Robin Levesque Integrative Paper 2009 Jun 27

A Leader’s Journey 1
Running Head: A LEADER’S JOURNEY
A Leader’s Journey: The Heart of the Matter
Robin Levesque
Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC
June 27, 2009

Abstract
Leadership is a journey. Regardless of what age it starts at, leadership, like life, is
about the journey, not the destination. People learn in different ways. The author of this
paper, a confirmed Accommodator according to The Kolb Learning Style Inventory,
concludes that for him, true learning not only occurs in the mind, it transcends to the
heart, the hands and the spirit. This paper is the tale of one man’s leadership journey
at his first Royal Roads University residence and how he learned that it’s all about
heart.
.

The purpose of this paper is to help me synthesize the key learning themes of this
term in a way that they are mine, communicable and usable in my professional context
and with my colleagues. This term refers to the first residency for the Master of Arts in
Leadership at Royal Roads University including the pre- and post-residency components
(April 20 to June 27, 2009). Ultimately, the purpose of this paper is to help me “find my
own voice” (Kouzes and Posner, 2007, pp. 57-58) (Covey, 2004, p. 5).
I started my learning journal soon after I received the textbooks for the
assigned readings in late March. This would be an important tool to help me manage
my own learning and change.
I considered two of the texts as the “bookends” to my personal leadership
journey to date. I read Leadership Challenge for the first time eight years ago after
completing a leadership program. I incorporated the five practices of “exemplary
leadership” (Kouzes and Posner, 2007, p. 14) in my own leadership challenge: model
the way; inspire a shared vision; challenge the process; enable others to act; and
encourage the heart.
I read the Fifth Discipline for the first time less than a year ago after
completing learning organization practitioner training. I added the five disciplines to
my leadership repertoire: personal mastery, shared vision, mental models, learning
teams and systems thinking.
By re-reading both textbooks prior to residence, I discovered that the
internalization of learning for me occurs when I connect the material from the head
to the heart, the hands and the spirit. “Human beings are not things needing to be

motivated and controlled; they are four dimensional – body, mind, heart and spirit”
(Covey, 2004, p. 21).
Additional required readings for residency included Overcoming the Five
Dysfunctions of a Team, Learning in Relationship, How to Observe your Group, and
Reframing Organizations.
Pe-residency also included the preparation of a personal values statement,
personal vision statement and personal leadership challenge. Students completed the
Kolb Learning Style Indicator and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator online and
posted reflections at the end of each of the five weeks.
Combined, the above preparation formed a strong foundation for my own
personal leadership and prepared me with some valuable information on how I could
expand my leadership influence and contribution to my team, groups, organization,
and communities.
As I packed my bags for the three weeks of residence in Victoria, I
formulated my priorities.
1. Invest in myself and take care of myself. These three weeks would
be an opportunity to block out the rest of my world and responsibilities
to focus on my learning, my health and my spirit. Having experienced
this kind of experiential learning before, I knew that what I got out of
the residency was a direct result of what I put into it.
2. Give and receive feedback. I was not surprised that the statement on
seeking feedback in the Leadership Challenge ranked lowest on the
Leadership Practices Inventory (LIP) from the observer’s perspective

(Kouzes and Posner, 2007, pp. 84-85). Residency would be an
important conduit to develop the habit of giving and receiving
feedback.
3. Consolidate my four personal visions into one. I had been working
on four sets of vision and value statements starting eight years ago. I
saw the first residency as an opportunity to reflect on my values in the
right place at the right time and to consolidate all four vision
statements into one.
4. Take my leadership journey to the next level. I discovered through
reflection that my leadership journey began when I was leading a team
of bingo workers at the age of 13. My “formal” journey began eight
years ago when I completed my first leadership training. This
residency would allow me to internalize my leadership learning,
knowledge and skills and to take my leadership journey to the next
level.
5. Keep building my inventory. I also wanted to use the reflection time
at residency to build on my inventory of stories, tools and pictures for
use in my own consulting practice. This enables me to help others
learn and to assist organizations develop project management maturity
and build their dream teams.
The first week started with a reception on Sunday evening including a Inner-
Outer Circle exercise with the first-year students on the inside of the circle and the
second-year students giving advice on the outside of the circle. This moment

resonated with me immediately and reminded me of Bolman and Deals’s symbolic
frame (pp. 251-308) and the importance of celebration and ritual.
This first part of Week 1 would focus on getting to know myself and personal
leadership. On Monday, we started the day off with an ice breaker that I have seen at
a party once. Who Am I? reminded me of the importance of communication,
especially paying attention, as I lost track of the responses building up who my
character was.
Faculty then gave a demonstration of the Fishbowl and the Check In. These
would prove to be valuable techniques for the balance of the residency. Our cohort
used the Fishbowl to facilitate decision making for the Leadership Challenge, which
was a case study presented to us by the Ministry of Housing and Social
Development. Most groups made extensive use of the Check In throughout the three-
week residency.
Highlights for the balance of the week as the focus shifted to relationship,
team and groups included a review of the Kolb Leaning Style Indicator (with
individual results), developing shared values and vision with fellow advisee
participants, inside out communication (including the ladder of inference and the
assertiveness wheel), Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), team effectiveness, and
emergent learning.
On the one hand it was comforting to learn that some things don’t change that
much. My learning style is still “Accommodator” after three years and still consistent
with my kinaesthetic style results from 15 years ago. On the other, I was surprised to
learn that my ENTJ MBTI from 10 years ago was now an INFP. Still, during the

