ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP 1

Leadership Styles: With a Meditation on the Tao

Jessika N. Stiltner

Arizona State University

OGL365: Reinventing Organizations

Dr. Michael Pryzdia

April 27, 2023

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Leadership

While much of our research has delved into the aspects that define Teal leaders, it is

critical to also acknowledge the traits of the other dimensions of leadership: Red/Impulsive,

Amber/Conformist, Orange/Achievement, and Green/Pluralistic. Being able to recognize these

specific traits in their application to organizations is important to identify the environment,

expectations, and values of the given team. Not every organization is at the stage of

consciousness of Teal organizations. Recognizing where leaders fall within this paradigm is of

utmost importance to properly assess the operations and organizational structures that exist

within them.

Leadership Styles Embodied

Leadership structure exists on a paradigm. Rather than a distinct hierarchy on which stage of

consciousness is subjectively more successful to another, one can further assess the character of

a leader based on the values in which they chose to lead.

Red

Elon Musk, Founder, CEO, engineer, investor, and product architect of a vast array of

technology-forward companies today. With a large scale of employees under his payroll, Elon

keeps a group of loyal individuals around his inner circle, with others outside being of least

importance. Leading with little regard to the well-being of those whom he works with unless

they directly work below him, one individual cited that they felt like a discarded “piece of litter”,

experiencing his emotionally detached style of leadership firsthand, with an ex-employee

furthering that “people that worked for him were like ammunition: used for a specific purpose

until exhausted and discarded” (Eadicicco, 2015). While he may share the spoils with some of

his closer members, his leadership models two of the critical breakthroughs of red organizations,
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the division of labor and top-down authority. By his clear designation and firm declarations of

his power, Elon only furthers his leadership status by near threatening any individuals that try to

overcome his rules.

Amber

Russell M. Nelson, 17th president and prophet representing the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints. Leadership philosophy is based on the idea that there is a singular, ultimate

way of completing things, with the belief that this should be undisputed. Characterized by

replicable processes and a stable organization chart, Amber/Agrarian leaders operate in the

assumption that one can reach their designated highest regards through following a strict

structure of hierarchy. In a 2019 BYU devotional speech, he cites that his followers should not

fear as long as they are in line with the truths of his teachings: eternal laws guide the pathways of

our lives and are uncontested, reward will follow as one follows the rules of the powerful, and

that correction is always available from the guidance of internal leaders (Nelson, 2019).

President Nelson encourages the need for conformity through pressuring of the social hierarchy

that exists within the LDS church, with followers abiding in fear of shame of false morality.

Orange

James Quincey, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company since 2017. Focused on

efficiency and innovation as a means of advancement, Quincey’s leadership model is a cookie-

cutter definition of an orange paradigm company. With breakthroughs including innovation,

accountability, and meritocracy, orange paradigm companies have a main goal of profit over all,

creating machine-like systems to achieve this. In recent statement on current plans for The Coca-

Cola company and how they plan to advance into new and more profitable markets, Quincey
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touch on many of the acceptable ideas that are in alignment with orange organizations “We need

to be more entrepreneurial and agile, to take intelligent risks, and build a broader consumer-

centric portfolio” (Quincey, 2020). Rather than relying solely on the employees to implement

ideas successfully, he primarily focuses on strict and tested strategies that can be fed to those

who run through the actions. As stated by Frederick Laloux, These achievement-centric teams

actions that improve efficiency and only implemented after thorough review to prevent any

missteps caused by those ‘below’ leaders “Leaders and consultants design organizations; humans

are resources that must be carefully aligned on the chart, rather like cogs in a machine; changes

must be planned and mapped out in blueprints, then carefully implemented according to plan”

(Laloux, 2014). The direction that Quincey is currently taking The Coca-Cola Company is one

that is calculated and has the plans for machine-like implementation.

Green

Dr Louis Bock, Owner and operator of AFC Physical Medicine and Chiropractic in San

Tan Valley. Community, cohesion, and harmony; these are some of the main values for success

for Dr. Bock. Within his green worldview, he focuses on the three main breakthroughs,

empowerment, values-driven culture, and stakeholder value in everything that he does “It’s

better to be on the same page emotionally than to have fleeting success” (Bock, 2023). While he

does seek consensus of all for the greater good, there still exists a hierarchy within his

organization that still has the strength to impose certain restrictions, contradicting the initial

projected values of the team. Many of the actions and operations in place in his practice are

relatively revolutionary than what is expected for the demographic, but still foster a sense of

community and closeness between on another.

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The Tao of Leadership

3: Being Oneself

A critical aspect in contributing true and solid work from oneself first requires the need for one

to understand themselves and act in the way that they succeed. If a leader spends too much time

focusing on how to be someone they are not, to get the approval of those they lead, it ultimately

can create an air of inauthenticity. As stated by Laloux “It’s impossible to change other people.

We can only change ourselves” (Laloux, 2014). Once this understand is reached, authentic

leadership that is necessary in Teal organizations is better accessible as it requires a deep

connection to yourself and your own leadership philosophy in order to apply it to others.

7. Selflessness

A leader needs to exercise the concept of selflessness in order to be effective. In all, a

decision you make for a team ultimately does not only affect one, but all. Selflessness is a guide

to foster the connections necessary in order to provide a front for these discussions to take place

“Something extraordinary happens when a vision emerges collectively, with everybody in the

room. People make a personal, emotional connection with the image of the future that emerges”

(Laloux, 2014). This idea of a collective whole and how it interacts with success is a key point in

understanding Teal organizations. Valuing collective contribution in conjunction with

participation not only provides a more in-depth idea of group thoughts, but also establishes

appreciation for individual contributions as well.

8. Water

It is important to think as one’s leadership in the fluid state of water. Water is powerful, it can be

smooth, fierce, and responsive to the slightest drop. This versatility is important in Teal
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organizations in order to stay ready and fluid with whatever obstacles may arise in the waves

headed in your team’s organization. It is also representative of the moments of reflection a leader

may need. In the stillness after the storm, teams may need time to stop and see what they may

need improvement on, and by thinking of your leadership like still water, you can better assess

how your role was involved.

Tao Thoughts

I personally believe that this is an effective strategy for leadership and delves into the self-

discovery aspect of how your experiences may play into your actions in a team. If a leader can

step back and reflect on how they play a role in the big picture rather than stating how others

may have failed in their execution, I believe they model some of the inner-security and

confidence that comes with the Tao style. While this is not a leadership style that is commonly

used, I do foresee a cultural shift needing to occur in order for its full interpretation and

implementation to be successful.
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References

Eadicicco, L. (2015, July). Why tesla employees fear Elon Musk, as told by one of the company's

cofounders. Business Insider. Retrieved April 26, 2023, from

https://www.businessinsider.com/working-with-elon-musk-tesla-2015-5

Nelson, Russell. (2019, September 10). The Love and Laws of God [Speech audio recording].

Church News. https://www.thechurchnews.com/2019/9/17/23215457/president-nelson-

byu-devotional-lds-marriott-center

Kuehner-Hebert, K. (2018, January 8). CEO James Quincey Keeps Innovating at Coca-Cola.

ChiefExecutive.net. Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://chiefexecutive.net/ceo1000-

coca-cola-helm-ceo-james-quincey-innovating-top-choice-consumers/

Laloux, F. (2014). Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by

the Next Stage of Human Consciousness. Brussels: Nelson Parker