi-faceted. They are more Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. Accountability is less clear. Relationships are more fluid and conversations are networked across hidden boundaries. Generative leaders are at an advantage when they understand the principles of dialogue, and listen for value to initiate collaborative action.

Using insights from an understanding of Complex Adaptive Systems

When leaders adopt an ecological perspective on problems and relationships it transforms their awareness and capacity to influence events and have a positive impact. They find new patterns of interaction. Complex systems have “attractors” that hold the system together. They pull people together around a shared purpose that they care deeply about. It energises a shared commitment for tackling burning issues.

There is much for leaders to learn from Complex Adaptive Systems, particularly in how to design more productive “system conditions”. These conditions help people from many different backgrounds to engage in open and honest dialogue, enabling them to feel safe enough to share ideas and possible solutions, even where there is no agreement on a preferred outcome. 

For example, in one-to-one coaching, the burning issue might be the “breakdown”, of a personal relationship, or a dilemma of what should be the next best action.  In a team or organisation context, there will be multiple perspectives and more complex dilemmas to consider. In both cases, respect, consideration, trust, authenticity and resilience will be needed for many alternative views and possibilities to emerge. 

What makes the process of dialogue so generative is that people are invited into a spirit of enquiry where they  “self-organise” their opinions and interactions through structured conversations.  Different “types of conversation” can be used to focus people’s minds on making sense of the whole system they are part of. Imagination is the key. It unlocks new thoughts, reactions, emotions and behaviours for a clearer purpose to emerge. They take the form of conversations both within ourselves and with others.

As new information is shared it changes the dynamics of how people think and interact. The diversity of views, values and visions that people bring to the table, reflect their preferred future. They bring a bigger picture and local concerns together. It changes the way people perceive the environment they share and how they could act together to improve it. 

Discovering the benefits of a beginner’s mind.

The “beginner’s mind” is where new insights and realisations “emerge” from diverse patterns of interaction. It’s about the flexibility that comes from open dialogue, as opposed to a detailed diagnosis by experts. Different perspectives are tested, acted upon or discarded to move to a shared view, even though initially it may have no firm conclusions.

Beginnings can offer unique and powerful moments for reflection on what is needed to make change happen. Navigating complex situations and resolving wicked issues requires considerable energy, humility, empathy and a willingness to be curious. Sustainable change will require a generative mindset, one that is enquiring and imaginative, like the mind of a child.  This creates the mental space for wondering about numerous possibilities. Dialogue involves a cooperative, two-way conversation. Not to be confused with debate, which is competitive.

In a dialogue approach to conversation, the goal is for participants to respectfully exchange information and build relationships with one another. This fosters an atmosphere that values equality, diversity and inclusion and promotes feelings of belonging and compassion.

Dialogue is vital when we are “giving birth” to some new idea that has emerged in conversation. It allows others to expand our thinking when their idea resonates with us. It makes sense, as it links with something we have seen, heard, or experienced in the past, or maybe a desire we have for a better future. It’s about making life and relationships more productive and creative so we choose actions that really matter to us.

To avoid unnecessary disagreements, leaders must have the capacity to adjust to different social styles and be flexible enough to suspend their own assumptions. This is often referred to as “having a beginner’s mind”.

Reflect on . . .

• What sort of language helps bring a new beginning into existence?
• How do you go about listening to decide when to start a new conversation?
• What emotions do you look for when listening for a change in language, mood or attention?
• How do you go about visualising and listening for new possibilities?
• What do you need to hear to commit yourself to do something surprising?

Listening more deeply to shift our Way of Being 

The purpose of deep listening is to go below the surface of what is heard, expanding and mirroring feelings to absorb the whole field of felt experience. We discover an intuitive new focus of our attention.  We become aware of a “breakdown” in the normal flow of our conversation that suggests that something isn’t working or is causing us discomfort. We sense that something needs to change, but what to do needs to be clear before we commit to behaving differently.

