Three decades of my experience have yielded a leadership perspective that I often share with executives transitioning into new leadership roles.
Full disclosure – social studies was my absolute favourite subject in school growing up in India. Mrs. Kapoor’s engaging pedagogy fostered a lifelong appreciation for the discipline. She transformed seemingly mundane geographical and historical facts into captivating narratives, imbuing even the intricacies of governance with a sense of intrigue. At its core, social studies delves into the human experience – how individuals interact with one another, their environment, and their heritage. This rich tapestry, this exploration of human dynamics, explains why social studies continues to hold significant value within my STEM career.
The subjects were so contextually rich and engaging – they were about people and their relationships with others, with their environment, and their heritage. It’s no surprise, given my leanings, that I continue to be an avid student of social studies and social sciences in my STEM-based career.
And when I recommend schooling in social studies for leaders, I do mean it quite literally – the three main topics under the social studies umbrella – history, civics and geography. Of course, figuratively it refers to the unique triad of insights that come from understanding the past of the organisation, the politics and governance at play and the present lay of the land, all critical to steer the organisation successfully.
Our world needs science-based, scalable sustainable innovation and that requires a step-change in leadership styles and management models. It involves a deeper dive into social studies to gain the contextual understanding critical to driving change.
It is important to contextually understand the organisation
In my three decades in R&D, driving innovation, I have seen that a robust grasp of social studies can be a bedrock for effective leadership, enabling leaders to comprehend the historical narrative, the complex landscape and the political structures to be able to move forward effectively. I have also seen the impact when these critical elements are ignored, or sidelined – it becomes extremely difficult to implement and sustain change. Given the juncture the world is at with the many challenges and opportunities ahead of us – the role of social studies has become extremely critical.
To drive innovation a leader must understand the organisational terrain, sub-terrain and subterranean forces, identify key environmental factors that can have an impact and delve into the understanding of how operational processes function within this geography. In this social studies context, the history of an organisation is its narrative with successes and failures along the way, and organisational civics involves an understanding of the internal political dynamics and structures.
A nuanced understanding of the cultural and social belief systems
Building on these core disciplines, this article delves into three increasingly crucial sub-topics within social studies for aspiring leaders.
First is anthropology, and in this context, the focus is on cultural dynamics and social structures and can be key to unlocking the true potential of an organisation. It is often about the unwritten rules, customs, and behaviours that are continually impacting the working environment, and these differ from function to function – from finance to sales to manufacturing to R&D. Micro-cultures prevail and rightfully so – they are critical to functioning. I have recently collaborated on an article about the chasm that can exist between business leadership and the technical community and its impact on innovation. Lately, many leaders find themselves grappling with the subtleties of organisational culture juxtaposed with changing workplace culture. Many struggle to grasp the nuances of hybrid team interactions and others fail to recognize the enormous impact of diversity of thoughts and backgrounds.
A lack of comprehension of the cultural landscape of an organisation through an anthropological lens can hinder collaboration, stifle innovation, and foster an environment that may not be inclusive or conducive to growth.
·Homework: Individual and in conjunction with HR and other functional and informal leaders
Engage in cultural assessments, observe team interactions, and analyze cultural tenets and artefacts
Observe team dynamics, identify social hierarchies, and study communication patterns
The second topic is religious studies; the impact of the social construct of beliefs on societal, cultural and individual experiences and a comprehensive understanding of its role in shaping thoughts, behaviours and traditions. Here, I intend to represent a deeper understanding of belief systems within the organisational context. In an era marked by diversity and inclusion, this has become increasingly crucial, and leaders need to navigate the varied entrenched beliefs and the ethical frameworks that arise from said beliefs.
Failure to recognise and respect belief systems can lead to misunderstandings, conflict, and an organisational culture that neglects the importance of diverse perspectives. I have seen that many attempts to change beliefs seldom succeed when a comprehensive understanding of the belief system is ignored.
Homework: Individual and in conjunction with HR and other functional and informal leaders
Acknowledge, understand and respect diverse belief systems within different parts of the organization
Encourage cross-functional dialogue and pro-actively address potential conflicts such as competing metrics
A comprehensive understanding of the social process of economics
The third topic that deserves attention is economics – the social studies of production, distribution and consumption. It requires a comprehensive examination to develop policies and determine priorities of how to allocate resources, anticipate and mitigate risk and the resulting impact of economic activity on social well-being. The economics of the landscape is a domain that often somewhat surprisingly poses a challenge for leaders. In the organisational context economics is not merely about quarterly financial statements; it’s about strategic resource allocation, informed decision-making, and aligning organizational strategies for long-term well-being and ensuring sustainability of the organization amidst evolving economic conditions and business environments.
Leaders who lack a solid understanding of organisational economics, and a balance of risk-taking, may find themselves ill-equipped to navigate the complexities of market forces, potentially leading to suboptimal resource allocation, lopsided priorities and strategic missteps. Moreover, this may render the perception of decision-making influenced by individual motivations rather than the right move for the organisation.
Homework: Individual and in conjunction with HR and other functional and informal leaders
Develop a vision and strategic plan informed by economic insights to ensure organizational resilience
Establish priorities within the context of the economic backdrop along with market and business trends
Going deep to go fast
In essence, leaders must recognise the pivotal role that Anthropology, Religious studies, and Economics ARE playing in shaping a holistic understanding of their organisational landscapes. To truly charge ahead in leadership, it is imperative to add to civics, history and geography to bridge the knowledge gap in these often overlooked but profoundly influential social studies elements.
Only by embracing the full spectrum of these social studies disciplines can leaders navigate the intricacies of organisational dynamics and lead their teams to sustained success.
It’s time to take CHARGE:
Civics
History
Anthropology
Religious Studies
Geography
Economics
Where civics equips leaders with an organisational understanding of the law of the land; delving into the history provides leaders with the lore of the land and understanding the geography is key to grasping the lay of the land. All this facilitates not just good decision-making but effective communication as well.
Recognising and appreciating anthropology; the cultural dynamics, social structures, and diversity within an organisation empowers leaders to create environments, where different perspectives contribute to innovation. And navigating belief systems helps to understand the mental models and frameworks to move an organisation further instead of having it stall, stagnate or decline. Leaders versed in these aspects foster diversity, harmony and respect. And finally charting the economic landscape involves applying sound economic principles for resource allocation, strategic planning, and informed financial decision-making with a balanced focus to promote short-term viability and long-term sustainability.
These elements of the social studies curriculum converge to form a comprehensive framework for leadership. A leader well-versed in civics knows to manoeuvre through political waters, a historian learns from the organisational narrative, an anthropologist appreciates cultural nuances, a student of religious studies understands diverse belief systems, a geographer navigates the organizational terrain, and an economist guides the strategic course.
It is not always that a singular leader needs to be well versed in all of these subjects – a good leader understands the value and strives to assemble a high-functioning leadership team, alongside formal and informal networks, with complementary skills to cover all critical aspects of the landscape and its evolution.
The amalgamation of these social studies elements offers a holistic perspective that will be crucial for steering an organisation towards success in 2024 and beyond to drive the innovation the world needs.