Data Collection COMPLETE!!!

Posted on November 10, 2012 by alexk

Last week I was in Vancouver to complete my second, and final, stage of data collection.  I conducted six interviews with CEOs and CPOs.  They all went very well.  It was useful to have completed the two interviews in Toronto the week before because it enabled useful revisions to the interview schedule and allowed me to test my recording solutions.  The interviews were all very illuminating and I was most struck by the range of perspective related business strategy but the consistency of view on effective leadership qualities and behaviours. 

I am taking a break from research this weekend.  I am simply completing this post and updating my project plan.  I have also scheduled meetings with both my supervisors so I have some deliverables to complete in the upcoming weeks to be ready for these meetings.

Overall, things are tracking well.

 

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First Things First

Posted on October 27, 2012 by alexk

I have another “abridged” day for research.  We have some car issues to grapple with today, so I need to depart early so we can see our mechanic.  Increasingly these shortened days are becoming the norm!  It is a challenge, but I am trying to get better at simply making the most of the time that I can devote to research versus being cranky that I am unable to have a full day to focus.  This is hard for me because I continue to grapple with the desire to progress rapidly and achieve milestones.

The above notwithstanding, I am getting very comfortable with ensuring that I focus on priority items within the available time.  Today was a great example of this.  I was tempted to do some quantitative analysis first.  Instead I focused on creating an interview template that I will use during the interviews.  Essentially I simply reorganized some of my interview schedule and added some new sections and spacing so that it will be easier to take notes during the interview.  My first interview is on Monday and I am excited.  Thanks to prioritizing, I am also now prepared!

Next week I will be travelling to BC and will conduct 6 interviews.  This phase is very exciting stuff.  I hope that it does not rain too much!!

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Prepping for Qualitative Data Collection

Posted on October 20, 2012 by alexk

I have just spent the entire day finalizing my interview schedule for the qualitative component of my study.  I had already completed some preliminary questions, but true to form it took much longer than anticipated.  I am looking forward to this stage of research.  Although my sample is small, it should yield  meaningful data.  I am especially interested to get their insights on leadership across the CU System and also reactions to some of my preliminary quantitative findings.

I had a very intense work week.  The intensity was primarily driven by a very comprehensive financial planning process for 2013 and some unplanned restructuring work.  I also facilitated a meaningful session on cultivating trust with my department, which was quite satisfying.  The week ahead is going to involve travel, more full court press!!

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Knee Deep in Statistics!

Posted on October 13, 2012 by alexk

I have been working very diligently in my new favourite coffee shop for about 5 hours. I have been very focused on statistical analysis of my data and  I am really enjoy this phase of research.   I still need to validate some of the findings so far, but there appear to be some interesting relationships emerging.  I have also been working on preparing for some CEO/CPO interviews which take place in a few weeks.

Hopefully, I will be able to connect with my tutor this week to get some clarity on a few topics.  Also, I am hoping to leverage some analysis and writing seminars in the UK by teleconference or video-conference in the upcoming months.

Overall, I am pleased with how I am tracking with research.  Work has been chaotic, and I am continuously exploring ways to adjust some of my leadership practices to optimize results and engagement –very interesting, challenging and sometimes rewarding!

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Positive and Confident

Posted on September 30, 2012 by alexk

I have spent the past few weeks leveraging  learnings from SPSS courses and have finally scrubbed all of my data using best practices.  Phew!!!  It took a good deal of time and was somewhat annoying to duplicate some previous efforts, but I now have a much stronger foundation to perform future analysis.  Also, because I am using Syntax I can now easily track and change any of the analysis.  Woohoo!!

On Tuesday, I had a very useful video conference with a Henley Quantitative Methodology expert and have two important next steps.  First, return to the literature and summarize relevant methodology use in one document so that I am crystal clear.  This will also be essential for citations in my thesis.  Second, have a conversation with my supervisor about some of the issues that I am having related to unit of analysis and sample size for some of my questions.

I am feeling very positive and confident about my analysis right now.  I plan to enjoy it while it lasts!!

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Squirgly

Posted on September 22, 2012 by alexk

I am not sure that “squirgly” is a word, but it aptly describes today.  My day went in many directions but few of them were planned!!  I spent a good amount of time with a librarian trying to gain access to a book to no avail.  I did, however, learn some useful search techniques.

I then focused on prepping my data for import into SPSS.  I learned a great deal over the summer and decided to begin my analysis from scratch using several new techniques that will make it easier if I need to “course correct” later.  I soon discovered, to my dismay, that the SPSS licence that I purchased in late July has an August 2012 expiry date.  I have sent an email to IBM but still have not received a new product key, so I am going to have to put my analysis on hold until I receive a response.  Grrr!!

My week was more linear and highly productive.  The Leadership Conference at work went really well and I am pleased with the workshop that I delivered.  I was also able to confirm all of my CEO and CPO interviews for November and have booked my travel arrangements.  I am especially looking forward to getting their perspectives on the quantitative findings.

I am going to sign off now and have a nap.  Sounds crazy but I am a bit tired and am taking my sister out for her birthday this evening so I need to get some energy!

