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The Downfall Of Leadership

by Miki Saxon

At some point in the rise of the modern leadership movement, and the ensuing profit-making industry, leadership and management were set on divergent courses, with leadership presented as the brilliant star and management as the subservient drudges.

The results of this extreme focus on vision and influence are being felt globally in the form of the economic meltdown led by the Wall Street leadership who were above the mundane and wouldn’t dirty their hands with the gritty details of management.

In a brilliant opinion piece, Henry Mintzberg, Cleghorn Professor of Management Studies at McGill University, founding partner of Coaching Ourselves and author of numerous, says, “U.S. businesses now have too many leaders who are detached from the messy process of managing. So they don’t know what’s going on. … Unfortunately, detached leaders tend to be more concerned with impressing outsiders than managing within. “

The current rise in advanced degrees in leadership can do nothing more than exacerbate the already dangerous attitude that so-called leaders are different/unique/special and, therefore, entitled.

And it is that sense of entitlement, exemplified so well by John Thain, that got us into this mess.

Those who want only to lead should become consultants and stay out of line positions, executive or not, where they can do so much damage.

Consultants are paid for visions, excel at influencing and then walk away bearing absolutely no responsibility for the results.

When will we stop this nonsense and accept that, depending on circumstances anyone can lead, anyone can follow, the positions aren’t cast in stone forever and the whole shebang needs to be managed along the way.

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5 Responses to “The Downfall Of Leadership”
  1. Bret Simmons Says:

    Strongly concur. This leader as hero myth simply must be abandoned. It robs us of self responsibility when we have a convenient hero to blame for our problems or credit for success. The reality is much more complex. Keep up the good work!

  2. Mike Rogers Says:

    Amen to that Miki. Not everyone can lead, and the fact is you really aren’t a leader unless you manage well – the two have to go hand in hand. And you aren’t a leader if you are concerned about what everyone else thinks. Leaders are courageous. If a leader cares about what others think more than doing the right thing, then they are a follower – following the whims of the popular. That sounds kind of like politics – doesn’t it?

  3. Miki Saxon Says:

    Hi Brett, Leaders are us, but it’s so much more comfortable to believe otherwise. Who wants the responsibility of thinking? That’s why ideology is so popular these days, along with heroes and bogymen—in or out of politics.

    Thanks for stopping by and adding your thoughts.

  4. Miki Saxon Says:

    Hi Mike, I appreciate your thoughts, but I believe that not only can anybody lead, but everybody does lead in various instances of their lives—just as everybody at times follows. I think the more we separate leading into a special category the more damage we do.

    All of the attributes you credit to leaders are exhibited by millions of people daily as they become leaders in the instance.

    I find the language of leadership pretentious while the act of leadership is common. I think the language should be used to describe actions done as opposed to future efforts.

    Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts.

  5. Leadership Link Round-Up: Aug. 17-22 | Samuel Bacharach Blog Says:

    […] The downfall of leadership. Insightful post on an intriguing idea. […]

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