Leadership has been identified as one of the most critical factors in digital transformation success 1. Any change challenge is dealt with in two distinct approaches or types of thinking. In my work with clients, they have improved people engagement and transformation success by using this distinction where leadership is used to influence, compel and hook an emotive response and where management is the cool domain of information, clarity and logic.

Lead or Manage During Transformation?

Leadership influences and changes the way people think, feel and act, with a proposition you cannot say no to. The effect on the human mind is sticky like Velcro. By contrast, management deals with ‘things’ and uses information for clarity. ‘Informing’ is unfortunately often a blast of detail you don’t want or don’t need – it doesn’t penetrate or stick, like Teflon.

Use leadership and management as thought-modes not titles or roles.

  • leadership is expansive and aspirational (new, different, better – compels a response)
  • management is reductionist and controlling (same, consistent, predictable – clarifies)

Leadership is therefore by definition continuous renewal and transformation and ‘change management’ is an oxymoron.

This is a quick illustration of the distinction between influence and information from an advert run by a local public accident insurer. The two facts hit the brain differently – one informs with negligible impact; the other influences, evoking a reaction:

  • People have an accident on average every 7 years
  • This is one person every 48 seconds.

Any transformation process is more likely to succeed with less information and more motivation – what’s in it for me? The ‘why’ mobilizes commitment and drive, unleashing organizational will to succeed. (Do a quick audit of your Sent folder items – what’s the ratio of pure information to powerful impact?)

Brain-to-Brain Communication in Transformation Success

The two types of thinking relate neatly to the dual-hemisphere functions of the human brain – the cortex.2 While the dual-hemisphere brain model is frequently criticized (by purists in my view) for being over-simplistic and even inaccurate, its application has given my clients a quick framework to get messaging right during transformation.

Left-brain communicating often triggers a critical response whereas the right brain is open to suggestion.3 The left brain repeats what has worked in the past (efficiency). The right brain focuses on impact and making a difference (effectiveness.)

Use this dual focus when deciding what a current situation or message needs: Right, Left or both, in that order.

‘Right-brain’ thinking deals with intangibles such as:

  • Emotion – drive, passion and commitment
  • New, change
  • Why and for Whom
  • Pictures – mental or actual
  • Stories, imagination and creativity
  • Symbols, metaphor, figures of speech

The first two items are most significant during transformation (instead of left-brain tasks and deadlines.)

‘Left-brain’ thinking is tangible including:

  • Language and numbers
  • The past, sameness, consistency
  • What, How and When
  • Traditional ‘dangling box’ structures (command and control reporting lines/authority)
  • Logic – step-by-step, consecutive tasks and metrics

Application of Thought Leadership to Transformation

By seeing leadership and management as ways of thinking, you approach every situation as a dual-thought process.

For successful transformation of any endeavor that includes people, focus first on right-brain impact:

Why?
Purpose, impact, dream, aspiration, benefit goals, risk identification.

Who?
Those invested in this process, product and/or initiative.

Then address the left brain of your audience for:

What? To realise aspirations and benefits

When/How/Where? Schedules, systems and measures (to realise benefits and control cost/risk.)

Distinguish further between left brain ‘flat’ words (e.g. tasks, dates, metrics) and right brain ‘full’ words with texture and impact, that hook emotions (e.g. quicker, better, easier, convenient, impact, together, reputation.) The two types of words evoke a different brain response. (Velcro versus Teflon).

To increase transformation success in this digital age:

  1. Role model leadership as an aspiration (not title) that compels powerful commitment to the purpose and vision. (An approach and response, not a role or title.)
  2. Use management on tasks, jointly agreeing what, when and how – don’t do it to people
  3. Identify when a situation is advanced by leadership or management and act accordingly.

Does everyone in your organisation practice both leadership and management as situationally appropriate? If so, you have the organisational thinking needed for transformation success and optimal use of the collective brain.

Sources:

1Parry, Warren. Big Change, Best Path: Successfully Managing Organizational Change with Wisdom, Analytics and Insight. Kogan Page Ltd. 2015. https://www.accenture.com/fi-en/insight-big-change-best-path 

2Bolte-Taylor, Jill. My Stroke of Insight. Hachette UK. 2009.  https://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight?language=en, http://www.radiolive.co.nz/Dr-Jill-Bolte-Taylor-Brain-Scientist/tabid/506/articleID/77238/Default.aspx

3Machado, Dr Luiz. The Brain of the Brain. Cidade do Cerebro. Brazil.1990. https://www.linkedin.com/in/luiz-jos%C3%A9-machado-61874061

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