 

 

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Many Hats

Posted on September 15, 2012 by alexk

Today I wore several different hats and I managed to switch gears fairly seamlessly.  In the morning I reviewed two Competency Development Portfolios (CDPs) and summarized some themes. The CDP is a synopsis of learning and development acquired throughout the doctoral journey.   My CDP is due in January 2013, so I have begun to work on it.  Reviewing the samples helped me to solidify the approach that I will take with this assignment, also the papers were both quite interesting.

In the early afternoon I summarized the take-ways from a meeting that I had on Wednesday with a research methodology expert.  This took longer than anticipated but was time well spent.  I then focused on reading and summarizing some research papers and updating my project plan.  My final activity today was creating a detailed plan for SPSS analysis that I will execute next Saturday.  This required me to review different components of data analysis conducted so far, and dedicate time to consider the ideal sequencing of steps.  I am feeling excited about resuming data analysis after such a long hiatus while I relearned SPSS!

I am heading out to do a few errands now and then looking forward to seeing a film at the Toronto International Film Festival.  Next week will be busy.  I need to refine my stratgeic plan and budget for 2013 and then will be driving “up north” to a 3-day leadership conference.  In addition to participating, I am delivering a mini-workshop on leadership authenticity and courage.  As usual, my aversion to being in the “spotlight” has created some feelings of apprehension.  That said,  I think that the workshop will be valuable for my colleagues and am looking forward to it.

Final thought, I have decided to take every fourth weekend off from research.  I have fully accepted the fact that I need to schedule a bit more “regular R&R” so that I am not so tired all of the time!

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Weekend Chillax

Posted on September 8, 2012 by alexk

It has been a unpredictable few weeks.  I had to head home unexpectedly last weekend due to some family matters. Fortunately, the situation has improved.  I have been on vacation this week, but unfortunately  there was some unexpected news at work that warranted connecting with other leaders and my team for several conference calls and monitoring my email.  This put a dent in my plan to focus exclusively on my research.  There have been other more minor situations to grapple with as well.  Overall the past two weeks have not progressed as planned.  That said, I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to provide support for my family and colleagues.

Although I was not able to devote as much dedicated time to research during this week’s vacation, I optimized the time I had and was able to make significant progress.  Key achievements include completing a detailed plan to analyze my data, writing several pages of my Competency Development Portfolio and planning of the interview stage of the research study.  Overall, I am very pleased with my progress.

It is now mid-afternoon on Friday and I am planning to take the rest of the day and the weekend off.  I definitely need some R&R.  I plan to attend a film festival, play tennis, and chillax!

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The Difference Is The Detail

Posted on August 25, 2012 by alexk

I have spent most of today writing up my new research methodology plan.  It has been a useful exercise and I am about 50% complete.  I hope to complete the remaining portion next week and solicit feedback from my supervisors and a few other experts before executing.  It is interesting to see how different the plan is from my original proposal and also my recent colloquium presentation.  The key difference is detail.  I am building my understanding of the rules, steps and decisions that need to be made before actual analysis is conducted.

I also re-read a paper and took more notes for my spreadsheet.  Again, the difference is detail.  I was able to understand the methods and findings section at a deeper level so was able to draw connections to my study.  Feels good, still grappling with feeling slow though…

The security guard at the library has just informed me that it is closing in ten minutes.  I need to sign off now!

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Wearing Two Hats

Posted on August 18, 2012 by alexk

I am still grappling with how much I need to learn and do!!  Also, at times I am feeling frustrated that I have very interesting data to analyze but cannot proceed.  The reality is that I have completed overestimated my quantitative skill-set and now am well into the journey of building up my quantitative “muscle” but have no idea how long the trip is!!  The more I read, the more I recognize that I have so much more to understand.  I feel like I am back at the “unconscious incompetence” stage to a large extent.  Sigh…

Today is a great example.  I have spent the past 2.5 hours re-reading 1 paper that I had summarized early this year.  The upside is that I understand the methodology on a much deeper level now, can add to my notes in my summary spreadsheet AND now actually understand about 80% of what I had written previously.  The downside is that it has taken 2.5 hours and I had hoped to have accomplished a lot more today.

I just had an “aha”.  Becoming a DBA is really hard for me because I need to value and plan for “going deep” versus my preference for breadth and connections.  It is also highlighting the tension between what I do as a leader during the week and what I need to do as a researcher.  As a leader, I need to create strategy; effectively acquire, performance manage, and engage talented people; and provide oversight on execution by asking the right high level questions, effectively delegating tasks etc.  Of course, I also need to know enough to be able to assess the quality and validity of the findings and results but it would be perilous, given the scope of my role, to spend this much time “in the weeds”.  As a researcher I need to manage ALL aspects.  For example, conceptual AND analytical thinking, high level planning AND all levels of execution.  Just writing this is helping me to understand how tough it is for me to not only “switch hats” but also from a skill-set perspective the size of the gap that needs to be closed because I don’t use some of these muscles in my corporate role.

OK, enough “navel gazing” for one day!  I am going to go outside and eat my packed lunch and then read another paper.  I need to depart early today to do some errands and then prepare to head out to a dinner party with my partner which should be fun.

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