Designing Visionary Leadership Teams

Nigel Sykes’ 3E’s concept is examined against established theory and recent work in Organizational Behaviour. The possibility that this concept offers a way of developing social synergy in work groups is explored, and considered in the context of socio-technical systems. 3E’s is based on the categorisation of people in the workplace into roles labelled “Envisioners” “Enablers” or “Enactors”. Role theory is explored, and its relevance to organizational success. The importance of the affective component in motivation and decision-making is identified. A research study is reported testing the 3E’s concept which shows that it corresponds with measurable differences of motivational need, personality factors, and decision-making between individuals. The characteristics of successful group decision-making are linked with the 3E’s differentiation. The 3E’s model offers the possibility of improving person-role fit, and thus organisational performance. It proposes an integrated design for the selection and operation of teams, offering a person-role fit, optimal decision-making behaviour, and consequent social synergy.