scale exercise for self assessment lead by Rob Goodall, I had rated myself as an eNFj
(small e and j intended). So I knew that some of my preferences had changed over
the past decade.
Some of the most meaningful work I did in week one was consolidating and
refining my personal vision and values. I initiated my first approach to identifying
my values eight years ago based on the Leadership Challenge.
More recently, I had done some detailed visioning based and used a technique
from Time Power by Brian Tracy to write down my major definite purpose every day
for one month. In addition, I have adapted a technique from Good to Great by Jim
Collins to find the sweet spot in my own personal “Hedgehog” (Collins, 2001, pp.
94-97).
I was able to compile these four inputs into one vision statement (to help others
build their dream teams) and associated values and personal learning goals.
The latter part of week one moved onto working in teams and groups. Other
key learning included the importance of listening to all voices when conducting our
Advisee Group’s values and visioning session and recognizing when I am in the red
zone (and uncomfortable gut reaction when faced with a learning challenge). Both
lessons would be reinforced for me in a dramatic way the following week.
Week 2 started with a morning session on appreciative inquiry. I thought that
was an excellent preamble to the session I would be facilitating over the lunch hour
for the cohort’s Leadership Challenge. This would be our first opportunity to form
our own organization comprised of 35 students, which exemplified the four
organizational frames from Bolman and Deal (structural, human resource, political

and symbolic). In particular, I was able to observe the political frame firsthand as
new alliances formed to influence decision making.
I was to use a very similar technique that would incorporate tools that we
would later learn like Open Space and World Café. Unfortunately, some members
of the cohort did not feel heard during the facilitated session. As it turns out, enough
resistance prevented any of the tools to be used. Fast forward to the end of the week
for some advice from Beth Page that I could have used at the time: “People own what
they create” and “involve employees in the process”. In retrospect, I should have
engaged my fellow cohorts in designing the facilitated session over the weekend. At
the very least, I should have left the first session as wide open dialogue. I was
reminded that the facilitator does not own the agenda, the participants do.
Other key learning in Week 2 included emotional intelligence, coaching,
learning organizations, systems thinking, and organizational change. A session
facilitated by Maggi Feehan introduced me to a new communication tool, walking
onto different areas of a quadrant as one’s frame changes during story telling. The
learning carried on through the entire weekend as everyone was busy working on
their portion of the Leadership Challenge presentation.
I was part of Team 4, and our question focused on the teachings of Senge’s
the Fifth Discipline and Bolman and Deal’s Reframing Organizations. We compiled
it into a four-quadrant model (see Appendix A). Building on further readings, I have
since elaborated into a more detailed model (see Appendix B and Appendix C).
Building such models speaks to my Arranger strength theme (Buckingham and

Clifton, 2001, p. 87). This compilation can also be viewed from a systems thinking
perspective (see Appendix E).
The third week started with an introduction to a non-verbal communication
tool, the Pebble Game. Then, designated members of each Leadership Challenge
Team went through a dry run for the presentation being held the next day. The best
part of the practice run was receiving verbal feedback from Faculty, which once
implemented, would help elevate the quality of the presentation to a whole new
level.
Other key learning in this final week of residency included ethics, community
dialogue, and a sneak preview of upcoming courses.
As the week and the residency were winding down, my learning was being
stretched to a whole new level. In particular, two sessions enabled me to witness the
most honest communication and feedback ever, all in a team or group environment.
During the Leadership Challenge Team debrief on Wednesday, our Advisor
Beth Page sat in to observe. After awhile, I asked her if she had anything to share
with us. She said to ask ourselves: “What one question if answered for me today
would help me in my leadership?” She left, and we let that question sit for awhile.
When we came back to it later, the dialogue and feedback it generated from each
team member to each team member was truly constructive. I learned how trusting a
team can become in a short time given the right environment and the right mix of
people.
The second session that truly opened my eyes was the Advisee Group
Personal Leadership Challenge sharing on Thursday morning. Each participant was

