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Project: Leadership Styles

Project: Leadership Styles

(With Medication on the Tao)

Christina M. Jones
Arizona State University
Submission October 4th 2018
OGL 360: Reinventing Organizations
Professor Michael Pryzdia
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Project: Leadership Styles
Introduction

The hierarchy of organizations are structured differently based on the purpose, goals, and

culture for each business. We will be diving in to look at leadership styles from each

organization of red, amber orange, and green categories.

Red: Mafia Underboss

An underboss is under the main boss in the mafia which is a red organizations based on

Laloux categories. I chose the underboss so I can learn and understand what the underboss does

since I never knew there was another boss in the mafia. The underboss is second in command,

normally family or a son of the current boss so he can later take on the structure (NCS, 2018).

The underboss would carry out jobs on behalf of the boss or deal with situations that did not need

to go to the boss overall (NCS, 2018). This was a division of labor system that is typical in a red

organization with using fear as the main driver (Laloux, 2014). An underboss may be violent or

kill to ensure things are done to the boss’s standards and keep their family reputations and

hierarchy strong.

Amber: Military Captain

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Project: Leadership Styles
The amber organization is a pyramid like structure with goals of stability (Laloux, 2014).

For Amber type leader I chose a captain in the military, a captain is above the cadets who may

teach or specially train lower ranks for combat or other positions (Military Ranks, 2018). It is the

21st rank in the armed forces down the pyramid. I chose this position as I was curious to find out

where this ranking stood in the armed forces. The Captain and armed forces organization leads

with long tem goals and have been using the training methods and traditions for a very long time.

Orange: Wells Fargo Bank Teller

The orange organization is driven by profits and are most likely larger corporations, for

this leadership style I chose a Wells Fargo Bank teller. This was the first role I took when I

began my journey with Wells Fargo bank and wanted to investigate more in depth of the

leadership style I was able to achieve. A banker teller performs routine transactions for

customers and provides customer service with account holders (Runzel, 2018). I chose this level

as it was the bottom and starting point to this large hierarchy of people. Also tellers are seen as

the face of a bank, they provide the first interaction that customer has for the company and there

leadership can shine with how they handle situations and customer service. They lead by goals

and competition for sales as seen in orange organizations, the more customers they engage and

become familiar with the more potential profit the company can gain (Laloux, 2014). They have

their direct reports of service mangers one and two, and a branch manager who they receive

direction from, they do not have any sense of innovation as there is a set of rules and structure to

how transactions are processed and set shifts (Runzel, 2018). A teller is a leader on a small scale

but can make a big difference as the face of a company.

Green: Ben and Jerry’s CEO

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Project: Leadership Styles
For the green organizations I looked at Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Company because I

was curious about their structure and have always appreciated their use for fair trade ingredients.

Green organizations are about culture and employee motivation (Laloux, 2014). Ben and Jerry’s

CEO is at the top of the heiharchy, however he incudes empathy in thinking of society when it

come to the way he leads the company. In an article by CNN, the CEO Matt McCarthy has

begun being proactive as a business and being part of the community to start social change

(Aiello, 2018). A leader who puts community first is a true green category, and based on the

article he is privileged to lead his team (Aiello, 2018).

Mediation on the Tao

Polarities which consist of opposites, meaning that there cannot be too much or too little

of something it will product the opposite outcome (Heider, 1985). A leader must know to not

push too hard for a certain task or to intervene when certain processes are happening. A leader

never seeks out praise or wealth as if he is a good leader they will come (Heider, 1985). I found

this relatable to Laloux Teal organization concept by the way profits are defined. Normally seen

in orange organization profit is a driving force and necessary for investments and shareholders

(Laloux, 2014). Many companies use profits as the forefront compared to teal organizations

which have the value that profit are a result of jobs well done (Laloux, 2014). A Tao leader just

like a teal organizational leader puts balances and thoughtfulness behind decisions to ensure that

there is not over access of work or obsession of money. With someone doing what is right the

money comes to them and the business thrives with the polarities that they are setting out for

their purpose. This style of leadership to me is inspiring, it creates not as much pressure to focus

on one area as well puts things in perspective that there cannot be too little too much of anything

especially behaviors. The merits will be knowing that you are doing a job well done with you
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Project: Leadership Styles
work unfolding how you set out to be. The only demerit I see would be how to try to keep the

balances in line with success and pressure that may arise. I would personally like to lead this way

by letting things unfold on their own with my own sense of polarities in place, I believe with any

organization it would bring openness and clarity amongst the vision and goals we are trying to

achieve.

