Welcome to our first issue!
The theme for this first issue is “leadership”.
In the age of complexity, Scientific Thinking is a basic skill that can only be adopted when leaders model the desired way of thinking and acting. Ability to scientifically lead is a skill that develops deep learning and reflections that empower teams to solve various challenges.
The above diagram, adapted from Mike Rother’s work, describes a virtuous cycle between scientific leadership mindset and desired people behaviors. These desired behaviors emerge when teams and managers start thinking and acting as per Toyota Kata.
Transforming leaders before transforming organizations
In this 5 minutes video, author Michael Balle talks on leadership transformation as prerequisite to business transformation. Michael describes the traditional image of leader versus Lean leader, we need the latter for having meaningful transformation. According to Michael, it’s about “leader and leader” rather than “leader and follower”.
Traditional image of a leader versus the Lean one is depicted in the diagram below that is derivative from Mike Rother’s work.
In this 4 minutes video, Prof. Ed Schein explains the responsibility of leaders to create safety in-order to have honest upward communication. According to Ed, Humble Inquiry is “the gentle art of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you do not know the answer, of building relationships based on curiosity and interest in the other person.” When applying Humble Inquiry, leaders can learn how their people think so that their interdependence relationship succeeds.
When teams and individual practice Improvement Kata while being coached by their leaders can enhance Humble Inquiry.