MBA module, University of Hertfordshire.

Strategic Leadership. I’m leading this module. About 40 students in attendance, some part time, mainly home students in managerial positions and some full time, mainly from overseas. I introduce myself and start with a discussion “What do we understand by Leadership?” Forty five minutes later and I have a great feeling about the rest of my time with this cohort. I mean forty five minutes. A very interesting discussion that I barely had to steer. So many contributions from almost everyone. I have noted however the table of 5 alpha males to my left, about my age.  I begin suspect they are trying to become ‘peers’ with me. A bit of ribaldry - then they start calling me ‘Miss’. It’s a kind of sport. Something I say and then ‘oh we’re the naughty table now!’ I feel pulled to join in the fun – they are clearly attempting to entice me. OK. I’ve got the measure of this. I’ll split them up tomorrow.

Next day I allocate all to (semi) random teams with a timed task. It’s competitive, with special rules. The worst offender of the alpha males gets a job as one of my 4 observers. “How does leadership emerge in these newly formed teams? Your job is to notice what you notice....” I explain.

Some of the risks people are taking to win! One of my observers runs up to me “Oh my God! This is so interesting!” Lots and lots of things to discover and discuss later - all data provided from the feedback from the observers.  At one point it’s a little bit punishing, as the observers single out an individual to blame for the problems a team experienced - a scapegoat.  Ouch. Inwardly I cringe - perhaps I could brief them about this beforehand - but on the other hand it’s interesting why people behave like that when they have a bit of authority.  I end the day with a half an hour walk-through of my expectations of the academic assignment, including the unfamiliar reflective part,  where they can use their experiences of the last few days. “Write for me, as if you are explaining to me” I say. “I’ll see you again in April for the Group Behaviour weekend with the Tavistock Institute.”

It’s Saturday afternoon, they have all left  and I’m contemplating four different yet towering paper structures in the empty atrium. What a gift for the university community on Monday morning, I muse, to chance upon these mysterious installations. I leave them up - fully expecting to become swiftly acquainted with the health and safety officer.