Write-Up: Kristen Berger (A) Case

In the case study Kerstin Berger by IMD, the failure of Tina Orton was laid out
with a number of reasons and issues where the integrated leadership model could
be applied. One of the issues that Orton faced, and which lead to more uncertainty
and chaotic times, was the lack of support from her peers and other individuals in
her network. Many people outside Ortons team can influence her team to the point
of success. She first encountered outside resistance from various sources. For
example, the other line managers thought they could do a better job, or others
didnt care for her or her cause because of the language barrier. To compound the
issue and lead to more to chaos, Ortons peers and internal network were allowed
for their misunderstandings to linger, causing others to lose interest in the cause as
well.
In Gary Nelsons article Integrative leadership: Innovating from the Middle
Space (TMS), Mr. Nelson gives the definition of an integrated leader as: the
property of a dynamic evolving self, system and world. It is a natural phenomenon
driven by a dynamic tension within and between individuals, their systems, and
their environment. In Ortons situation the relationship with her environment was
uncertain and chaotic. The system was nonexistent and the individuals were not
involving and/or did not trust her. This wasnt completely her fault. For example,
her deliverables, roles, and overview were not defined from the beginning because
this was a new role created within the company. Haldemann, her boss, didnt do a
very good job at defining and creating the position when he brought her into the
company. However, if Orton would have used the integrated leadership model, she

would have noticed the issue and inquired the help of her boss with establishing
expectations, reporting accountability mechanisms in the beginning. Gary Nelson
explains that the integrated leadership model is implemented as a paradigm
change or shift within the applicable leader through the following steps:
Have the proper intention leads to clever design which leads to a
method of creating a new architecture of change evaluation.
In Ortons situation there were multiple issues; however, the most
detrimental one would be the lack of proper support from her team of peers and
internal network. Within Ortons network or potential network, there may be
specific team high achievers. As a leader implementing an integrated leadership
model the challenge can be to figure out how to use the high achievers, specifically
to influence and utilize the high achievers to benefit her cause of implementing a
time card program. Orton should have had the complete intention to establish
relationships with her teams and build a larger internal network. Once she has the
complete intention, purpose, and the willpower to do whatever it takes to build
relationships and networks, she then needs to move on to the design part of
integrated leadership model. Orton should have put together a plan of action of
what the team needed to do to co-create the future of the project by expanding her
network and build relationships of trust with all of her team of peers. One idea that
Orton could have done that exemplifies the design step of integrative leadership
model could have been creating a list of individuals that would be a valuable asset
in the project. The next appropriate design is making goals and action plans to
attract the individuals chosen from her inner network and planning to get them
involved. It would have been important that Orton had a system in place to selfevaluate the goals and achievements of the designed plan. The final step would

have been implementing the design and planes. Once this model is used the
model evolves into the following:
Have the proper intention leads to engaging people leads to clever
and efficient design which leads to a method of creating a new
architecture of change evaluation.
Here are the same steps aligned as principles:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Proper intention
Engaging people
Efficient design
Enacting and creating the architecture for change
Evaluation of the full process

Once Orton would have found the network of peers and team members that
had the same intention and purpose through using the steps of the integrative
leadership model, one more step could have been added; the step of engaging
those individuals in implementing the steps of the model to accomplish the ultimate
goal of creating a time card gathering program.
It was interesting to see how Ortons environment got more chaotic as time
went on. It came to a point when she tried to accomplish everything by herself.
Her approach to the project became more cumbersome as she tried to work harder
not necessarily smarter. Orton became trapped in the cycle of putting in long
hours to try and accomplish it all by here self. She was working from 6:00am to
11:00pm every day before her boss delegated a three way split of her
responsibilities and sent her on a vacation. In the article chapter 12 It's All in Your
Mind, from the book iDisorder, by, Dr. Larry Rosen, it is clearly explained that
Experts recommend eight hours of sleep for adults, but 77 percent of young adults
(19-29) get less than seven hours. As Orton worked more and slept less she
became more disorganized and spiraled farther away from successes. In the case

study the point was brought up by her successor Kerstin Berger that she didnt
know what type of work Orton could have done every day during the 17 hours of
work time. Kerstin speculated that a lot of the work was a redundant overview and
repeated planning. The case study implied that the main reason for the repeated
and redundant nature of her work was because of the lack of a successful team to
help forward the project. Another point that Dr. Rosen had in his book was that the
extended use of technology contributes to the lack of being successful with
prioritizing tasks and time management. The more time Orton spent on her
computer and other technologies without taking a well needed break hindered her
success. Delegation to a well-organized team filled with helpful peers and
individuals from her inner network would have given her the breaks from the tech
that she needed.
In conclusion the failure of Mrs. Orton in the case study was not entirely her
fault. However, if she would have been engaged in the practice of using the tools of
the integrative leadership model, she could have acquired more help from her peers
as well as built up a great workforce network that believed in her cause and would
have helped her achieved the goal of implementing her projects end. Going forward
at L-Bank Kerstin Berger would be well off being an integrated leader to be
successful with taking over the project.