This document discusses leadership styles and how they can sometimes get in the way. It explores concepts like the "ladder of inference" and how people's espoused theories don't always match their actual behaviors. Leaders often use a "sandwich approach" to feedback where they start and end with positives, but inserting criticism in the middle can backfire by making the recipient distrustful. Understanding these concepts can help leaders gain insight into their own and others' behaviors in order to improve communication and outcomes.

1. Your leadership style could be
getting in your way?
By: Rod Willis
rod.willis@assentire.net
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

2. Your leadership style could be getting in your own way
Date: Friday, 14 DecemberTime: 13.00 GMT
For many organisations, a view of their business is captured by peoples understanding of the products and services they offer, the
processes they manage, the enabling technology deployed and the organisational structure in place to support all of these variables.
This is a complex set of variables indeed, however it is not all that is going on day-in, day-out. We hear all to often, it is the people
that make the difference, if that is the case, then how come there is so little time invested in the domain of understanding people? The
next challenge, to better understand others; you need to start with yourself first of all! This Webinar is deigned to share some key
concepts that have been around for many years, and do not seem to be common knowledge. We will briefly explore “The Ladder of
Inference” helping to explore why we do what we do, and that helps provide insight into why others do what they do. We then will
explore how what we say we do, and actually do can often be quite different. This is known as Espoused-Theory and Theories-in-
Action. We then will finish by bringing this into the organisational context, exploring core values, assumptions, strategies and the
consequences (sometimes unintended). Through this Webinar, you may well start to understand more and see more regarding what is
happening around you and why you and others behave as they do in the business context. So what, we might think? With more
understanding you have more options and therefore you become more resourceful, that is the answer to the so what!
Slides in support of Webinar

3. AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

4. Let’s explore People via
The Ladder of Inference
• What is it?
By: Chris Argyris & Peter Senge
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AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

5. POLL #1
Please let us know if you have heard of the
“Ladder of Inference” before?
Y/N
Answer: 6 of the 30 participants replied with Y
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6. The Ladder of Inference
•What insights?
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7. The Ladder of Inference
The Reflexive Loop
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8. The Ladder of Inference
The Filter
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9. Understand What Guides your
Behaviour
• Espoused-Theory
• This is what you say you do and why you do it.
• e.g. “In this situation, I would ………. Because I
believe that ……….”
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

10. Understand What Guides your
Behaviour
• Theories-in-Action (also know as Theory-in-Use)
• This involves assumptions about ourselves,
others, and the situation, and the causal
connection between them and the consequences
that result.
• A Theory-in-action will take the form: If I’m in a
situation “S” and I want to create consequences
“C”, given assumptions a1…an, I should do “A”
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11. The Ladder of Inference
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

12. Now to Business
http://goo.gl/wDZUi
Schwarz, R. (2006), Does your leadership reduce learning?. Leader to Leader, 2006: 40–47. doi: 10.1002/ltl.164
Have you ever been in a situation like this?
You need to give someone some negative performance
feedback and you are concerned that you might get a
defensive reaction. To reduce this possibility, you begin by
sharing some positive feedback, then give the negative
feedback, and then finish with some more positive feedback.
For example, you might begin by saying, “Joe, I think
you’ve done a solid job addressing the difficult issues on the
new project.” After a few sentences of praise, you might
say something like, “But I’m concerned you haven’t taken
steps to develop your team’s capacity; as a result your team
isn’t producing as much as it should be.” After sharing your
thoughts on this subject and perhaps developing a plan of
action, you finish by saying something like, “Keep up the
good work on the new project; the clients are really
satisfied with the work.”
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

13. Now to Business
http://goo.gl/wDZUi
Schwarz, R. (2006), Does your leadership reduce learning?. Leader to Leader, 2006: 40–47. doi: 10.1002/ltl.164
Many leaders use this “sandwich” approach to
feedback when they’re faced with a challenging
conversation. (Even if you don’t use it, you’ve probably
experienced it as a recipient.)
The reasoning underlying the strategy is that starting off on
a positive note makes the person more comfortable and
more receptive to hearing negative feedback and less likely
to challenge you; ending on a positive note maintains the
person’s self-esteem and reduces the potential for anger.
But the approach creates unintended consequences.
People often discount the positive feedback and feel set up,
which leads them to distrust you. By controlling the
conversation to reduce the chance that someone will
express concerns, you also reduce your chance to learn
how differently your colleague may be thinking about the
situation. Consequently, you may think you have
commitment to change when you don’t.
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

14. POLL #2
Have you ever delivered or experienced
the “sandwich” approach to feedback?
Y/N
Answer: All participants replied with Y
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

17. POLL #3
Is this type of insight helpful for
YOUR Businesses?
Y/N
Answer: All participants replied with Y
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

18. Where to go next?
• Download & review the paper
already mentioned
• http://goo.gl/wDZUi
• Read “The Skilled Facilitator
Fieldbook”
• If you are interested in a one
day workshop on the material
presented today, make contact
rod.willis@assentire.net
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4

19. Thank you for your timeRod.Willis@assentire.net
AMBA Slides Nov 2012 V4