Quantum Delegation

Quantum
Delegation
by

William John Baum
2010

William John Baum, Copyright 2010

Tuesday, April 2, 13

Purpose
To propose a model for collaborative delegation that
incorporates the personal values, perspectives, and innovative
ideas of associates at the point of impact, or point of service.



Research Question

• How can leaders redeﬁne the concept of
delegation in light of Quantum Leadership theory
(Porter-O’Grady & Mallock, 2007), so as to empower
associates to collaborate in decision-making and
solve problems at the point of service?



Theoretical Framework:
Order Exists Amid Chaos
• M.C. Escher’s “Day and Night”
Woodcut in Two Colors, 1938
http://puffin.creighton.edu/museums/archive/8_dkovach/nf-Tour8.html

• Reflects the relationship between chaos and order:
two concepts that we use to describe relative
differences within the same, inexplicable reality.
• They always coexist, in the sense that they are defined
by one another: as darkness is defined as the absence
of light, so is chaos defined as the absence of order.



Chaos in Action
http://www.nuh.com.sg/healthinfo/images/
stoma3.gif

• Colostomy Care - a hole too small to be used appropriately for
elimination

• The patient managed it at home with a crochet hook

• Artistic Practice vs. Scientiﬁc Practice

• The gap in science left by unforeseen, chaotic events prompted the
innovative use of an instrument for a task that it was not designed to
perform- a simple example of artistic practice.



Reciprocal Concepts
• Artistic Practice & Scientiﬁc Practice
• Interdependence & Autonomy
Ying-Yang here
• Leadership vulnerability & Individual competence
• Delegation & Empowerment
The search terms for this presentation

“The Yin-Yang symbol presents some of the most fundamental concepts in
Daoist and Tantric logic, philosophy, and spirituality. The most prominent
concept is polarization: the division & union of two halves. Each half can in turn
be polarized, giving some insight into recursion and forming the base for
synthesis. The Yin-Yang is not a symbol of dualism, but a statement of
transcendence into monism, a snapshot of change.” Leonardo Gonzalez (1999)



Visual Representation
of Reciprocality

M.C. Escher’s “Drawing Hands,”
Lithograph 1948

http://pufﬁn.creighton.edu/museums/archive/8_dkovach/nf-Tour11.html



Reciprocality Repeated from
Rank to Rank forms a Recursion
“recursive ¦ri kərsiv¦ Recursive Reciprocal Leadership
adjective- Characterized by recurrence
• A form of leadership which
or repetition, in particular
Bonewits’
requires multiple iterations of
• Relating to or involving the Ying-Yang here reciprocal acts of teaching and
repeated application of a rule, learning between successive
deﬁnition, or procedure to successive ranks of authority, to achieve the
results. corporate explication of a given
process, event, or situation.
recursion ¦ri kər zh ən¦ Yin Yang:
The oriental
noun- In such a system, each successive
symbol
The repeated application of a echelon uses a similar reciprocal
of the
recursive procedure or deﬁnition.” model for reporting and
Laws of Polarity
delegation, forming a recursion.
and Synthesis
Apple Dictionary (2010). (Bonewits, 1958)



Traditional Management
• Hierarchical & Vertically oriented
• Linear & Unidirectional
• Dyadic management style
- Elitist
- Decisions made farther from
point of impact

• Central principles:
- Command
- Control
- Standardization

(Porter-O’Grady & Mallock, 2007)


Quantum Leadership
• Recursive & Horizontally oriented
• Circular & Reciprocal
• Emergent leadership style
- Grass-roots
- Decisions made closer
to point of impact
• Central principles
- Collaboration
- Flexibility
- Custom Application



Quantum Leader Action Matrix
For any Particular Task, Group of Tasks, or Role:

Associate Associate
Associate Associate
Is Left in place, or Is Left in place, or
Reassigned has ability (+) has ability (+) Advanced to
(good motivation) lacks vision (-) has vision (+) Leadership Role
or (good motivation)
Offered Farewell Leader Leader or
(poor motivation) Directs Delegates Offered Incentives
(poor motivation)

