Manuel Pflumm, CEO and co-founder of Leaderfy, which transforms leadership development through experiential learning, joined Nabeel Ahmad's Organizational Strategy & Learning class to discuss the power of simulation-based learning in leadership development.
Mr. Pflumm started by asking, "What if you can have a flight simulator for leaders?" He went on to discuss how employees in leadership roles can effectively prepare for future challenges by discussing four key elements: an environment that is "seriousified," holistic, realistic and evidence-based. The goal, Mr Pflumm argues, is to enable leaders to develop the right mindset and understand the importance of changing behaviors.
Mr. Pflumm debunked some myths that often come up around finding the right leadership style. He notes that there is not one universally effective leadership style. Rather, leadership is always complex because there are numerous factors and conflicts that constantly come into play. Leadership, he states, should be aligned to the task at hand and to the personalities of the people on the team.
Students saw a demonstration of Mr. Pflumm's dynamic leadership simulation software. It positions a learner as the head of a newly formed cross-functional team, where each team member has different roles and personalities. The ultimate goal is to balance operational excellence and team satisfaction. This realistic simulation showed the students how one can practice becoming an effective people manager in a safe environment.
In his closing words, Mr. Pflumm feels the best way to convince a leader to adjust their behaviors is by putting them in a training setting where they can try out a new approach, see the consequences of their actions and learn from their experience.
