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Tools of Provocation�& Disruption

Unit 7

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Leadership often demands that we surface issues others would rather keep under the carpet.

The root of the word leadership, "leit,"�means to "go forth to the edge."

This means that we must disrupt the�comfortable status quo, and be willing to provoke the discomfort of those around us for the sake of some larger purpose.

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Leadership can be defined as the gap between the status quo and the desired future state

In order to make progress on bridging that gap, the system, at times, needs to be shaken up

Leadership work involves provoking and disturbing the system - often the very people who are most connected to the work and who do not want to admit to the problem

Leadership can be defined as�“disappointing your own people at a rate they can tolerate”

Provocation is a tool - that needs to be learned how to be wielded effectively

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Mild	Medium

Warm	Hot

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Mild	Medium
• Tell a story • Ask question • Ask someone to self-reflect • Ask people for more than an interpretation • Ask for specification of a general comment • Encourage deeper diagnosis • Ask how ripe is the issue • Ask someone to make assumptions explicit	• Ask systemic questions • Use unusual metaphor • Use psychodrama to illustrate • Request trial behavior • Use analogy e.g. medical trials • Act as a non-verbal mirror of people’s non-verbals • Restrain change • Direct people to go slow • Prescribe symptom
Warm	Hot
• Name default roles • Remove clarity and structure • Reorder agreed priorities • Make strong interpretations • Identify difference between values and behavior • Give hard news and don't protect people • Describe 'elephant in the room' • Invite people to consider their actions as evidence of their intentions • Make conflictual interpretations	• Use paradox • Make purposeful mistakes • Be deliberately inattentive • Refuse to answer a question • Utilize resistance • Call people’s attention to irresponsible behavior • Use powerful image/metaphor to illustrate e.g. ‘virus’

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WHAT is your purpose?�Why do you need to generate provocation?
WHO: Who are you trying to move on an issue?
PROVOCATION: What did you try?�How much of a stretch is it for you?�How risky is it for you visavis the other person?
EFFECT: What was the effect of your provocation?�What happened?

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UNIT LESSON SUMMARY:�Leadership requires provocation. By definition, it asks us to stand up to the status quo, to rock the boat, to shake things up, in order to make progress and change.

Being Jewish is about being an Ivri - a Hebrew - who has the courage to take a contrarian stance (lit. on the other side) for the sake of purpose.