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Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface
This book posits the view that many leaders have learned to lead at Level One, focusing on behavior and often ignoring or undervaluing opportunities to influence people at Level Two, their thinking, and at Level Three, their values and basic assumptions about how the world operates.
The goal of this book is to provide practical principles of leadership that get beneath the surface, that intend to influence the thinking and feeling of others rather that just their behavior. This book is not about summarizing all the leadership theories. It is about integrating theory and practice and creating a model and a set of related perspectives and concepts about how a person can become a better, ethical leader in their own lives, in their work group, and in their organizations.
The goal of this book is to provide practical principles of leadership that get beneath the surface, that intend to influence the thinking and feeling of others rather that just their behavior. This book is not about summarizing all the leadership theories. It is about integrating theory and practice and creating a model and a set of related perspectives and concepts about how a person can become a better, ethical leader in their own lives, in their work group, and in their organizations.
402 pages, Paperback
First published November 24, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 16, 2011
Read about half for a graduate college course. Very readable, some questionable psychology interpretations (not wrong, just more interpretation than fact).
February 15, 2021
To generate positive leadership outcomes, leaders need to think strategically, effectively lead others, and lead by design. These are the key attributes of Level 3 leadership.
This book's premise is that Level 3 leadership involves motivating people through understanding their values, assumptions, beliefs and expectations (VABEs). By contrast Level 1 leadership relies on a Skinnerian approach of influencing behaviours by telling people what to do, and then providing incentives and punishments to drive compliance.
Clawson sets out to ‘get below the surface’ to outline (level 3) behaviours that will make leaders and managers more effective. Clawson outlines four cornerstones of the moral foundation for level 3 leadership: (1) Truth Telling; (2) promise keeping; (3) fairness; and (4) respect for the individual. (p57) Clawson highlights that when people achieve the trust and respect established by practicing these four cornerstones it provides a foundation for effective leadership. (p63)
At times Clawson stretches his points too far, for example when he notes that “Only when people have full information and freedom to choose can they be enabled as followers.” (p56) While this sounds good, and there may be an element of truth to this, it is not practicable in a business organisation. People don’t ever have full information, and freedom to choose is always within guiderails of the expectations of the role they have been employed to perform. So this statement lacks any practical action that a manager can take.
Clawson also sees that the moral foundation for leadership means ‘we must like all of our employees”. (p62) But he presents no empirical evidence that this influences behaviour or organisational outcomes, let alone a clear description of what this actually means.
Almost all will be familiar with ‘The Golden Rule’. In exploring why people behave the way they do Clawson challenges the arrogance of this rule: ‘Why should we expect that others want to be treated the way we want to be treated?’ Some argue that it should be replaced by a ‘Platinum Rule’ – “Treat others as they want to be treated.” (p77)
However Clawson’s focus on the virtues of level 3 ignores the impact of behaviour led attitude change. Encouraging seat-belt usage is the classic example. We have not moved to almost universal acceptance of this through level 3 leadership and appealing to VABEs. Instead a Level 1 approach with fines for non-compliance, gradually shaped and changed people’s attitude to safety.
Clawson does not discuss this, and as a result fails to explore the role of behaviour led attitude change in organisations. What would have been interesting is a greater focus on the insights from behavioural economics and the impact this can have in ‘nudging’ human behaviour.
In his recommendation to cast ‘away bureaucratic assumptions’ and search for and create ‘new organizing principles that promote rapid use of good information and the multiple talents of the people employed’, Clawson anticipates the adoption in the last few years of ‘agile’ management principles.
At times it’s not clear whether there is still a role for Level 1 leadership. Clawson acknowledges that rewards – a Skinnerian approach - are important: “We can’t realistically expect to get certain results while we model and reward behaviour that leads people to an entirely different outcome.” (p106)
Clawson’s insertion of anecdotes from his own family, a seeming increasing flaw among authors, is distracting and narcissistic, not to mention irrelevant and patronising – as if his experience with an eight-year old child provides any meaningful insight to a manager dealing with his or her employees. (p117)
Equally irrelevant to managers is the experience of a musician who went without bathing, changing his clothes, or personal grooming for 15 months, particularly acknowledging the adverse impact this had on the people around him. Clawson seems to be putting this forward as an example of the lengths leaders and managers should go to in learning new skills. To the extent that it’s even relevant, it seems more an example of what not to do.
