What does a 19th century Hungarian physician and the former CEO of Blockbuster have in common? According to Greg Sattell, two things: they both relied on their own authority to produce change, and they both failed. (2014) In the case of physician Ignaz Semmelweis, he had recommended hand washing before treating patients as early as the 1850s. Blockbuster CEO John Antioco wanted to push the company towards online video back in 2005. History bears out the wisdom of their ideas, and yet they failed to create change. In Satell's estimation, this is largely due to their reliance on their authority, rather than on motivating others and building a movement of supporters.
As described by Goleman (Harvard Business Review, 2000), they had chosen a coercive leadership style. Fullan notes that of Goleman's six leadership styles, four of them produce negative outcomes, which explains Semmelweis' and Antioco's difficulty in creating change. So are all elements of Goleman's leadership styles important for managing change?
Yes, with a caveat. While an understanding of each element is important, the use of each may not be. Being aware of how coercion and pacesetting can have a negative impact is essential to managing change.
Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
"Harvard Business Review." Review. Leadership That Gets Results Mar.-Apr. 2000: n. pag. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
Satell, G. (2014). To Create Change, Leadership Is More Important Than Authority. (2014, April 21). Retrieved November 3, 2015.
As described by Goleman (Harvard Business Review, 2000), they had chosen a coercive leadership style. Fullan notes that of Goleman's six leadership styles, four of them produce negative outcomes, which explains Semmelweis' and Antioco's difficulty in creating change. So are all elements of Goleman's leadership styles important for managing change?
Yes, with a caveat. While an understanding of each element is important, the use of each may not be. Being aware of how coercion and pacesetting can have a negative impact is essential to managing change.
Fullan, M. (2001). Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
"Harvard Business Review." Review. Leadership That Gets Results Mar.-Apr. 2000: n. pag. Web. 2 Nov. 2015.
Satell, G. (2014). To Create Change, Leadership Is More Important Than Authority. (2014, April 21). Retrieved November 3, 2015.