Psychology 1508:

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Psychology 1508 Janusian Thinking
The goal in leadership development, it is
important to remember, is to develop well-rounded
leaders, ones with the skills and personal
attributes needed to adapt, act with flexibility,
and combine what appear to be opposites
toughness and compassion, self-confidence and
humility, strong individuals and good team
players. Russ Moxley, Center for Creative
Leadership
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Janusian Thinking
conceiving two or more opposite or antithetical
ideas, images or concepts simultaneously. Ro
bert Rothenberg
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We see everything as this or that, plus or
minus, on or off, black or white and we fragment
reality into an endless series of either-ors. In
a phrase, we think the world apart. Parker
Palmer
Turning and turning in the widening gyre The
falcon cannot hear the falconer Things fall
apart the centre cannot hold Mere anarchy is
loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is
loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence
is drowned The best lack all convictions, while
the worst Are full of passionate
intensity. W.B. Yeats
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Thinking the World Together
Paradoxical thinking requires that we embrace a
view of the world in which opposites are joined,
so that we can see the world clearly and see it
whole... The result is a world more complex and
confusing than the one made simple by either-or
thoughtbut that simplicity is merely the
dullness of death. When we think together, we
reclaim the life force in the world, in our
students, in ourselves. Parker Palmer
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Janusian Leadership
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Myth You cant have your cake and eat it
too.
Reality Rather than succumbing to the
tyranny of the OR they embrace the genius of
the AND.
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Progress through Synthesis

• Person OR Situation?
• Democratic OR Authoritarian?
• Dogmatism OR Relativism?
• Tough OR Nice?

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Person OR Situation?
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The history of the world is but the biography of
great men. Thomas Carlyle
Man lives consciously for himself, but is an
unconscious instrument in the attainment of
historic, universal, aims of humanity. A deed
done is irrevocable, and its result coinciding in
time with the actions of millions of other men
assumes an historic significance. The higher a
man stands on the social ladder, the more people
he is connected with and the more power he has
over others, the more evident is the
predestination and inevitability of his every
action.... A king is historys slave. Leo
Tolstoy
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The Negro race, like all races, is going to be
saved by its exceptional men. The problem of
education, then, among Negroes must first of all
deal with the Talented Tenth it is the problem
of developing the Best of this race that they may
guide the Mass away from the contamination and
death of the Worst, in their own and other
races. W. E. B. Du Bois
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Does Leadership Matter?

• No! (Lieberson OConnor, 1972)

Studies estimating the effect of administrators
have found them to account for about 10 percent
of the variance in organizational performance.
This is a striking contrast to the 90 percent
of intellectual effort that has been devoted to
developing theories of individual
action. Pfeffer Salancik
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Leadership Matters

• Between versus Within (Thomas, 1987)

• Skipper Effect (Thorlindsson, 1987)

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Person AND Situation
Historical forces create the circumstances in
which leaders emerge, but the characteristics of
the particular leader in turn have their impact
on history. John Gardner
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Person AND Situation
Historical forces create the circumstances in
which leaders emerge, but the characteristics of
the particular leader in turn have their impact
on history. John Gardner
Historical performances come from great
opportunities greatly met. John Gardner
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It would be a profound disservice to leaders to
suggest that they are ordinary people who
happened to be in the right place at the right
time. Maybe the place matters, but it takes a
special kind of person to master the challenges
of opportunity. Locke Kilpatrick
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Democratic OR Authoritarian?
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Democracy as Solution to Authoritarianism

• Kurt Lewin (1939)
• democratic leadership
• laissez faire leadership
• authoritarian leadership

Hierarchical organizations are simply too
inflexible and rigid to compete effectively in
todays business environment... They need to be
replaced by lateral forms of organizations that
rely heavily on teams, information technology,
networks, shared leadership, and involved
employees. Edward Lawler
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Democracy Is Not Enough
One sure way to miss truth in any field is to
count the votes had Copernicus and Galileo done
so, the sun might still be circling the earth.
Parker Palmer
I wonder how far Moses would have gone had hed
taken a poll in Egypt. Harry Truman

• Going against the grain (when necessary)
• Pseudo leaders

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Contingency Theory (Fiedler, 1969)
The ablest and most effective leaders do not
hold to a single style they may be highly
supportive in personal relations when that is
needed, yet capable of a quick, authoritative
decision when the situation requires
it. John Gardner
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Dogmatism OR Relativism?
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Relativism is a theory, especially in ethics
or aesthetics, that conceptions of truth and
moral values are not absolute but are relative to
the persons or groups holding them. American
Heritage Dictionary
Dogmatism is a condition of mind in which
essential practical concepts are perceived with
such clarity that only one possible
interpretation of reality exists. In such a
case, all evidence suggesting contrary
interpretationsand therefore alternate courses
of actionsimply disappears from sight, indeed is
inconceivable. Yoram Hazony
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Moral Relativism
Almost every student entering the university
believes, or says he believes, that truth is
relative. Allan Bloom
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• Relativist
• A commitment to open-mindedness and flexibility
• Lacks conviction and certainty for sustained
  action
• Dogmatist
• Possesses conviction and certainty
• Lacks openness and flexibility

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Moral Relativism at Harvard(Ben-Shahar Grant,
2003)
Question 1Is any culture morally superior to
another culture?
Question 2Is a culture that supports gender
equality morally superior to a culture that
oppresses women?

• Question 1, first 78 say No
• Question 1 after 2 79 say Yes

(Pearson Chi-Square10.04 plt .002)
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Janus, help!!!

• The dangers of dogmatism
• The dangers of relativism

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity. W.B.
Yeats

• Regaining a strong belief in a cause

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Janusian Synthesis
If we regard truth as something handed down from
authorities on high, the classroom will look like
a dictatorship. If we regard truth as a fiction
determined by personal whim, the classroom will
look like anarchy. If we regard truth as
emerging from a complex process of mutual
inquiry, the classroom will look like a
resourceful and interdependent community. P
arker Palmer
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Tough OR Nice?
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Beautiful Enemy(Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841)
He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves,
and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our
helper. Edmund Burke
Nothing will sink a leader faster than
surrounding him- or herself with yes-men and
women. Even when principled nay-sayers are
wrong, they force leaders to re-evaluate their
positions and to poke and prod their assumptions
for weaknesses. Good ideas are only made
stronger by being challenged. Warren
Bennis
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Beautiful Enemy(Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841)
McKinsey had a culture that fostered rigorous
debate over the right answer without that debate
resulting in personal criticism. Lou
Gerstner
The real heroism of leadership involves having
the courage to face realityand helping the
people around you to face reality. Ron
Heifetz
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Espoused Versus In-Use
Espoused theories of action are those that
people report as a basis for actions.
Theories-in-use are the theories of action
inferred from how people actually
behave. Chris Argyris
Most individuals studied seem to be able to
detect the discrepancies between their espoused
theories and theories-in-use of others, but were
not able to detect similar discrepancies in
themselves. Chris Argyris
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The Challenge of Challenging
It takes one kind of courage to face a duelist,
but its nothing like the courage it takes to
tell a friend, No. Harry Truman
CEO disease the information vacuum around a
leader created when people withhold important
(and usually unpleasant) information. Danie
l Goleman
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The Challenge of Being Challenged
We say we want the truth, what we mean is that
we want to be correct. Mihnea Moldoveanu
Faced with the choice between changing ones
mind and proving that there is no need to do so,
almost everybody gets busy on the proof.
John Kenneth Galbraith

• Rationalizing over rationality

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The leader needs a circle of associates who are
willing to be both supportive and critical. Pity
the leader caught between unloving critics and
uncritical lovers. Leaders need reassurance, but
just as important they need advisors who tell
them the truth, gently but candidly.
John Gardner
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Healthy Synthesis

• Person AND Situation
• Democratic AND Authoritarian
• Dogmatism AND Relativism
• Tough AND Nice