Join us in another insightful episode of The Science of Leadership, as host Tom Collins and General J.D. Thurman delve into the role that our instincts play in successfully navigating complex decisions and situations. General Thurman served as an Army helicopter pilot and went on to command soldiers in the Gulf War and Iraq War, ultimately serving simultaneously as the Commander of United Nations Command, Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and the United States Forces Korea.

This engaging conversation centers around the pivotal role of intuition in leadership, interwoven with personal experiences and scientific exploration. General Thurman candidly shares a significant lesson learned from a tragic incident during his military career, advocating the importance of trusting one's instincts when leading under pressure.

Navigating the challenging terrain of high-stakes leadership, General Thurman underscores the value of intuition in decision-making, especially when full information is elusive. Beyond anecdotal experiences, the episode weaves in scientific insights, demonstrating how intuition, backed by experience, can enhance leadership effectiveness.

As Dr. Collins and General Thurman reflect on their own crossroads shaped by gut decisions, this episode becomes a compelling narrative on balancing intuition with data, and the immense impact of these decisions in both military and everyday leadership contexts.

Keywords in this episode include leadership, intuition, decision making, instincts, experience, leadership intuition, trust instincts, leadership science, military leadership, leadership lessons, how to trust your instincts, importance of gut feeling in leadership, developing leadership intuition skills, balancing data and intuition in decision-making, and improving decision-making through experience

• Trusting intuition can play a crucial role in decision-making, especially under conditions of uncertainty or risk, as learned from General Thurman's military experiences.
• Leadership, at its core, involves personal growth through continuous learning, self-awareness, and reflection—qualities highlighted by the General in his reflections on effective decision-making.
• Intuition can enhance rapid decision-making, confidence, and adaptability when paired with experience and expertise.
• Communication and trust within an organization are essential for successful leadership and can be fostered by sharing decision-making processes transparently with team members.
• The importance of intuition in leadership is supported by scientific research pointing to its role in fostering trust, collaboration, and effective decision-making under uncertainty.

Key References:

Cohn, J., Squire, P., Estabrooke, I., O’Neill, E. (2013). Enhancing Intuitive Decision Making through Implicit Learning. In: Schmorrow, D.D., Fidopiastis, C.M. (eds) Foundations of Augmented Cognition. AC 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8027. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Critcher, C. R., Y. Inbar, and D. A. Pizarro, 2013, How Quick Decisions Illuminate Moral Character. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 4(3), 308–315. doi:10.1177/1948550612457688.

Huang, L., 2018, The Role of Investor Gut Feel in Managing Complexity and Extreme Risk. Academy of Management Journal, 61(5), 1821–1847. doi:10.5465/amj.2016.1009.

Huang, L., and J. L. Pearce, 2015, Managing the Unknowable. Administrative Science Quarterly, 60(4), 634–670. doi:10.1177/0001839215597270.

Maglio, S. J., and T. Reich, 2019, Feeling Certain: Gut Choice, the True Self, and Attitude Certainty. Emotion, 19(50). 876–888, doi:10.1037/emo0000490.

Merritt, A. C., and B. Monin, 2011, The Trouble with Thinking: People Want to Have Quick Reactions to Personal Taboos. Emotion Review, 3(3), 318–319. doi:10.1177/1754073911402386.

Mikels, J. A., S. J. Maglio, A. E. Reed, and L. J. Kaplowitz, 2011, Should I Go With My Gut? Investigating the Benefits of Emotion-Focused Decision Making. Emotion, 11(4), 743–753. doi:10.1037/a0023986.

Morewedge, C. K., C. E. Giblin, and M. I. Norton, 2014, The (Perceived) Meaning of Spontaneous Thoughts: Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, v. 143, no. 4, p. 1742–1754, doi:10.1037/a0036775.

Oktar, K., and T. Lombrozo, 2022, Deciding to be authentic: Intuition is favored over deliberation when authenticity matters: Cognition, v. 223, p. 105021, doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105021.