Equal treatment resonated with me because I am avid about equality and believe truly

about no one being better then another. This Tao practice is that a leader must not act like he is

special or lead in a way that creates an environment of one privilege over another. If a leader

were to be truthful and act with humility and equality that he is a wise leader (Heider, 1985).

There is no reason to play favorites as everyone has the same worth, no reason for any titles as

we are capable of the same goals, and have the same capabilities. I feel this concept is directly in

line with wholeness and how Laloux explains that everyone in teal organization is of equal worth

(Laloux, 2014). There is a sense of the same community with no titles despite the roles they play

in organization, education, background (Laloux, 2014). The teal leader demonstrates by not

placing titles and acting as an equal peer amongst his team. There is no special treatment in

comparisons to hierarchy like structures. To me this is an ideal form of leadership, and in most

organizations amongst the workers there is no humility in the workplace. I would love to act a

leader using this type of leadership style. The merit would be that the culture will be top notch

and you will get a real close connection with employees. Also there will be a lack of competition

so there is no pressure to be liked the most or have the best salary and so forth. The only demerit

I see would be that some personalities are driven by achieving higher titles, to have the

privileged, and to be the best out of the group. Everyone is different and everyone has their own

motivators, what would a leader so with that type of personality? On who knows no humility?
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Time for reflection is teaching others to let go of mental chatter and pay attention to the

body (Heider, 1985). Taking care of one’s mental health and having group members reflect with

quiet moments can improve themselves and others. It gives time to free p mental space and

provide clarity that you may not have had the opportunity too with all the noises that interrupt

constantly. What is seen in the teal organizational culture and leaders partake in is silence where

people have time to reflect in quiet places, which is a place to check out so they can check in to

their mind and seek clarity and possible times for mediation (Laloux, 2014). What Laloux also

mentioned that is important to teal organizations is mood management which can effect teams

and workplaces. Moods determine what is possible, and through that management the mood as a

leader is important to ensure that atmosphere and emotions are healthy and positive for

employees (Laloux, 2014). I feel like both Tao and Laloux view this concept equally in the sense

that having time and dedicating management of moods and reflect can provide a better

environment for you and others. My thoughts on this type of leadership is positive, work life and

home life can be stressful. Moods and mental health are important to keeping the balance of

being happy. If quiet time and time for reflections are needing to provide someone with clarity

and mental rejuvinivation that it would be important to have this in the workplace. The merits

would be employees being in there best mental state at work to be present and do their job with

focus on the organizations purpose. Also it would improve culture by have positive moods and

energies in the workplace which gives the company soul. I do not see any downside with this

method. If and when I do become a leader I would like to use this method of practice for my

team and organizations to better help themselves, the team, customers, others, and the

organization.
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Project: Leadership Styles

References
Aiello, C. (2018, August 17). Social change is part of business, Ben & Jerry’s CEO says. CNBC, 1.
Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/17/ben--jerrys-ceo--social-changeis-part-of-
business.html
Heider, J. (1985). The Tao of Leadership: lao Tzu;s Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age. Retrieved
from https://myasucourses.asu.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-18602971-dt-content-rid-
132972411_1/courses/2018FallA-X-BIS360-
91275/BIS%20360%20The%20Tao%20of%20Leadership.pdf
Laloux, F. (2014). Reinventing Organizations: A guide to Creating Organizations Inspored by the Next
Stage of Human Consciousness (1 ed.). Nelson Parker.
Military Ranks, .. (2018). Army Ranks. Retrieved from MilitaryRanks.org: https://www.military-
ranks.org/army/captain
NCS, .. (2018). What is an Underboss?-Mafia Family Structure. 1. Retrieved from
https://www.nationalcrimesyndicate.com/what-is-an-underboss-crime-family-structures/
Runzel, T. (2018, March 30). What is the Responsibility of a Bank Teller? Chron, 1. Retrieved from
https://work.chron.com/responsibility-bank-teller-5321.html

Photos

https://www.nationalcrimesyndicate.com/what-is-an-underboss-crime-family-structures/