asked to provide a brief overview of his or her Personal Leadership Challenge with
the rest of the group. After each participant was done, a sheet went around the table
where each of the other participants asked one coaching question. This was a
powerful communication technique that I had not seen before. The patterns that
emerged out of the questions were very enlightening. In particular, the questions that
I received for my challenge in combination with the feedback from the day before at
the Leadership Challenge Team debrief caused me to reflect.
It became apparent to me that some people saw me as less than fully engaged
or that I could bring a little more heart to the leadership table. What implications
could this have for my own team and organizational leadership? I discussed this later
with my Learning Partner and my Advisor. That evening, I wrote down four points
for myself to ponder as I progress through the rest of the program after this
residency:
• Why is it so difficult for me to show my heart and my passion?
• What can I learn from the three-day courses that I facilitate into
shorter interactions with others?
• Did I show up at this residency more as an observer than a fully
engaged participant?
• What are some instances where I do show up fully and completely?
Post residency is now in its second week. I find myself changing some of my
old behaviours. For example, I am providing co-workers feedback whenever I get a
chance. I listen twice as much as I speak. I try to show my heart and my passion, and
I rotate the chair role at our weekly team meetings. For my fellow RRU students, I

posted a Work Breakdown Structure online of the entire first residency based on my
detailed notes.
Still, I can imagine far more positive changes to myself, my relationships, the
teams and groups I work with, my organization, my communities and my universe as
I apply my learning from the past two months throughout the rest of my leadership
journey.
I am convinced more than ever that true learning not only occurs in the mind,
it transcends to the heart, the hands and the spirit. This concept is succinctly
reframed in Presence: “All learning integrates thinking and doing” (Senge,
Scharmer, Jaworski and Flowers, 2004, p. 11).

Appendix A: Slide from Leadership Challenge Team 4

Appendix B: Theoretical Patterns
A, B, C and so on refer to the theory designation. The numbers 1 to 5 represent a
consistent pattern across all eight theoretical frameworks.
A. Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner
1. Model the way
2. Inspire a share vision
3. Challenge the process
4. Enable others to act
5. Encourage the heart
B. The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge
1. Personal Mastery
2. Shared Vision
3. Mental Models
4. Learning Teams
5. Systems Thinking
C. Reframing Organizations by Bolman and Deal
a. Human Resources Frame
b. Symbolic Frame
c. Structural Frame
d. Political Frame
D. The 8th
Habit by Steven Covey
a. Modeling
b. Pathfinding
c. Aligning
d. Empowering
E. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
a. Absence of Trust
b. Inattention to Results

c. Fear of Conflict
d. Lack of Commitment
e. Avoidance of Accountability
F. Five Process Groups by Project Management Institute
a. Initiating
b. Closing
c. Planning
d. Executing
e. Monitoring and Controlling
G. Appreciative Inquiry
a. Discovery
b. Dream
c. Design
d. Destiny
H. GROW Coaching Model
a. Reality
b. Goal
c. Options
d. Will
I. DREAM MasterKey by Robin Levesque
a. Discover
b. Reach
c. Engage and Elaborate
d. Act
e. Motivate and Monitor

Appendix C: The DREAM MasterKey
3) Engage and Elaborate
A. Challenge the Process
B. Mental Models
C. Structural Frame
D. Aligning
E. Fear of Conflict
F. Planning
G. Design
H. Options
2) Reach
A. Inspire a Shared Vision
B. Shared Vision
C. Symbolic Frame
D. Pathfinding
E. Inattention to Results
F. Closing
G. Dream
H. Goal
1) Discover
A. Model the Way
B. Personal mastery
C. Human Resources Frame
D. Modeling
E. Absence of Trust
F. Initiating
G. Discovery
H. Reality
4) Act
A. Enable Others to Act
B. Learning Teams
C. Political Frame
D. Empowering
E. Lack of Commitment
F. Executing
G. Destiny
H. Will
5) Motivate and Monitor
A. Encourage the Heart
B. Systems Thinking
C. n/a
D. n/a
E. Avoidance of Accountability
F. Monitoring and Controlling
G. n/a
H. n/a

Appendix D: A Systems Approach to Leadership

References
Kouzes, M.K. & Posner, B.Z. (2007). The leadership challenge. CA: Jossey Bass.
Covey, S.R. (2004). The 8th habit: From effectiveness to greatness. NY: Simon &
Schuster.
Senge, P.M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning
organization. NY: Doubleday.
Lencioni, P (2005). Overcoming the five dysfunctions of a team: a field guide. CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Short, R.R (1998). Learning in relationship. WA: Learning in Action Technologies.
Dimock, H.G. and Kass, R. (2007). How to observe your group. ON: Captus Press.
Bolman, L.G. and Deal, ,T.E. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and
leadership. CA: Jossey-Bass.
Tracy, B. (2007) Time Power. NY: AMACOM.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great. NY, HarperCollins.
Buckingham, M. & Clifton, D.O. (2001). Now, discover your strengths. NY, Simon
& Shuster.
Senge, P., Scharmer, C.O., Jaworski, J. and Flowers, B.S. (2004). Presence: Human
purpose and the field of the future. NY: Doubleday.
Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: a leadership fable. CA: Jossey-
Bass.
A guide to the project management body of knowledge (2004). PMBOK guide, - 3rd
ed. PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.

Robin Levesque Integrative Paper 2009 Jun 27

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