Collective Leadership Inventory
Working together collaborativelyValidating the CLI Data
VALIDITY OF THE CLI RESEARCH.
The importance of validity
A brief introduction to the difference between research validity and reliability will be helpful. Both terms evaluate the quality of research in terms of how well a method, technique or test measures the data. Reliability concers the consistency of a measure (to the extent to which the research can be replicated), whereas validity assesses the accuracy of a measure. Given the structure of the CLI we can argue that the reliability of the research could be managed through adherence to the CLI. For this reason, this section focuses on validity. How can we be sure that what we have measured in the CLI represents what is really happening?
It is therefore important to ensure that the CLI produces results that correspond to real properties, characteristics, and variations in the physical or social world. One way of doing this it to consider the interactions between the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes and the differences based on the diverse contexts (in this case, both the leadership values and the types of organisations and levels of leadership evalauted.)
Research Validity
The quantitative research was analysed for its internal consistency using the Cronbach Alpha statistical test. The two surveys that were tested were those undertaken with the members of the multi-agency Community Safety Partnership and the members of the various cohorts who undertook an executive education leadership development programme. There were some slight variations to the questions asked, although the construct being assessed was consistent. In total, just fewer than 100 responses were the subject of the analysis.
The inventory was employed to measure different, underlying constructs of collective leadership. At the value level, all seven value statements sought to measure the broad concept of ‘collective leadership’ based on a range of collective leadership behaviour statements for each of the seven values. This provides a high level of confidence that the seven values are measuring the same construct, namely collective leadership. A second analysis sought to measure the associations between the seven collective leadership values, initially by using the same aggregated data at the level of values
In research terms, it is necessary to identify a null hypothesis (and an alternative) and then test it statistically. In this case, the broad null hypothesis is that “value statements that reflect ‘collective leadership’ will not be associated with each other”. The results of the CLI have been analysed to determine whether the null hypothesis is correct. This was undertaken through a series of statistical correlation tests . The full details of the analysis are not included here although figure 10 below illustrates the associations through a graphical ‘hotspot’ map.
What is the analysis telling us
Relationships, Questions and Realism
As with the rationale for the CLI, it is important to ensure that the findings resonate with this in analysing relationships,through the asking of intelligent questions in the real world of leadership!
Relationships
We can consider the dynamic interrelationships within the internal contexts of collective leadership and also between the internal and the external contexts. What is immediately apparent is that, from a start point of ‘collective vision’ at the upper left position as one moves from the left to the right (or diagonally from top left to bottom right – both have the same result), the levels of association become less evident. This is particularly the case in relation to the values of appropriate ‘skills and behaviours’ and ‘systems and structures’.
This tends to suggest that organisations are good at agreeing a ‘collective vision’, which is aligned to ‘outcomes’ but the reality is that this is more rhetoric than reality. In particular, this adds support to a contention that the development of skills and behaviours takes place in isolation from the commitment to collective leadership. Moreover, the systems and structures (which we recall are human constructions) do not necessarily align with the stated vision for collective leadership and appear to be harder to change.
Intelligent Questions
To repeat one of the mantra's of the CLI: Collective leadership asks the intelligent questions and encourages collective others within networks to consider the solutions. The underpinning research provides an insight on the benefits of collective leadership through creative and transformational leadership practice. We can return to the Six Honest Serving Fellows in asking the six intelligent leadership questions.
These questions are just as helpful in applying theory to data and, ultimately, to practice. In consdering these questions, some provide descriptive analysis, the 'why' question supports critical analysis whereas the remaining questions concern the limitations of the research findings.
However, we need to consider the different levels of leadership and to ask further questions of the data, taking account of the interactive dynamics between the seven (values) contexts and the thirty (behaviours) mechanisms in creating the outcome patterns. Why, for example, is the assessment so much less strong in relation to the collective leadership of leadership capacity, capability and competencies?
Real World of Leadership<
The COMPASS360 values (illustrated above and described to the left) provide the context. Contexts provide the givens, and are thus often more difficult to influence. The collective leadership model also includes Realist Evaluations’ mechanisms (the things that ‘trigger’ action or practice, that is the underpinning leadership behaviours) in supporting the contexts. This can optionally be assessed through a 'creative' team based inventorey
There are multiple levels of leadership which the Collective Leadership Model considers. It moves beyond the strategic level and considers ‘creative’ (team based) leadership and ‘transform’ (individual) leadership. It introduces a transform leadership inventory (TLI) which, together with the CLI, form a collective 360° leadership assessment and development approach. It supports an action learning approach in the development of applied leadership challenges in which practice and theory operate together. This unique approach reinforces the nature of collective leadership and applies this in a way that clearly aligns pedagogy to practice.
BUT - INDIVIDUALS - TRANSFORM (make link to application page)