Clawson extends this with sweeping generalisations on the behaviours of world class players (WCPs), with false implications of the relevance of these for leaders and managers – universalism at its worst.
When discussing strategic thinking Clawson advocates that ‘One must have not only a vision but also the courage to choose a path and then the fortitude to stick to it over years of effort, perhaps with modest results at first’ but then contradicts this with exhortations that strategic thinkers ‘need to develop alternative flexible courses of action.’ (p154) Which is it? Fortitude? Or flexibility? What should a leader, manager (or a business student) actually do? These contradictory passages leave a reader with the impression that Clawson has read too many management theories and has made a poor effort at integrating or choosing between them.
At times Clawson appears out of his depth. There is much literature on the service-profit chain and the role customer satisfaction plays in this. By contrast Clawson’s discussion of this is facile, simplistic and, with his reference to the apocryphal buggy-whip manufacturer who should have had a mission focussed on ‘independent travel’ rather than ‘carriage acceleration’, somewhat trite. (p162) Again a leader, manager or business student is left unclear what they should actually do.
In outlining how to effectively lead others, Clawson sets out five steps: (1) have a clear purpose; (2) communicate that purpose clearly and inspirationally; (3) show others how the purpose benefits them; (4) manage reciprocal exchanges with others; and (5)mange process toward the purpose. (p184)
Clawson encourages leaders to ‘observe’ and ‘confirm’ the VABEs of others. (p186) Unleashing untrained amateur psychologists seems a poor prescription for effective leadership. Then if this approach (unsurprisingly I might add) has no impact, you should conclude that your (self-taught) skills as a coach are insufficient! Perhaps if leaders and managers who do not have specific training avoided trying to psycho-analyse the ‘VABEs of others’ they might be more authentic in the first place.
Throughout this book Clawson covers a range or management theories and, with some notable exceptions, manages to integrate these reasonably well. Most of these theories adopt a universalist approach – follow these actions in all circumstances to achieve more effective outcomes. In the real world however this approach is ineffective. Contingency theorists argue that the right action for leaders and managers to take depends on the circumstances in which they are applied. Clawson fails to discuss contingency theory – it doesn’t even make it into his index.
Notwithstanding this, and as Clawson notes, in an information age, organisations and people that adopt elements of level three leadership are more likely to thrive and grow.
The structure of the book assists the student or managerial reader. Each chapter effectively uses headings to guide the reader, and concludes with principles of effective leadership and questions for reflection. However at times Clawson forces this with excessive use of un-informative or meaningless tables and diagrams.
Level Three Leadership is a useful book for MBA students, but should be read with a critical eye by leaders and managers.
This book's premise is that Level 3 leadership involves motivating people through understanding their values, assumptions, beliefs and expectations (VABEs). By contrast Level 1 leadership relies on a Skinnerian approach of influencing behaviours by telling people what to do, and then providing incentives and punishments to drive compliance.
Clawson sets out to ‘get below the surface’ to outline (level 3) behaviours that will make leaders and managers more effective. Clawson outlines four cornerstones of the moral foundation for level 3 leadership: (1) Truth Telling; (2) promise keeping; (3) fairness; and (4) respect for the individual. (p57) Clawson highlights that when people achieve the trust and respect established by practicing these four cornerstones it provides a foundation for effective leadership. (p63)
At times Clawson stretches his points too far, for example when he notes that “Only when people have full information and freedom to choose can they be enabled as followers.” (p56) While this sounds good, and there may be an element of truth to this, it is not practicable in a business organisation. People don’t ever have full information, and freedom to choose is always within guiderails of the expectations of the role they have been employed to perform. So this statement lacks any practical action that a manager can take.
Clawson also sees that the moral foundation for leadership means ‘we must like all of our employees”. (p62) But he presents no empirical evidence that this influences behaviour or organisational outcomes, let alone a clear description of what this actually means.