Associate Associate
Is Oriented
Associate Associate Is Reassigned
(good motivation) lacks ability (-) lacks ability (-) (good motivation)
or lacks vision (-) has vision (+) or
Offered Farewell Leader Leader Offered Farewell
(poor motivation)
Demonstrates Develops (poor motivation)

(Adapted from Galbraith, 1971)


Quantum Delegation
An innovative, interdependent, and fluid

Redefinition of Delegation

• Strengthens the development of an organization’s strategic plans with
the infusion of leaders’ and associates’ values, insights, and preferences
(Porter-O’Grady & Mallock, 2007), thereby harnessing the natural power of self-
determination in motivating the organization’s members to work
together to implement those plans.
• Strengthens implementation at the point of impact, by ensuring that all
essential barriers are mutually identiﬁed. The resulting common
understanding facilitates collaborative problem-solving, which leads to
optimal results.



An Effective Model for
Delegation
Why is it important?
• As associates become more experienced and better skilled, leaders
can increase the amount and complexity of tasks delegated to
associates, granting increasing levels of professional autonomy.
• The ability to delegate tasks to paraprofessional assistants has been
identiﬁed by healthcare providers as a major factor in their ability to
improve patients’ health outcomes (Broussard, 2007).
• Inappropriate delegation impedes the delivery of timely and
effective care.
• Welford (2002) identiﬁed a manager’s ability to lead as the best
retention tool- when leaders delegate appropriately, they foster
professional autonomy, which leads to drops in absenteeism and
decreased turnover.


Value of An Effective
Delegation Model
• Could lead to signiﬁcant improvements in the effectiveness
of organizational management and practice at many levels
of health care delivery.
• Could be applied anywhere care is delivered or patients
are educated how to care for themselves.
• The Recursive Reciprocal Delegation Model has imbedded
pathways that promote continuous, open, collaborative
communication among leaders and associates.
• This model’s applicability is not exclusive to healthcare, but
could also be used in other environments.



The Recursive Reciprocal Delegation Model
-> >- Leader as Follower Associate as Guide -> ->
Input *Lets go of the fear of losing control Report *Informs leader of needs Output
<- <- *Active Listening *Informs leader about problems <- <-
Feedback *Acknowledging & Appreciating that arise at point of impact Feedback
associates’ input, feedback, and work *Informs leader about feedback
*Supports associate’s preferences & Feedback from clients & subordinates
provides for needs, as appropriate *Reports outcomes

Error as Opportunity Voluntary Disclosure
Open Communication

Leader as Creator Associate as Creator
*Shapes corporate culture: *Shapes personal approach
trust, empowerment, consistency to successful application of
*Develops crisis management plan collaborative plans
*Tinkers, innovates *Empowered to do what is known
Mindful of Professional and solve problems that arise
*Tinkers, innovates
Interdependence Autonomy
Open Communication

Leader as Guide Associate as Follower
*Picks appropriate personnel by matching Report *Informs leader of preferences
their abilities w/ project demands
to complete tasks, given desired outcomes
*Shows positive attitude towards associates
*Expresses values, perceptions, ideas, innovations
*Establishes goals and measurable outcomes
*Actively listens & seeks to achieve leader’s goals
*Mentors, coaches, teaches Feedback
*Manages Conﬂict
Leadership Sense of
Vulnerability Empowerment (Porter-O’Grady & Mallock, 2007)



Leader as Follower
• Leaders must let go of the fear of losing control, and will
gain inﬂuence by doing so (Davidhizar & Shearer, 2002).
• Effective leaders exhibit a positive attitude towards
associates, through active listening and appreciation
(Welford, 2002).

• When leaders listen to feedback from associates, leaders
are able to collaborate with associates in problem-
solving, and leaders can support associates appropriately,
in implementing jointly-developed plans at the point of
care (Porter-O’Grady & Mallock, 2007).



Leader as Creator
• Leaders inﬂuence the shaping of organizational
culture, by promoting: trust, trustworthiness,
empowerment, delegation, consistency, and
mentorship (Kane-Urrabazo, 2006).
• Leaders help to solve problems by developing
crisis management plans in collaboration with
associates (Porter-O’Grady & Mallock, 2007).



Leader as Guide
• By learning to let go of controlling ways, leaders allow themselves to fulﬁll
the roles of facilitator & mentor (Davidhizar & Shearer, 2002).

