Chrystal Street

The Leader as Therapist

Chapter 8Leadership by Simon Western

Winston Churchill

The price of

greatness is

responsibili

ty.

This presentation will cover many of the concepts listed in Chapter 8. Relect on as many of the questions as you wish as you move through the presentation. Feel free to comment on any of the questions to further promote discussion.

Scientific management resulted in greater productivity but for employees the job was often monotonous. A change was needed for the individuals to get away from Taylorism. The human relations movement was born to give followers an opportunity for empowerment in the work force which was not apparent during the scientific management era.

Let's compare scientific management and the human

relations movement.

One individual is

clearly in

charge

Control of production

Routine tasks

Rewards and

punishments

for product

ivity

Characteristics

Scientific Management

Leaders role is to

motivate the employees

Awareness of employees

feelings

Setting common

goals

Team building

Motivation leads to

productivity

Human Relations Movement

In education, what aspects of scientific management and the human realtions movement do you use and which aspects do you find detrimental to your

organization?

As the standard of living increased for many individuals in the 1950’s and 1960’s, individuals started to focus on those things that would bring more self-worth. New social movements started to arise and their focus was to ‘shift from the politics of the social, to the politics of the identity; the slogan ‘the personal is political’ (Giddens, 1982; McCarthy and Zald, 1987; Melucci, 1989; Diana and Eyerman, 1992; Casellas, 1997 from pg. 92 in Simon Western’s Leadership)

Therapeutic Culture

“Healthy relationships between individuals and groups are vital to create democratic and personally fulfilling workplaces promising to put people before machines and taking a developmental model of human potential" (p. 93). Western also states that "therapeutic culture has had a large influence on how leadership is enacted in the workplace, and how emotions and subjectivity are managed and organized" (p. 94).

Currently, I work in a building where dissension is the root of all problems. Our leader has completely emotionally detached himself from his position. The way other people feel in the workplace is not his concern and therefore he doesn’t get the respect that should accompany someone with the title. Employees do not give 100% to the organization because of the attitude of the leader. They know what they can getaway with and continue to do whatever they want because there is no fear of accountability. If staff felt that the administrator cared for the them or the job they do, they would more likely take the time to do satisfactory work.

Personal Reflection

There seem to be two viewpoints on therapeutic culture in the workplace. One is for the “manager/leader to become an active agent in the management (and manipulation) of the emotions” and contrasting it with someone who would run a clinic (p. 95).

A leader must now learn to manage the emotional status of it’s employees by concentrating on

Their own emotions The emotions of their reportees The emotions and psychodynamics of the group/team The cultural/emotional expectations from above

Workplace and Therapeutic Culture

What is the therapeutic culture like in your building and what do

you do to contribute to that culture?

Emotional intelligence (EI) focuses on “change through the conscious process of the individual self-improving through self-awareness and a new form of personal growth” (Western,p. 96).

Emotional Intelligence

1. Self Awareness-Knowing yourself well enough to acknowledge different feelings

2. Managing Emotions-Taking control of what and how you feel

3. Motivating Oneself-Using emotions for a personal goal; keeping control of emotions at all times

4. Empathy-Recognizing how others feel5. Handling relationships-Using emotions

appropriately in different social situations

How do you rate your level of Emotional Intelligence?

Just for fun take the Emotional Intelligence Quiz. Aren’t you just a little curious about how you would rate?

5 Common Headings of EI

Emotional Management and Emotional Labor

Emotional Management

Attempting to manage employees’ emotions to improve productivity

Expressing feelings is considered healthy

Limited research in the effectiveness of emotional sharing

Emotional Labor

Creating the correct company persona

Coaching vs. CounselingCoachingMore expensiveEmployees more

likely to see a “coach” vs. a “counselor”

Role-actualization focus

Performance driven“Talking cure” for

leaders

CounselingSelf-actualization

focusSeems to indicate

there is a “problem” because of the terminology

Coaching allows for the individuals to focus on the issues that need to be resolved related to job performance. Short term interventions help the individuals to focus on tasks that could help them with productivity. Western states that “the aim is to change behavior and enhance workplace performance “(p. 99). Individuals are given the opportunity to reflect on attributes that could make them more successful. Allowing workers the chance to make a difference without being critically judged and evaluated could make them happier employees. “Coaching is a therapeutic intervention to support leaders, but coaching skills are becoming essential for today’s managers and leaders” (p. 101).

What steps will you take in the workplace with your

employees to promote more of a coaching type environment without creating narcissism? What do you do to help the

people that you work with feel valued?

For final reflection, which is the most important---the product or the people?

http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/4000/4000lect02a.htm

http://www.leadershipcharacter.com/eq_quiz2.htm

http://www.managementhelp.org/mgmnt/history.htm

Additional References

Leadership Skills and Emotional Intelligence

Human Relations Management

*Clicking on the link will take you directly to the website.

Additional Resources