This is where the versatility of the leader’s Way of Being kicks in. We are not just taking responsibility for our promises, but for our team, organisation or the community we care about. We see ourselves as responsible, even though we may not be directly accountable for achieving the results. 

This type of accountability requires an acceptance of different social styles. New thinking tools, enable us to question our own biases and assumptions. Being open and flexible enables us to empathise with different habits and legitimate moods, and the opinions of others. This acceptance makes it easier to question and modify our attitudes and behaviour. We are seeking our own  “truth”, adopting the level of rapport needed to get the cooperation and commitment needed to get at our shared concerns. 

Adapting our actions to fit different environmental conditions, functions and activities.

The versatility of our presence and mood is needed to adapt and deal with the uncertainties and ambiguities that rapid change inevitably generates. It’s about observing patterns of thinking and observing the relationships that are responding to a burning issue. Putting a boundary around the “system in focus”, enables the people who express a shared concern, to have conversations to drive them towards a better future by agreeing to work collaboratively. 

VUCA conditions often required “adaptive action”. This is commonly found in military scenarios. But daily challenges often require us to adjust quickly and seamlessly from one Way of Being to another. This requires mental and interpersonal versatility, using our innate intelligence and social skills to perform at our best.

Confining dialogue to the “system in focus”. 

The diagram below is a simple example of a “system in focus”, engaging all the key stakeholders in the delivery of a Special Needs School Transport Service.  An Open Space or Future Search event is an effective way of pulling the stakeholders together and facilitating a structured dialogue. The purpose here was to find more effective ways of overcoming a threat to funding and the safe delivery of the service to secure its future. The conversations generate new energy with participants investing their time and effort into co-creating a mutually beneficial solution through a “self-organising” process.

“Never doubt that a group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”  Margaret Mead – Anthropologist

The conversation cultivated closer relationships, that produced stronger commitments and collective awareness for understanding each other’s needs and ideas. 

Generative leaders can initiate different types of conversations to fit different situations.

Having an awareness of different types of conversation makes it easier to design for different purposes and creates more productive situations to work in.

In conversations to assess circumstances, people prefer to tell their story to explain what happened, how it should or should not have happened, and how the story could be different. This involves phases that Francesco Varela refers to as:

• Suspending habitual thoughts and assumptions
• Listening for empathetic thoughts and feelings
• Responding to what is happening at that moment

Conversations for clarity seek to build relationships and coordinate action. to:

• Articulate and interpret the situation as is
• Listen to the ideas and views of others
• Reach a common/shared understanding

Conversations for possible action are used to create a course of action that is defined by a shared declaration of a desired reality that all want to see happen. It can be seen as an exercise in wishful thinking, but if we cannot imagine a better future we cannot identify the steps needed to get there. 

Conversations for coordinating action are needed to establish accountability. There are four elements in this type of conversation.

• Setting the context
• Gaining commitment
• Performance and completion
• Assessment of value

Conversations for resolving unexpected “breakdowns” or disruptions in the normal flow of actions to keep a promise or engage in activities that generate conflict. In these conversations, listen for:

• “What is no longer working”
• “What isn’t good enough”
• “What is putting the whole project at risk”
• “What is the burning issue here”

Consideration is given to the possible impact each breakdown can have and how they could be mitigated and accepted to restore confidence, trust, satisfaction, competence, reliability, etc., by re-establishing control and regaining integrity.

There may be a need to have specific conversations for planning future conversations, or conversations for improving relationships.

They must focus on finding “both/and” solutions to produce enough agreement to support coordinated action. Participants listen and look for connections and differences to understand what game is being played and create a new narrative where they can reflect and become aware of each other’s worldviews and preferences. The initial conditions must generate a willingness to be aware, open and truthful.

If we are passionately committed to what we care about, we listen with a purpose and our negotiations and agreements get us better connected. We become more aware, open and “truthful” about what can be delivered for each other, by when and to an agreed standard and deadline.

Leaders must know how to facilitate productive conversations

We live in language. It allows us to define and explain what we see, feel and do. Language also gets us thinking, connecting and imagining a better future. It also enables us to assess our own behaviour, control our feelings, collaborate and coordinate our actions through purpose-driven conversation.

