Goals, Roles, Processes and Interpersonal Relationships

In this blog I will outline a simple model that can be easily applied to implement change which I believe could steer leaders towards becoming more effective. The model, developed by Rubin, Plovnick, and Fry (The Korn/Ferry Institute, 2009), consists of four key components: Goals, Roles, Processes and Interpersonal Relationships (GRPI). 

Goals

Goals can be described as an agreed end result having been achieved within a specific timeframe. It is the first component in the Rubin et al model. In an introduction to the model developed by a consulting company, Quixote Consulting (2011), it notes on their website that setting goals is the most important step. This is because goals give you direction and guide you to where you want to end up. Quixote Consulting go on to explain that if a goal is unclear or if the goal is not agreed by everyone then you are likely to fail. Newman’s article Goal Setting to Achieve Results(2012, p. 13) claims that ‘goal setting is one of the most important strategies or routines that can be put in place to fundamentally shape the practice of leadership’. In a school context, you are setting goals that impact on children, the staff, the parents, the governing body, the local community or any combination of these groups of people. It appears that without a unified clear goal, what you are trying to achieve is unlikely to be successful.

Roles

Defining roles is the next key component. The Korn/Ferry Institute (2009) suggest that when followed by defining the goal, you will be able to establish clear roles and responsibilities.  A role can be explained as the position or part a person plays within their profession or a situation. In a school setting, there are a variety of roles and teachers often have more than one role at a time. These range from permanent roles such as subject coordinators to temporary roles when driving forward a new initiative. Fleming and Amesbury (2001) emphasise that all roles play a vital part in moving a school towards its goals. If this is the case then it would be wise to ensure that these roles are clearly defined. Quixote Consulting (2011) explain that when there is clarity with people’s roles, individuals know who is doing what and what responsibilities they have. They claim that it is necessary to define who has authority and who is accountable for what. Their research found that unclear roles was the next common cause of group conflict, second to unclear goals.

Processes

The third component of the model is processes. A good example of the process component in a school context is the development of an action plan. This is a working document which describes and summarises what needs to be done with a particular task or tasks. Knoster’s work on managing complex change (Mallon, 2010) describes an action plan as steps worked out to direct actions towards future goals. This is often seen as a critical stage in order to achieve your goal. Fleming and Amesbury state that, ‘The better the quality of the action plan, the more likely it is that implementation will proceed smoothly’. (Fleming and Amesbury, 2001, p. 122.) They suggest that the contents of an action plan should include such things as targets, resources, responsibilities, completion dates and success criteria. Planning a project in detail like this is an essential process because without it, it can result in what Knoster describes as false starts. He expands on this by explaining that it can lead to, ‘Doing what we have always done in the way we have always done it and therefore not succeeding in working in new ways, not achieving new goals’. (Knoster in Mallon, 2010.)

Interpersonal Relationships

Developing interpersonal relationships is the final component and is much more achievable if all three of the previous components are in place and working effectively. Elements of this component include how we relate to other members in our team, trust, effective communication, and collaborative skills. Quixote Consulting (2011) believe that teams with successful interpersonal relationships take into account the individual strengths of members, care about each other as people, make and keep promises with each other, and establish mutual trust by overcoming difficulties.  They claim that teams can become very strong and resilient when confronted with problematic situations if interpersonal relationships are considered. Goffee and Jones (2006) talk about the importance of being able to empathise with the people you lead and that a requirement for effective leadership is getting to know and understand the people you lead. Harris states that, ‘the nature of the relationships formed within any organisation will clearly have an impact on the final outcomes’. (Harris, 2013, p. 144.)