Leading in a Changing World: Lessons for future focused leaders. by Keith Coats & Graeme Codrington

Author:Keith Coats & Graeme Codrington [Coats, Keith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TomorrowToday Global
Published: 2015-05-30T23:00:00+00:00

Levels of Engagement

The following levels provide a check system to monitor each of the Five Ps (places, policies, programmes, processes, and people) found in and around any human endeavour and that reflect invitational leadership in action.

Intentionally Uninviting

The most negative and toxic level of human functioning involves those actions, policies, programs, places, and processes that are deliberately designed to demean, dissuade, discourage, defeat and destroy. Intentionally uninviting functioning might involve a person who is purposely insulting, a policy that is intentionally discriminatory, a programme that purposely demeans individuals, or an environment intentionally left unpleasant and unattractive.

Unintentionally Uninviting

People, places, policies, programmes and processes that are intentionally uninviting are few when compared to those that are unintentionally uninviting. The great majority of uninviting forces that exist are usually the result of a lack of an invitational stance. Because there is no philosophy of trust, respect, optimism, and intentionality, policies are established, programmes designed, places arranged, processes evolved, and people behave in ways that are clearly uninviting although such was not the intent.

Individuals who function at the unintentionally uninviting level are often viewed as uncaring, chauvinistic, condescending, patronising, sexist, racist, dictatorial, or just plain thoughtless. They do not intend to be hurtful or harmful, but because they lack consistency in direction and purpose, they act in uninviting ways. Leaders who function at the unintentionally uninviting level may not intend to be uninviting, but the damage is done. Like being run over by a truck: intended or not, the victim is still dead.

Unintentionally Inviting

People who usually function at the unintentionally inviting level have stumbled serendipitously into ways of functioning that are often effective. However, they have difficulty when asked to explain why they are successful. They can describe in loving detail what they do, but not why.

An example of this is the ‘natural born’ teacher. Such a person may be successful in teaching because he or she exhibits many of the trusting, respecting, and optimistic qualities associated with invitational theory. However, because they lack the fourth critical element, intentionality, they lack consistency and dependability in the actions they exhibit, the policies and programmes they establish, and the places and processes they create and maintain.

Leaders who are unintentionally inviting are somewhat akin to the early barn-storming aeroplane pilots. These pioneer pilots did not know exactly why their planes flew, or what caused weather patterns, or much about navigational systems. As long as they stayed close to the ground, followed a railway track, and the weather was clear, they were able to function. But, when the weather turned bad or night fell, they became disoriented and lost. In difficult situations, leaders who function at the unintentionally inviting level lack dependability in behaviour and consistency in direction.

The basic weakness in functioning at the unintentionally inviting level is the inability to identify the reasons for success or failure. Most people know whether something is working or not, but when it stops working, they are puzzled about how to start it up again. Those who function at the unintentionally inviting level lack a consistent stance - a dependable position from which to operate.

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