Contextual Intelligence: The Secret Ingredient of Winning Leadership

In the bitter wars of the Twentieth Century, beneath the shadow of the nuclear Armageddon, there came a realisation that large-scale, hard conflicts resulted in transitional gains, at best. However, the consequential damage from these conflicts often had a rebounding consequence, and there may have been no clear winners in the long run. A quick look at French Indo-China, Algiers, Afghanistan, Korea, Northern Ireland and the Cold War demonstrated this. In the struggle to understand the new realpolitik and power of the 1990s, Professor Joseph Nye and Professor Matt Kutz realised that there was another dimension in understanding power, and they said:

‘In writing the book, I first assessed American power resources in traditional economic and military terms, but felt that something was still missing. The US was also able to get the outcomes it wanted because of attraction rather than just threats of coercion or payment. I called this ‘soft power’ and tried to understand its origins and dimensions. I distinguished it from hard power behavior based on coercion or payment’ (Nye, 2021a, p. 5).

It is significant that Nye (2021b) further defined soft power by pointing out that it is more than just influence. He said:

‘After all influence can rest on the hard power of threats or payments. And soft power is more than just persuasion or the ability to move people by argument, though that is an important part of it. It is also the ability to attract, and attraction often leads to acquiescence. Simply put, in behavioral terms soft power is attractive power’ (p. 6).

Nye’s (2021b, p. 31) three types of power table helps to differentiate the types of power.

Table 1: Three Types of Power (Nye, 2021b, p. 31)

It is interesting that in Nye’s three types of power, the personal attraction aspect of living the culture is highlighted, something that can be seen in the fandom of the illusory lives of Hollywood stars. Examining the personal leadership qualities that exhibit soft power Nye (2010, p. 65) noted that the ‘key soft power resources of inherent qualities and communications consist mainly of charismatic attraction, emotional inspiration, persuasion and non-verbal communications’. And, supporting these soft skills leadership qualities is an array of strategies called softskills.

Management theorists have seized Nye’s power dichotomy and worked it into policy and operational guidelines. Bearing in mind that soft power is a metaphor, with due caution it is transferable to other situations. In schools that are operating well, soft power dominates professional interactions, but because of accountability and legal requirements of hard power are always operating behind the scenes in the school’s corridors.

Softskills and Smart Skills
In an article published in 2022 the authors (Harris & MacNeill, 2022) investigated softskills in use in schools.

‘Softskills is a term that is used to describe the personal and inter-personal skills that are contrasted with the more identifiable ‘hardskills’. The term is ill-defined, but it is now being seen as an essential quality. A search of the literature demonstrates the scope of understanding of what can be described as a softskill. Phillips, Phillips and Ray (2020, p. 8) noted that:

• Hardskills are technical, profession specific, or job related (the ‘what’);
• Softskills are transferable, personal, and interpersonal related (the ‘how’).’

Where schools are operating well, the application of softskills becomes the modus operandi for all staff members, and the strong school culture is dominated by positive acts.

Some of the softskill personal qualities that can be seen in softskills are: Emotional intelligence, Time management, Written communication, Creativity, Active listening, Collective goal setting, Adaptability, Mental agility, Collaborative teamwork. Optimism, Interpersonal, communication, Attention to detail, Critical thinking, Decisiveness, decision making, Patience, Transparency, Consistency and reliability, Recognition of employees, Willingness to change, Conflict resolution, and Proactive learning (Harris & MacNeill, 2022). For leaders and managers wanting to employ softskills it becomes a matter of using these personal qualities within a new, appropriate, organisational culture. The starting point for leaders is growing an appropriate organisational terroir and using these strategies to develop that, which fits the Smart Skills style.

It is useful to examine four concepts that spill-over into discussion about softskill and Smart Skills leadership.

a) Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a concept that defines communal reciprocity in traditional Indigenous society in southern Africa, and the concept was resurrected in the new South Africa by Bishop Desmond Tutu (1999, p. 35):

‘We say, ‘a person is a person through other people’. It is not ‘I think therefore I am’. It says rather: “I am human because I belong’. I participate, I share. A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good; for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole….’

