Bill Bray asked about leadership:
For many years I have been hired to lead change in companies. My job has
been to help managers understand the new principles they were going to use
to lead the company. One of the changes Deming told us to adopt is
leadership. When I first started, I did not fully understand what he meant
so I lead the discussions by asking the classes to share their thoughts
about leadership. We discussed who they had known to be good leaders. Out
of this question came discussions about people from scout leaders to
meeting leaders to Gandhi to Hitler and Kennedy.
As time passed and my information bank increased it became apparent that
all leaders take the same steps but may use very different methods for
each step. Gandhi's methods were different but he took the same steps as
street gang leaders and Hitler to gather a following.
I have found it is easier to have a discussion about the process of
leading than it is about the methods of leading because the methods areas
varied as the people on earth. When we mix them it is very confusing.
It is also easier to discuss your own methods when you are aware of the
step in the process you are taking. This experience lead me to conclude
that leadership is as much a process as making tools, entering an order or
any other learned skill. The process can be learned and taught. Once the
process is learned and individual can make better decisions about the
right methods to use for the situation and for their own aptitudes. Just
like all skills there are different natural abilities.
If you are intertested he process I will send a copy.
et
At 04:59 PM 6/27/99 -0700, you wrote:
> One of the ominous tasks of my graduate program is to develop through
>readings, team interactional activities, and a host of interviews, is a
>statement of "What is Leadership?" I have been reading and participating
>in this learning list for quite some time coming to rely on many of your
>minds for inspiration - I hope the answers to this question will also be
>of help.
>
>"William Auvinen-Bray" <Bosatsu@home.com>
Eugene Taurman
interLinx Consulting
414-242-3345 e-mail ilx@execpc.com
fax 781-459-825
http://www.execpc.com/~ilx
"Deprived of information one cannot assume responsibility,
but, given the information one cannot avoid responsibility."
Smitty The Janitor
--Eugene Taurman <ilx@execpc.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>