• Through appropriate delegation and collaboration, leaders promote
professional autonomy, which facilitates innovation (Welford, 2002).

• Through delegation, leaders empower associates to feel free to act on what
they know at the point of care (Davidhizar & Shearer, 2002).

• Viewing error as opportunity, leaders replace the disempowering behaviors
of commanding, controlling and inspecting, with the empowering behaviors
of supporting, coaching, and teaching (Palmier, 1998).

• Effective leaders foster openness and active, collaborative problem-solving
(Palmier, 1998).



Associate as Follower
• Listens to leader’s goals, metrics, and timeline
• Informs leader of both necessary and
preferred elements in completing assignment
• Expresses personal values, perceptions, ideas,
innovations.
• Actively attempts to meet leader’s reasonable
goals.



Associate as Creator
• When empowered, associates have control over how
they carry out their day-to-day responsibilities, and
themselves determine how they will achieve value-
added outcomes (Broussard, 2007).
• Empowered associates increase their own effectiveness,
and thus, the organization’s corporate effectiveness
(Kane-Urrabazo, 2006).
• Professional empowerment is associated with improved
productivity and increased job-satisfaction among
associates (Broussard, 2007).



Associate as Guide
• Palmier (1998) suggests that staff members
who practice and directly implement all
procedures and policies, have a unique ability
to recognize problems at the point of care.
• When error is viewed as opportunity,
associates are free to collaborate in identifying
and solving problems (Palmier, 1998).



Conclusions
• Delegation is a strong tool for improving patient
outcomes, because it empowers associates to
make necessary decisions at the point of care.
• The ability to delegate responsibilities
appropriately is a hallmark of effective leadership.
• The Quantum Leader Action Matrix and
Recursive Reciprocal Delegation Model are tools
that can help to guide leaders in making
appropriate decisions.



References
Apple Dictionary (2010). Recursive; Recursion. Retrieved from Apple.com.
Bonewits, P.E.I. (1958). Yin Yang: The oriental symbol of the Laws of Polarity and Synthesis. Real Magic. Berkeley:
Creative Arts Book Company, 94.
Broussard, L. (2007). Empowerment in school nursing practice: A grounded theory approach. Journal of School Nursing
(Allen Press Publishing Services Inc.), 23(6), 322-328. Retrieved from Ebscohost.
Davidhizar, R., & Shearer, R. (2002). Taking charge by "letting go". Health Care Manager, 20(3), 33-38. Retrieved from
Ebscohost.
Escher, M.C. (1938). Day and Night. Woodcut in two colors. Retrieved from http://puffin.creighton.edu/museums/
archive/8_dkovach/nf-Tour8.html
Escher, M.C. (1948). Drawing Hands. Lithograph. Retrieved from http://puffin.creighton.edu/museums/archive/
8_dkovach/nf-Tour11.html
Galbraith, J.R. (Feb, 1971). Matrix Organization Designs: How to combine functional and project forms. Business Horizons,
29-40.
Gonzalez, L. (1999). Yin-Yang: Polarization, recursion, and transcendence in Daoism and Tantra. Retrieved from http://
mor.phe.us/writings/Yin-Yang.html.
Kane-Urrabazo, C. (2006). Management's role in shaping organizational culture. Journal of Nursing Management, 14(3),
188-194. Retrieved from Ebscohost.
Orem, D. (1991). Nursing: concepts of practice, 4th Ed. (pp. 19-25). St. Louis, MO: Mosby-Year Book, Inc.
Palmier, D. (1998). How can the bedside nurse take a leadership role to affect change for the future? ConceRN, 27(1),
16-17. Retrieved from Ebscohost.com.
Porter-O’Grady, T., & Mallock, K. (2007). Quantum Leadership: a resource for health care innovation, 2d Ed. Sudbury,
MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Welford, C. (2002). Transformational leadership in nursing: Matching theory to practice. Nursing Management - UK, 9(4),
7-11. Retrieved from Ebscohost.com. William John Baum, Copyright 2010


Quantum Delegation

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Último

Último (20)

Destaque

Destaque (20)

Quantum Delegation