Vana,
I'd like to add to GDBurch's comments on what people are looking for in
leadership. I still find Kouzes & Posner's book The Leadership Challenge
(Jossey-Bass) very helpful in this regard. And it has to do more with
what their research found than it does with their scheme, though I think
it is about as comprehensive as you will find. In their research, both as
reported in 1987 and in 1995, they identify four characteristics which
people are looking for in their leaders. They want them to be Honest,
Forward-Looking, Inspiring and Competent. If you address yourself to the
old guard in regards to these four areas, I think you will find that they
will respond.
I'm working on a situation where all four areas are either weak or
non-existent. And the difficult part is not identifying that to be true,
but helping this organization to understand that these are missing. These
concepts are not on their articulation radar screen.
I think you will find K & P's book worthwhile, and you might want to use
their Leadership Practices Inventory, if the right situation present
itself.
Ed Brenegar
Leadership Resources
brenegar@circle.net
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations
For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>