Within DHS, who is actually defined as a leader or “the leader”? If there are organization-wide issues or problems, then who, exactly, is responsible for addressing them? Is the leader the most senior executive as in the symphony metaphor described in the Introduction? Or, is everyone a leader in some fashion as in a jazz band? Are leaders a combination of “all of the above” and, if so, how does that combination form and work within an organization as large and complex as DHS? If leadership is defined as what one does, as well as who one is, then it seems to lead to the conclusion that the most senior executive is the “ultimate” organizational and visionary leader.
However, there are other leaders within DHS whose actions affect the performance of the organization. Leadership of an individual contributor might be defined as the prorating of their independent thinking and actions as related to the functions of their role that are determined by the organization’s processes and procedures. Since this type of leading occurs most frequently, and is exhibited by the greatest number of people in the organization, perhaps it is this aspect of “leading,” by its own weight, that is the most meaningful to the performance of an organization like DHS.
While there are likely both qualitative and quantitative differences regarding the practice of leadership when comparing a line supervisor to the senior-most leader of the organization, the point is that everyone has a critical role to play in leadership in DHS. The most senior executive must lead in a way that permeates the entire organization to guide the expressions or outputs of every individual contributor within the total organization. Since each individual leader’s contributions are what the customers or the stakeholders most often directly experience, performance by individual leaders can form the basis for that which makes DHS relevant and effective (or not).
Therefore, the leadership actions of everyone in an organization like DHS matter. If the most senior leader is not engaged or focused on leading the organization, then effective organizational leadership would be difficult to achieve. Similarly, if the individual contributors or “performers” of leadership do not support the senior-most
leader or are not adequately skilled to lead their organizations or tasks, then mission success and organizational excellence would also be difficult to achieve. In short, the practice of “leadership” by all DHS leaders, from the Secretary to the individual contributor is important and relevant.
The primary conclusion from the chapter is that DHS’s current “leadership equals authority” pattern cannot meet the challenges presented in the first two issues. In other words, DHS has not had sufficient time to mature (Issue 1), and because of that, there is no “glue” (Issue 2). In order to lead the organization through the continuing transition, to overcome “singularity,” and to create the “glue,” the answer to the WHO the leader is in DHS cannot simply be the person or two with authority. Traditionally who the leader is would be defined by authority. However, in light of the need to be creating new legacies, to respect diversity and to achieve cross-organizational synergies, a new form of leader is needed based on ability to influence, inspire, and catalyze. This is no longer a function of “authority” or even “power,” but of skill, experience, and collaboration.
VIII. THE “SO WHAT” – RESEARCH CLAIMS
DHS has faced a persistent bureaucratic inertia, characterized by “vertical silo” tendencies, low morale, relationship issues, and other impediments that have given DHS employees a sense of being in a continuous struggle to perform their mission. Of significance is the negative inertia that is caused by some key, long-standing DHS employees (including some leaders) who “still harbor their desire for the old days.”183 This is further compounded by the fractured and overwhelming Congressional oversight by more than 80 diverse committees and subcommittees. These issues or impediments have caused DHS to resist the imperative to connect, fuse, and function consistent with
Goal 7, Organizational Excellence.
Organizational Excellence — Value our most important resource, our people. Create a culture that promotes a common identity, innovation, mutual respect, accountability, and teamwork to achieve efficiencies, effectiveness, and operational synergies.184
This research has been an attempt to understand how leadership can help DHS to accomplish this goal, and whether specific strategies and corresponding improvements can lift DHS to a higher level of performance. The research question was:
Are there new strategies for leading in DHS that: 1) help DHS leaders achieve a higher level of individual and organizational performance given organizational, functional, and technological challenges; and 2) enable DHS to more effectively synchronize towards achieving its Organizational Excellence Strategic Goal (Goal 7) that was established upon the formation of DHS?
The research question was studied through the analysis of:
• The findings and recommendations offered by the literature on strategic leadership issues.
183 DHS senior leader interview excerpt (Chapter VI). 184 DHS, Strategic Plan, 8.
• The leadership strategies, practices, and traits of non-DHS senior leaders (executive leaders, external to DHS, who have faced similar challenges as DHS leaders).
• The impressions of how managerial-level professionals view leadership within DHS.
• The leadership strategies, practices, and traits of DHS senior leaders. The following table illustrates the core elements of the research question:
Table 3. Research Question Elements
STRATEGIC GOAL #7
VALUE PEOPLE
The Executive Branch Congress
States, Local, & Tribal Stakeholders Individual Citizens
International Stakeholders Employees
Contractors & Suppliers
CREATE THE DHS CULTURE
Common Organizational Identity “Team DHS” Innovation
Mutual Respect Accountability
Teamwork
A CULTURE THAT PRODUCES
Effective Operational Results Efficiencies
Operational Synergies Productive Working Environment
The simple answer to the question is yes, there are leadership strategies that can help DHS to achieve a higher level of individual and organizational performance, and to more effectively integrate toward achieving Goal 7. This chapter describes a leadership strategy for DHS that is based on a culmination of themes that formed throughout the
course of the research.185 These themes reveal ideas that, if acted upon, may help DHS to achieve a higher level of organizational performance. These ideas are intended to serve as insight and recommendations for how current and future generations of leaders may seek go about leading in order to bring their organizations, employees, and stakeholders “to a better place.”