Page 38 - MS Year in Review 2020

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formulated and studied empirically. Stated briefly, a Leadership Molecule™ is a
core “team” (“group” or unit), including a two person dyad) that cohesively
performs a set of five key functional of strategic leadership as a unit rather than as
a set of individuals. These functions are:

1. Creating the vision,

2. Defining and managing culture,
3. Coordinating operations,

4. Overseeing systems development, and
5. Leading and managing innovation and change.

It is a “core leadership team” (in true sociological sense) with defined but

overlapping and complementary roles. Typically, the roles
of vision, culture, operations, and overseeing systems development, are
performed by one or more individuals comprising the molecule, while the fifth task

of strategic leadership (leading and managing innovation and change) is
performed as a collective team, as shown schematically in the overlapping three
circle picture a the top of this article.

FORMATION OF THE LEADERSHIP MOLECULE™

A team can either pass through these stages by (accidental) “natural evolution” or

by design through team building activities. Team building can help accelerate the
process of creating the molecule. For example, I helped create this Leadership
Molecule ™ at Starbucks (without calling it that or thinking of it in those terms)

through role definitions and team building activities.

13 Eric Flamholtz, “The Leadership Molecule: Implications for Entrepreneurial Firms,” International
Review of Entrepreneurship, 2011.

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