Almost all will be familiar with ‘The Golden Rule’. In exploring why people behave the way they do Clawson challenges the arrogance of this rule: ‘Why should we expect that others want to be treated the way we want to be treated?’ Some argue that it should be replaced by a ‘Platinum Rule’ – “Treat others as they want to be treated.” (p77)
However Clawson’s focus on the virtues of level 3 ignores the impact of behaviour led attitude change. Encouraging seat-belt usage is the classic example. We have not moved to almost universal acceptance of this through level 3 leadership and appealing to VABEs. Instead a Level 1 approach with fines for non-compliance, gradually shaped and changed people’s attitude to safety.
Clawson does not discuss this, and as a result fails to explore the role of behaviour led attitude change in organisations. What would have been interesting is a greater focus on the insights from behavioural economics and the impact this can have in ‘nudging’ human behaviour.
In his recommendation to cast ‘away bureaucratic assumptions’ and search for and create ‘new organizing principles that promote rapid use of good information and the multiple talents of the people employed’, Clawson anticipates the adoption in the last few years of ‘agile’ management principles.
At times it’s not clear whether there is still a role for Level 1 leadership. Clawson acknowledges that rewards – a Skinnerian approach - are important: “We can’t realistically expect to get certain results while we model and reward behaviour that leads people to an entirely different outcome.” (p106)
Clawson’s insertion of anecdotes from his own family, a seeming increasing flaw among authors, is distracting and narcissistic, not to mention irrelevant and patronising – as if his experience with an eight-year old child provides any meaningful insight to a manager dealing with his or her employees. (p117)
Equally irrelevant to managers is the experience of a musician who went without bathing, changing his clothes, or personal grooming for 15 months, particularly acknowledging the adverse impact this had on the people around him. Clawson seems to be putting this forward as an example of the lengths leaders and managers should go to in learning new skills. To the extent that it’s even relevant, it seems more an example of what not to do.
Clawson extends this with sweeping generalisations on the behaviours of world class players (WCPs), with false implications of the relevance of these for leaders and managers – universalism at its worst.
When discussing strategic thinking Clawson advocates that ‘One must have not only a vision but also the courage to choose a path and then the fortitude to stick to it over years of effort, perhaps with modest results at first’ but then contradicts this with exhortations that strategic thinkers ‘need to develop alternative flexible courses of action.’ (p154) Which is it? Fortitude? Or flexibility? What should a leader, manager (or a business student) actually do? These contradictory passages leave a reader with the impression that Clawson has read too many management theories and has made a poor effort at integrating or choosing between them.
At times Clawson appears out of his depth. There is much literature on the service-profit chain and the role customer satisfaction plays in this. By contrast Clawson’s discussion of this is facile, simplistic and, with his reference to the apocryphal buggy-whip manufacturer who should have had a mission focussed on ‘independent travel’ rather than ‘carriage acceleration’, somewhat trite. (p162) Again a leader, manager or business student is left unclear what they should actually do.
In outlining how to effectively lead others, Clawson sets out five steps: (1) have a clear purpose; (2) communicate that purpose clearly and inspirationally; (3) show others how the purpose benefits them; (4) manage reciprocal exchanges with others; and (5)mange process toward the purpose. (p184)
Clawson encourages leaders to ‘observe’ and ‘confirm’ the VABEs of others. (p186) Unleashing untrained amateur psychologists seems a poor prescription for effective leadership. Then if this approach (unsurprisingly I might add) has no impact, you should conclude that your (self-taught) skills as a coach are insufficient! Perhaps if leaders and managers who do not have specific training avoided trying to psycho-analyse the ‘VABEs of others’ they might be more authentic in the first place.
Throughout this book Clawson covers a range or management theories and, with some notable exceptions, manages to integrate these reasonably well. Most of these theories adopt a universalist approach – follow these actions in all circumstances to achieve more effective outcomes. In the real world however this approach is ineffective. Contingency theorists argue that the right action for leaders and managers to take depends on the circumstances in which they are applied. Clawson fails to discuss contingency theory – it doesn’t even make it into his index.
Notwithstanding this, and as Clawson notes, in an information age, organisations and people that adopt elements of level three leadership are more likely to thrive and grow.