The way we make sense of ourselves and others is through speaking and listening. What’s more, we owe our productive actions and identity to purposeful conversations. A versatile and caring “Way of Being” helps us communicate effectively. 

The biggest impact of using active language is how we can use it to listen to and observe our own thoughts and “Way of Being”.  It reveals how we assess ourselves and others.  Language cannot be divorced from feelings, mood, relationships, body posture or presence. All four domains are outlined in the diagram below to show how they impact one another. 

Language reveals our emotional state and body posture reveals our mood and lack of presence. Emotions can be revealed in facial expressions and intonation in language. Our emotional intelligence is enhanced by awareness of our emotional literacy and felt senses.

Deep listening is probably the most powerful and influential tool we can have as leaders.

• It shapes the quality of the relationships we can develop to influence others.
• It enhances the quality and effectiveness of the questions we can ask so we can give our conversations a purpose.
• It clarifies what our purpose is, helping us focus our listening and adding power to our observation skills.

Being present to what we are hearing, seeing and feeling is enhanced by having a quiet mind

There is growing evidence from mindfulness research that we have more clarity when we have less on our minds. We are naturally creative when in the normal flow of life. We experience a state of heightened awareness as conscious listening.

It enables us to reflect on key events or concerns we experienced and the thoughts we believe are generating them. For example . . . 

• What shapes your thoughts? 
• Why do you dwell on them?  
• What makes them positive or negative?
• Where are you when your mind free’s up?

Consider a situation or series of events where you felt unable to listen or lacked the energy to “reframe” your thoughts. 

• How are you contaminating your thinking?  
• What do you do to regain clarity?
• How do you listen for imperfections?
• What can you do to stay in the moment?
• How do you stop your thoughts from wandering?
• How do you access your listening resources?

As we listen for clarity we notice detail that aids our understanding. We look to “ground” our assessments in logic and evidence. We listen to notice what information is missing or lacks meaning because it can disrupt the flow of our sensemaking. Maybe opinions are presented as true, but no verifiable evidence is provided. We might fail to see our own assumptions and biases. As our own assumptions fill in the gaps to make sense of what’s missing, we can fail to clarify our understanding.

Our relationships and productivity are enhanced when we can listen for and observe our moods

Instead of listening for facts and feelings, we can listen for how someone reacts to criticism, noticing what is being observed and heard, and how it affects self-esteem and commitment to perform.

The capacity to refocus reflects our versatility and our resilience to recover quickly from difficult social situations.  It can reduce tension when we allow opinions to be expressed freely and without judgement. This can build empathy around a burning issue before we start to make an assessment of facts or question the logic.  In conversations, it’s helpful to listen for . . . . 

• What needs to come first, good relationships or facts?
• Are responses better tight or flexible?
• Are feelings best bottled-up or shared?
• Do choices rely more on logic or intuition?

In VUCA the environment, we have to be more open and flexible in order for us to work cooperatively, especially when the atmosphere become tense. We must also be aware of our own Way of Being to pull back from unnecessary arguments, negative thoughts, words or emotions.  Finding a way to adapt and maintain a positive state of mind is invaluable to help get a task completed or a disagreement addressed quickly. 

What makes relationships and collective action work more effectively is the willingness of the people involved to also be flexible and open-minded. When there is acceptance and empathy for different perceptions and behaviour, the best conditions are created for achieving a result that everyone will care about. 

If we cannot “face facts” we remain stuck in our default mindset and feel unable to move on. We can find ourselves in a mood of resentment or resignation. It’s then time to listen to our thoughts and notice our feelings so we can choose more optimistic words, wondering about what a better future would look and feel like.

The diagram below shows us how acceptance can help overcome anxiety and worry. We can  “embrace uncertainty” by adopting a positive attitude that shows ambition and self-confidence. We can then “explore new possibilities“ as we “seek to grow” as we learn new skills and accept responsibility for our choices.

