Connecting Leadership and Empathy
- vickywalker
- Mar 23, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 20, 2022
Using Design Thinking as Transformational Leadership to Change the Lives of Your Team
This question was recently posed to me:
What is your leadership philosophy, and how can you transform the lives of others using this philosophy?"
Edtech LeadershiP and Philosophy
Instructional design, corporate learning, technology, and education are rapidly and dramatically changing all levels of human education, interaction, training, and experiences across K-12, higher education, and corporate learning spheres. It is within this reality that my philosophy of leadership is grounded. Leadership in modern education and corporate organizations demands deep and current knowledge of people and digital interfaces. As a professional Edutech change management consultant, utilizing leadership frameworks, qualitative, quantitative, and action research, learning and design theories, such as Design Thinking, Transformational and Situational Leadership, are crucial. Developing profound knowledge of these frameworks will help me discover, lead, and communicate best-practice learning experiences as a corporate learning strategy consultant for a mission-focused learning management company.
Burn’s (1978) iconic Leadership manifesto resulted in an explosion of leadership theory studies. Since that time, different leadership theories have developed, including transactional, transformational, servant, adaptive, charismatic, and innovative leadership styles. I would consider myself a transformational leadership style built within a situational leadership framework supported by a design thinking methodology for solving problems. Possessing a willingness to act in conjunction with these traits can lead to significant social gains if appropriately harnessed or can lead to leadership pain and failure. Johnson (2014) summarizes my experiences and perspectives articulately:
“Leadership is often complex; it runs counter to the more comfortable and often more lucrative management path. A leader's road is often strewn with obstacles. Leaders take risks, and sometimes those risks lead to failure. Leaders are sometimes viewed as misfits, troublemakers, and rebels. Often the reward for a job well done, for grasping victory from the jaws of defeat, is dismissal or a letter of reprimand.” (Johnson, 2014, p. 141)
Leadership opportunities have not always been a smooth journey for me. I have certainly stumbled a lot and antagonized people with far more power, and this has led to, in their current position, they are not managing people (which is preferred). Still, they assist organizations in managing technology, educational programs and offerings, and change management. My non-negotiables are authoritarian, transactional leaders. As a fellow leader and follower, I could not manage the style long-term and made drastic career changes. I will stand up for myself if I feel that the other leaders are being unjust or are treating others unjustly.
But why Design Thinking?
Design Thinking (DT) as a learning and leadership framework and philosophy has always resonated with this author. Collaboratively leading with empathy is the core of my leadership belief system. With DT’s roots in empathy, prototyping, and iterative change, applying design thinking to all aspects of professional and personal life and leadership is the knowledge and human capital management framework I have been working towards for some time.
Design Thinking was initially a design theory that aimed to apply methods of scientific inquiry to a creative design process. DT originated in Rittel’s attempts to solve “wicked problems” (Dam & Siang, 2020). DT has grown in mainstream popularity across education and corporate industries in the last decade. It has migrated from solving design problems to education and business leadership. Dam and Siang (2020) explain, “wicked problems are at the very heart of Design Thinking because it is precisely these complex and multi-dimensional problems that require a collaborative methodology that involves gaining a deep understanding of humans.” Transformational leadership aims to solve an organization’s “wicked problems” which implies a merger of complementary frameworks and theories. According to Kelly (2020, p. 2), founder of IDEO, “In employing design thinking, you’re pulling together what’s desirable from a human point of view, with what is technologically feasible and economically viable… It’s about embracing simple mindset shifts and tackling problems from a new direction.” (Kelly, 2020, p. 2)
What do I need to be Aware of in myself?
By adapting design thinking to reflective leadership practice, one can “tackle” leadership problems from different directions. Thompson & Schonthal’s (2020), The social psychology of design thinking changed how I viewed DT as a leadership framework. By framing DT within a socio-psychology paradigm, I can make connections with new applications for design thinking. Empathy-enhanced leadership then combines within socio-constructivist social psychology construct to enhance one’s leadership qualities. From this model, leaders can delve into other people-focused leadership models, such as servant leadership, to improve their leadership skillset. Servant leadership is one aspect of transformational leadership that this author intends to explore in this program further.
I can be task-related (transactional) as a leader, but more to the detriment of myself versus my team. I tend to take on their tasks for them versus enabling them, which is not healthy leadership. By researching, modelling, and using Design Thinking and transformational leadership in corporate Communities of Practice, I intend to develop personal and professional leadership and manage change skills. I have the skills to monitor my leadership effectiveness. Many leaders fail to listen to their followers and their inner voices. Listening is the key to watching one's success as a leader.
Let's solve wicked problems collaboratively
Fairhurst cites Grint’s leadership theory of “wicked problems,” stating that leaders distinguish themselves by using innovative approaches to solving these “wicked” problems (2016, p. 62). Wicked problems are at the heart of design thinking, the instructional design model sweeping the corporate and education spheres of influence. Design thinking and universal learning design (CAST, 2018) puts people at the forefront and use people-focused empathy to solve problems that people struggle with or feel passionate about. Design thinking and universal design for learning in the corporate sphere, when demonstrated and used intentionally by capable and knowledgeable corporate leadership, has the opportunity to empower and thus lead to greater Return on Investments(ROI) in human capital management and other forms of corporate profitability.
Dussault et al. (2013) describe the importance of Bass’s transactional versus transformational leadership theory over those previously mentioned as an essential aspect to consider when creating a personal leadership framework. Johnson’s (2014) examination of transactional versus transformational leadership styles impacts how future leaders see themselves as organization managers or inspiring leaders. Johnson suggests transformational leaders who “persistently challenge organizational resistance, regimentation, and inertia” are the most successful. (2014, p. 136).
Flying into the sunset...
Becoming an ethical technology advocate and leader is a significant value. I want to make a difference in people's lives and teach and work with those who also want to love technology-infused learning. Post (2017, p. 1824) says leadership is defined by how one mobilizes followers and different areas require different forms of leadership. Becoming a scholar-practitioner is one of those ways. The author ultimately hopes to possess a credible voice for change by completing a Doctorate in Education in Instructional Technology and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) to create opportunities for corporate leadership and advancement.
“Historically, leaders determined strategy and directed innovation. In today’s world, the job of leadership is changing from giving direction to facilitating collaboration” (Suss, 2015, p. 50).
References
CAST. (2018). Universal design for learning guidelines, version
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Dam, R., & Teo Siang. (2019, June 14). Design Thinking: A Quick Overview of the History.
The Interaction Design Foundation; UX courses.
https://www.interactiondesign.org/literature/article/design-thinking-get-a-quick- overview-of-the-history
Johnson, C. H. (2014). Reflections on leadership. Naval War College Review, 67(1), 135–
145. https://shibboleth.ebscohost.com/Shibboleth.sso/SAML2/POST
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