Ubuntu is a cultural statement that spells out rights and obligations that have a key role in schools’ cultural thinking (MacNeill & Boyd, 2023).

b) Servant Leadership
Robert Greenleaf’s (1991) book on servant leadership represents a model of leadership that does not have a universal application. For example, servant leadership will not work in a toxic environment. However, in the right conditions when servant leadership fits the situation, everyone moves forward. In the Introduction to the book, Insights on Leadership, Larry Spears (1998, pp. 3-6) identified the ten characteristics of a servant leader. The list included: Listening, Empathy, Healing, Awareness, Persuasion, Conceptualization, Foresight, Stewardship, Commitment to the growth of people, and Building community fits into the Soft power/ Soft skills domain.

c) Service-minded Leadership
Service-minded leadership is often confused with servant leadership, but it has radically different focus. McKinsey’s (2023) note that service minded leadership is a mindset based on “we”, based on a shared vision of service … 

‘which focuses on how leaders can improve the well-being of the people they lead and the broader organization - enables individuals and teams to perform at their best. This type of leadership builds on and surpasses traditional leadership approaches, with leaders making five major shifts (such as becoming visionary, empowering, and authentic) that can help them transform organizations through a combination of self-awareness and effective outward-facing actions.’

d) Earned Autonomy
Earned autonomy is a classic example of soft power at work because the earned autonomy status is seen as a two-way vote of confidence by the key players. The British public sector has made extensive use of this concept in education, and social services. Basically, this status means that the organisation has a ‘light touch’ accountability review because of accredited previous development.

Smart Power and Contextual Intelligence
The concept of contextual intelligence was identified by Joseph Nye (2010, 2021a, 2021b) when he developed the tryptic power divisions of Hard power > Hybrid Power (Smart Power) > Soft Power. The early recognition of Soft Power, which is attitudinally embedded, refocussed American diplomacy away from the hard power threats of nuclear retribution. Examining the space between Hard Power and Soft Power it was realised that clever countries, politicians, and leaders thrived in this space that became known as Smart Power, and the winning players’ abilities were labelled contextual intelligence. In the book The Power to Lead, Nye (2010, p. 88) noted that, “Contextual intelligence implies both a capability to discern trends in the face of complexity and adaptability while trying to shape events.” In a fuller explanation (2010) Nye continued:

‘Contextual understanding requires using the flow of events to implement a strategy. It allows leaders to adjust their styles to the situation and to their followers’ needs. It enables them to create flows of information that educate their hunches. It involves the broad political skill of not only sizing up group politics, but of understanding the positions and strengths of various stakeholders so as to decide when and how to use transactional and inspirational skills. It is the self-made part of luck’ (p. 88).

Contextual Intelligence the X-Factor of Great Leadership
Contextual intelligence is a marker of X-Factor leadership, and it is associated with leaders who are quick on their feet, and who make winning decisions under heavy pressure. There are two aspects to the intelligence label in relation to contextual intelligence.

(a) the intelligence (information) that flows from the contextual environment, and

(b) the intelligence or street smarts of the leader who interprets the contextual intelligence, and then translates that into winning strategies and action.

In his pioneering work in identifying a conceptual model of contextual intelligence, Matt Kutz (2008) established 12 associated behaviours:

1. Future-minded
2. Influencer
3. Ensures an awareness of mission
4. Socially responsible
5. Cultural sensitivity
6. Multicultural Leadership
7. Diagnoses Context
8. Change agent
9. Effective and constructive use of influence
10. Intentional leadership
11. Critical thinker
12. Consensus builder

Importantly, Contextual Intelligence is about identifying and addressing future trends, developing a winning culture, and then advantaging all of the stakeholders; and the concept fits all leadership scenarios. In schools, these 12 contextual intelligence behaviours provide a better indication of high-level leadership skills than most selection criteria, because they identify the essence of winning leadership.

(a) the intelligence (information) that flows from the contextual environment, and

(b) the intelligence or street smarts of the leader who interprets the contextual intelligence, and then translates that into winning strategies and action.

 And, in schools, these leaders make certain that staff, students and the school community know that they are receiving a great educational deal.

School Improvement - Coaching: An Example of Contextual Intelligence, Smart Skills and Role Playing
As can be seen in Table 2 (below) mentoring can be either a Softskill or Smart Skill process depending on the implementation agreement.

Jim Thompson and Dr Casey Kosiorek (2017, Amazon) are leaders in video coaching for teachers. Their model of instructional support is based on trust, partnerships, and embedded reflection. This coaching model sits firmly in the softskills/soft power context because the teachers’ school leaders (demonstrating Smart Power - contextual intelligence) have engaged external expertise to facilitate improved teaching in their schools.

Teacher self-reflection is the soft-power key to this coaching model:

A curious and willing classroom teacher had video-recorded a number of his lessons and allowed us to view them. Then we sat down together to discuss exactly what we were seeing. The teacher was energized by the undeniable evidence of his own actions, both those that were effective and those that were not. We discovered that the teacher, who was seeing himself teach for the first time, was very capable of  identifying those teacher actions that needed to be altered to produce more desirable results, but the lightbulb went off when we realized that the experience could be enriched with the guidance of an instructional expert.

