Selecting a Team Leader
Steve Borgatti, Boston College
David Krackhardt tells the story of
cross-divisional task-force team headed by a well-respected senior
engineer named Harris. The team never seemed to get anywhere. A network
analysis of the organization showed that while the team leader was often
consulted on technical issues, he was not central in the trust network
(see far right of network diagram).
Trust is essential when leading groups consisting
of representatives from different departments. All departments compete at
some level for resources and autonomy. Representatives of departments are
protective of their departments and won't be very helpful unless they
trust the leader to look after their interests.
Rather than replace Harris and undermine
confidence in the task force, the CEO decided to add a co-leader. Based on
the network diagram, the CEO chose the most central player in the trust
network. Over the next two months, the task force made significant forward
progress.
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