The structure of the book assists the student or managerial reader. Each chapter effectively uses headings to guide the reader, and concludes with principles of effective leadership and questions for reflection. However at times Clawson forces this with excessive use of un-informative or meaningless tables and diagrams.
Level Three Leadership is a useful book for MBA students, but should be read with a critical eye by leaders and managers.
March 8, 2022
Read as assigned reading towards my fellowship.
The book is an in-depth study of leadership. The author argues that one can reach a higher level of leadership excellence by getting beneath the surface. Level three leaders differentiate from level one leaders by getting to know the values, attributes, beliefs and experiences (VABE’s) of those they wish to lead.
The material presented interesting ideas but some of the explanations on diversity were out of touch for 2022. This book was published in 2012.
The book is an in-depth study of leadership. The author argues that one can reach a higher level of leadership excellence by getting beneath the surface. Level three leaders differentiate from level one leaders by getting to know the values, attributes, beliefs and experiences (VABE’s) of those they wish to lead.
The material presented interesting ideas but some of the explanations on diversity were out of touch for 2022. This book was published in 2012.
Read
March 3, 2011Back to required MBA reading.
April 3, 2021
The good:
This book is a good synergy of leadership theories and explains them well. Uses a lot of references, so it is easy to dwell into specific topics. The book is well structured and the writing style is also succint. I liked how this book recognises that employees are human beings and there is more to leadership than 'controlling behaviours'. It discusses all the building blocks to leadership as well, so if you only read one book on leadership, this is a good candidate. Not sure if I am biased here because of my experience but for me it did make sense. I can see how people who do not have leadership experience or interest in psychology may struggle though.
Room for improvement:
The book's title is Level Three Leadership...there are strong arguments initially and a detailed discussion, however, the message is not consistently re-inforced in later chapters. Maybe the author got tired in the midst of writing or did not think the original proposition had to be weaved in again.
Confused about:
While the author steers clear of 'Skinnerians', the majority of theories/models/references are from the previous century. I'd estimate that half of them 70s and 80s. While I understand that it is difficult these days to reinvent the wheel when so much has been said about leadership back then, still can't help but think: nothing notable happened in leadership theory between 2000-2020? I understand the book was published in 2006, however, I believe some rinse should have been done, given 15 years or so has passed?
This book is a good synergy of leadership theories and explains them well. Uses a lot of references, so it is easy to dwell into specific topics. The book is well structured and the writing style is also succint. I liked how this book recognises that employees are human beings and there is more to leadership than 'controlling behaviours'. It discusses all the building blocks to leadership as well, so if you only read one book on leadership, this is a good candidate. Not sure if I am biased here because of my experience but for me it did make sense. I can see how people who do not have leadership experience or interest in psychology may struggle though.
Room for improvement:
The book's title is Level Three Leadership...there are strong arguments initially and a detailed discussion, however, the message is not consistently re-inforced in later chapters. Maybe the author got tired in the midst of writing or did not think the original proposition had to be weaved in again.
Confused about:
While the author steers clear of 'Skinnerians', the majority of theories/models/references are from the previous century. I'd estimate that half of them 70s and 80s. While I understand that it is difficult these days to reinvent the wheel when so much has been said about leadership back then, still can't help but think: nothing notable happened in leadership theory between 2000-2020? I understand the book was published in 2006, however, I believe some rinse should have been done, given 15 years or so has passed?
January 5, 2022
The core of this book is to encourage a positive leadership approach to influence people's level three (VABE) mindset...A comprehensive management textbook but a bit lack of organization from structure perspective
November 27, 2017
Really enjoyed the approach presented to becoming an effective leader. Good examples, lots of options for people to try out in practice.
August 6, 2012
This has some interesting ideas but frankly it put me to sleep, more than once, so i took it back. I really couldn't see wasting my time on a book about leadership that slow dances its way to The Point.
July 13, 2015
a comprehensive book combined lots of managers' views, about leadship and manage. there is good ways to find and lead urself.
April 19, 2017
Textbook for LIS 5442 Information Leadership - Spring 2017 FSU
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews