Grint, Problems, problems, problems, 2005

Question 1

Who is creating the context according to Grint?

Answer 1

We are creating the context, social construction. It is not just shaped by leaders, but all internal and external stakeholders.

Question 2

How is a context turned in to action according to Grint?

Answer 2

Leader chooses the account of context –>
the shared understanding of the problem (types of problems) –>
this problem legitimizes a form of authority (types of authority) –>
reinforces the leader (types of power)

Question 3

What is a common misunderstanding regarding Grint’s theories?

Answer 3

One person cannot manipulate the context their way to get their way. The context is socially constructed which means more people are shaping the context together. It is more about a negtiation than a laboraty, as Grint explains. The leader needs to convince his peers.

Question 4

Types of authority.

Answer 4

Command: Provide answer.

management: Organize processes.
leadership: Ask questions.

Question 5

Types of problems.

Answer 5

Critical: Et Critical problem er hvor der hverken kan anvendes leadership eller management. Det kræver hurtig og kontant handling og derfor kan der hverken igangsættes processer (management) eller stilles de rette spørgsmål (leadership).

tame: Et Tame problem er ofte sket før og skal derfor løses igen. Derfor har man en nogenlunde klar fremgangsmåde til at løse problemerne. Eksempel: Tidsplan for busser mv., standard operation, lønforhandling mv.
wicked: Et Wicked problem er mere komplekst og der er ikke en given fremgangsmåde man kan følge. Umiddelbart vil løsninger på disse problemer generere nye problemer. Der er ingen rigtige eller forkerte svar, men nogle alternativer er bedre end andre. Her er en leders rolle at stille de rigtige spørgsmål i stedet for at komme med de rigtige svar. Eksempler: Udvikling af nye strategier og systemer. Coronakrisen.

Question 6

Types of powers/compliances by Etzioni.

Answer 6

Coercive compliance, calculative compliance, normative compliance.

Question 7

Nye’s hard and soft power.

Answer 7

Hard power: coercion (tvang), physical strength, or domination achieved through asymmetric resources rather than ideas.

Soft power: ideological attraction, ideas.

Question 8

Tell about figure 1.

Answer 8

X-axis:
Requirement for collaborative solutions.
Hard-soft power.
Coercion, calculative, normative.

Y-axis:
Uncertainty about solution to problem.
Critical, tame, wicked.

Question 9

Grint talks about Irony of leadership. What is it?

Answer 9

Irony of leadership: We ask questions to try to understand the wicked problem. It takes forever (it can’t be solved). People are seeing you are producing no results. You are now seen as a weak leader.

Question 10

According to Grint (when facing a wicked problem): Leadership “remains the most difficult of approaches and one that many decision makers will try to avoid at all costs” because:

Answer 10

1) The leader does not have the answer.
2) The leader’s role is to make the followers face up to their responsibilites.
3) The “answer” will take long time to construct. “More appropriate” rather than “the best”.
4) Will require constant effort to maintain.