When I was younger, I was consistently taught the principle of taking responsibility and making it your own. Upon reflection, I wish I'd done a little more of this at times, but on the whole, I was satisfied that I'd taken this principle on board in my life.
In my professional life in the tech industry, I've witnessed what I believe is a drain of positive leadership from the top all the way down. The soul has been removed from almost all business activity and the grey, clinical environment being created instead is one which serves to quash innovation and postive leadership.
For example, whilst the logic of procedures and processes by way to managing quality and effectiveness are in no doubt, the oft forgotten bi-product, especially in large organisations, is over heavy bureaucracy. Those organisation lacking good leaders soon get bogged down in the quagmire. Leaders who are afraid to challenge this cease being leaders and become mere administrators, typically relying on their subordinates to help them navigate through respective sections of the red tape.
It's 2011 as I write this article and I feel that one element of leadership decision making, namely 'risk', has today, become almost a very scary thing. When pressed, any exec or senior business leader is skilled enough to discuss it eloquently whilst ensuring it is absolutely avoided in their organisation. Today, decisions, that in more innovative and entrepreneurial times would have been considered merely day to day business decisions, get celebrated for their apparent maverick character.
The costs are huge though those costs often do not get realized until later. Weak leadership appears happy to leave the difficult stuff to the next generation in many cases. But the momentum which is so difficult to achieve in the first place gets lost in very little time. Recovering it is harder the next time.
The costs are huge though those costs often do not get realized until later. Weak leadership appears happy to leave the difficult stuff to the next generation in many cases. But the momentum which is so difficult to achieve in the first place gets lost in very little time. Recovering it is harder the next time.
So, I've found myself somewhat focused when looking for similar characteristics within society at large and very often, when I think I'm seeing it, there are some individuals which give me hope that all is not lost and a generation of the future will find their way back to positive leadership.
There are just enough natural leaders still aware of why it's important to strive and work at postive leadership. The pendulum may well be over in the negative sector at the moment but when it swings back into the positive, some folks will be ready to take the lead.
As I've grown, with the younger generation around me, I've sometimes worried. Why was it, I got the impression that many kids were less engaging, less confident, less prepared to take the risk of being successful and much more comfortable, hanging back. Is it actually what I am seeing or am I biased in some way ... more quick to see thing how I perceive they are rather then how I think the should be?
Perhaps this is just my perception and limited to those few I'd happened to meet with. Was I much different myself?
Leadership crisis .... My gut says maybe!
JW
Update 15Mar2012: Link for NY-Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/opinion/why-i-am-leaving-goldman-sachs.html?pagewanted=1&_r=4&sq=Goldman%20Sachs%20Group%20Inc&st=Search&scp=1
JW
Update 15Mar2012: Link for NY-Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/opinion/why-i-am-leaving-goldman-sachs.html?pagewanted=1&_r=4&sq=Goldman%20Sachs%20Group%20Inc&st=Search&scp=1
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