Diagram based on the work of Professor Alan Sieler – The Ontological Coaching Institute

Non-acceptance limits the possibility of learning and development. Acceptance fosters humility and creates a sense of human connection; feeling respected, trusted and cared about. This shift of mindset enables us to feel safe enough to share our own truth. We become a person who takes care of what we care about and values their innate wisdom.

Focusing on care and relationships enables us to adapt our actions and question our assumptions. 

A VUCA environment forces us to continuously assess where change is needed so we can decide which events to act on, even if the consequences are largely unknown. Going forward requires us to adapt our thinking, to reinterpret and reframe what we are experiencing inside and around us.  Glenda Eoyang recommends a 3-step process for taking Adaptive Action in VUCA situations.

Based on the work of Glenda Eoyang and Royce Holladay – The Human Systems Dynamics Institute 

1. The first step is to notice WHAT is happening that’s important to us. Listen for . . . 
   • What are you actually responsible for or what is your organisation concerned about?
   • What is the data telling you?
   • Does it feel normal or is it a surprise?
2. The second step is to ask SO WHAT
   could this mean for ourselves, our organisation or the community we care about? Listen for . . . 
   
   • What is or is not working that is important to you
   • What do you observe and sense is happening inside you and outside in your environment?
   • What does it mean for your relationships with others and your future?
   • What is similar or different, familiar or unknown?
   • What conclusions are you drawing from your preferred options and possibilities?
   • What thoughts come to mind?
   • What are you aware of and open or closed to?
3. NOW WHAT action must be taken to help improve the situation? We must be clear about where we stand and what will contribute to a better future before taking affirmative action. Listen for . . .
   • Are you curious and questioning your assumptions about what’s possible?
   • What can you do to make a difference with what you now know?
   • What can you do next to focus your actions, plans, conversations and emotional reactions?
   • What capacities do you have to make it happen and have an impact?
   • How can you engage others in shared concerns or desires? 

In a world of increasing uncertainty and complexity, the past is no longer a reliable predictor of the future. It doesn’t make sense, therefore, to look for causes, make detailed plans or seek guaranteed outcomes. Only choosing the right actions that make sense in the present situation, will take us in the right direction. 

As soon as we take action, circumstances can change quickly and new consequences emerge that have to be responded to. We then go back to the WHAT question and start the adaptive action cycle again with a renewed sense of what is happening and what the new situation demands from us to stay on course.

Our senses are now heightened and we now know how to listen more closely for patterns of difference, similarity and connection. We become aware of the capacity of our innate wisdom to make sense of things when we see polarity and paradox. We use language to make more subtle distinctions and our emotional intelligence to guide our social style and observe our biases. This way we create more powerful perspectives and insights. 

References

ADAPTIVE ACTION Leveraging Uncertainty in your Organisation by Glenda Eoyang & Royce Holladay. Stanford Press 2013

THE UNOPENED GIFT A Primer in Emotional Literacy by Dan Newby & Lucy Nunez. Self Published 2017

THE POWER OF OWNING UP by Bob Dunham & Sameer Dua

NARRATIVE COACHING Bringing our New Stories to Life by David Drake PhD.  CNC Press 2015

GENERATIVE LEADERSHIP by Giles Hutchins & Laura Storm. Wordsworth 2019.

AGILE CONVERSATIONS by Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Frederick.  IT Revolution 2020

THE POSITIVE LEADER by Jan Muhlfelt. Pearson 2017.

LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE by Chalmers Brothers & Vinay Kumar. New Possibilities Press 2015

COACHING TO THE HUMAN SOUL – VOL (2) by Alan Sieler 2003 Newfield Australia

INSIGHT The Power of Self-Awareness in a Self-Deluded World by Tasha Eurich.  Macmillan 2017

LANGUAGE AND THE PURSUIT OF LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE by Chalmers Brothers & Vinay Kumar.  New Possibilities 2015

FUTURE SEARCH: Action Guide for Finding Common Ground in Organizations and Communities by Marvin Ross Weisbord and Sandra Janoff. Berrett-Koehler 1995