Samples, B. (1976). The Metaphoric Mind: A Celebration of Creative Consciousness by Bob Samples. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Quote Page 26.

In this fascinating episode of @TheScienceofLeadership hosts Tom Collins and Justin Hamrick explore the journey of leadership from its historical roots to its current scientific study. They discuss Tom's personal journey into leadership, the evolution of leadership theories, and the importance of psychological principles in effective leadership. The conversation highlights the value of the podcast in providing scientifically-backed insights and practical tools for listeners to enhance their leadership skills. Tom shares his extensive research, including interviews with four-star generals, and introduces the Four Cs of Leadership: character, competence, caring, and communication. The episode concludes with a vision for the future of leadership science and a call to action for listeners to engage with the content.

Key concepts from the episode include leadership, leadership development, character, competence, caring, communication, and personal growth.

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership is about influencing others to achieve a common goal.
• The journey to leadership often begins with self-reflection.
• Studying leadership can provide valuable insights for personal and professional growth.
• Psychology plays a crucial role in understanding effective leadership.
• Effective leadership can lead to a better future for society
• The Science of Leadership podcast aims to deliver scientifically-backed leadership concepts.
• Listeners can expect actionable takeaways from each episode.

Join us in this insightful episode of @TheScienceofLeadership, as Tom Collins and Alex Cho, President of Personal Systems at Hewlett Packard, delve deep into the critical role that organizational culture plays in effective leadership and overall business success.

They go beyond simply acknowledging the importance of culture, exploring how it influences not only the goals that a company achieves but also the methods and processes used to achieve them. This impact extends to all facets of a business, from fostering a spirit of innovation to cultivating a highly engaged workforce.

Drawing upon the rich legacy of the renowned HP Way and incorporating insights from the work of Edgar Schein, a leading scholar in organizational culture, Alex provides actionable advice on how leaders can actively shape and mold culture through their behaviors and decisions. He emphasizes that leaders must go beyond merely setting goals; they must create an environment that empowers and enables teams to reach their full potential, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership and Enablement: Effective leaders don't just dictate; they create the conditions that allow teams to excel and innovate. This involves providing the necessary resources, support, and autonomy.
• Culture as a Cornerstone: Organizational culture isn't just a buzzword; it's a fundamental driver of employee engagement, innovation, and overall business performance. It's the underlying fabric that connects and motivates individuals.
• Leading by Example: Leaders must set the tone for the organization through their actions. They should exemplify the values and behaviors they want to see in their employees, demonstrating what gets accomplished, how it's achieved, and why it matters.
• Shared Values and Assumptions: Successful teams are built on a foundation of shared values and assumptions. These shared beliefs create a sense of unity and purpose, guiding decision-making and behavior.
• Practical Steps to Cultivate Culture: Building a strong culture requires intentional effort. Cho suggests practical steps such as codifying values, creating dedicated time for engagement and team building, and fostering authentic connections among employees.

By understanding the profound impact of organizational culture and taking proactive steps to shape it, leaders can create a high-performing organization that is poised for sustainable success.

References

Brown, A. (1992). Organizational culture: The key to effective leadership and organizational development. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 13(2), 3–6.

Gerstner, L. V., Jr. (2002). Who says elephants can’t dance?: Inside IBM’s historic turnaround. New York: HarperCollins, p. 182

Harter, J. K., Tatel, C. E., Agrawal, S., Blue, A., Plowman, S. K., Asplund, J., Yu, S. & Kemp, A. (2024). The Relationship Between Engagement at Work and Organizational Outcomes: Q12 Meta-Analysis: 11th Edition. Gallup.

Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture. American Psychologist, 45(2), 109–119.

Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational Culture and Leadership (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Warrick, D. D. (2017). What leaders need to know about organizational culture. Business Horizons, 60(3), 395–404.