". . . Deming distinguished between leaders of the system and workers in
the system and placed the role of change agent squarely on leadership.
The question is, "Who are the leaders?" In my view, <snip> we are all
leaders of something - our team, our classroom...even if it is only
ourselves. While CEO's hold the key to resources, individuals get the
results. . . ."
Carol, well said. Your comments have led me to think that some
commonly-used terms tend to equate power or position in an organizational
hierarchy with leadership, as in the term "leadership position." I feel
that leaders should be identified, whatever their organizational address,
by their behavior, not their position. Leaders energize themselves and
others to work together to achieve shared goals for positive, committed
change. Because someone occupies a position of power does not mean that
they will use that power to lead. It could be used to reinforce the
status quo. Although it is certainly true that people in positions of
power may have more resources to call upon should they choose to champion
change, it is by no means certain that they will make that choice.
Consequently, I would submit that there are in reality no "leadership
positions" as the term is commonly used . . . no positions which, by
virtue of their organizational location, have "cornered the market" on
championing change. So . . . out with the term "leadership position."
In with identifying leaders by what they do, wherever they may be found.
Gene Bujalski
eugene.j.bujalski@cdev.com
--"Eugene J Bujalski" <EUGENE.J.BUJALSKI@cdev.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>