In relation to the Kodak Moment for teachers viewing their videos for the first time, Jim Knight reminded us, “We don’t know what it looks like when we do what we do”. So, when Jim and Casey invited teachers to reflect on their practice with video, many said it was the very first time in their careers they ever really saw what their teaching looked like!

Jim and Casey’s coaching model first borrowed from Harvard’s ‘Best Foot Forward’ research where teachers were invited to ‘take a Selfie of their teaching practice’. The participants then reflected on the video and identified a goal important to them, and one which would advance student learning. A partnership conference was then held with their coach addressing these questions:

• Tell me about your goal. Why is it important to you? How do you think it will advance student learning?
• On a scale of 1-10, where are you right now with this goal?
• What might a '10' look like?
• What would students be doing differently if it were a “10”. How might. you measure this change? NB - We feel this is a most significant question as we want our goals to evolve to be more student centred.
• What teaching strategies do you have in mind that might help you reach your goal?

Principals at Hilton Central School, where Dr Casey Kosiorek is Superintendent, are strongly supporting this work. They see the power of video reflection and partnership coaching translating into more effective instruction, advancing student learning, and growing pedagogic trust in schools.

Discussion
For external reviewers, a quick look at the use of the hard-soft power strategies, and the school’s culture of effectiveness tell an important forensic story that can be summarised in the adapted Table 2 (below).

Table 2: Soft Power, Hard Power and Smart Power in Schools [adapted from Nye, 2021]

In the developmental stages of organisational or school improvement, soft power is always present in varying degrees, depending on the situational circumstances. We strongly argue that the smart power-soft power combination, and its associated contextual intelligence need to be written into the visionary process, so that staff and the school community have a clearer view of what the optimal collective future will look like. Examining a school’s development over time we may see all three types of power in play in the hundreds of contextual engagements between school leaders and the staff and school community. What changes as the schools become more successful, and staff develop ownership of that success, is that there is a transition away from hard power to a more smart-power-soft power approach. So, successful student outcomes, accompanied by contextual intelligence underwriting staff ownership will translate as an operationally successful school.

Finally, the authors argue strongly that Matt Kutz’s 12 contextual intelligence behaviours are markers of X-Factor leadership, and they are associated with leaders who are astutely aware of all the factors at play, and who can then pick their way through the obstacles to get the best outcomes for their school communities. Results and actions, and often not tough words may define contextual intelligence.

Resource
To obtain a Power Point presentation on Mattering please email [email protected] and we will send it to you free of charge.

References
Greenleaf, R. (1991). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Paulist Press.

Harris, M., & MacNeill, N. (2022, October). The softskills in leadership are essential to develop effective, caring school cultures. Education Today. https://www.educationtoday.com.au/news-detail/The-Softskills-in-Leadership-are-Essential-to-Develop-Effective-5745

Kutz, M. (2008). Toward a conceptual model of contextual intelligence: A transferable leadership construct. Leadership Review. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228464894_Toward_a_conceptual_model_of_contextual_intelligence_A_transferable_leadership_construct

MacNeill, N., & Boyd, R. (2023, March). Ubuntu: Developing new pedagogic relationships in schools. Education Today. https://www.educationtoday.com.au/news-detail/Ubuntu-5866

McKinsey (2023). Leading off- service leadership. McKinsey. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/leadingoff/2023/03/06/2023-03-06b.html

Nye, J.S. (2010). The powers to lead. Oxford University Press.

Nye, J.S. (2021a). Soft power: The evolution of a concept. Journal of Political Power. doi: 10.1080/2158379X.2021.1879572

Nye, J.S. (2021b). Soft power: The means to success in world politics. New York: Public Affairs.

Phillips, P., Phillips, J.J., & Ray, P. (2020). Proving the value of softskills: Managing impact and calculating return on investment. ATD Press.

Spears, L.C. (1998). Tracing the growing impact of servant-leadership. In L.C. Spears (Ed.), Insights on Leadership: Service, stewardship, spirit and servant leadership (pp. 1-12). John Wiley and Sons.

Thompson, J., & Kosiorek, C. (2017). A quick guide to video coaching. Amazon.

Tutu, D. (1999). No future without forgiveness. Rider/ Random House.

Boyd, R., Thompson, J., & MacNeill, N. (2023, July). Contextual Intelligence: The Secret Ingredient of Winning Leadership. Education Today.
https://www.educationtoday.com.au/news-detail/Contextual-Intellige-5976

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