LEADERS ARE NOT NEEDED

Leaders are needed to show people thepah that leads them to where they want to reach. A small child would need to hold hand of his mother when to show him the way to his school-first few times. One seeks passerby's help to find the way to a desired place in unknown town. But if one has access to google earth through his mobile he need not ask anyone. Likewise, business leaders,social leaders or that matter political leaders are required to lead us to the unknown future. Hoever,if we have intelligent specialized expert systems we need not depend upon leaders to show the path more. Well,this may sound like science fiction today but could be a real possibility in future. Leaders,prepare for job options ! At least their importance as sole providers or path finders would get reduced.

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Comment by Sinclair McLay on July 2, 2012 at 11:43: One of my mates - coincidentally, synchronously, or maybe my mind was recently sensitised to the subject posted this on Facebook the other day.

Comment by Cal on June 23, 2012 at 19:40: Could leaders also at times be defined as being those who get behind people in a manner that helps them/allows them to find their own path in their own way?

'Leader' is close to 'redeal' spelled backwards. Maybe leading needs a redealing at times.

Comment by Asa Jomard on June 23, 2012 at 13:19: Have I understood this correctly?

I have a goal that I want to reach. Thus, I need a leader so that I can reach my goal and the leader needs to tell me the path and inspire me. Hmm. . . I would call this circular thinking.

Comment by Bhuvaneshwar Joshi on June 20, 2012 at 6:07: I am grateful to Kim Jones and Franis for distingueshing between Bosses and Leadrs,and characteristics of good leaders. This will help me do some thinking on how to develop innovative /creative skills to train people in leadership.Saints are also leaders as they lead people towards higher virtue4s but many in the garb of religion mislead people. Dictators often give a false vision of future and motivate youth in wrong direction.

Comment by Phil Bachmann on June 18, 2012 at 22:41: Hi Shamir,

I've been thinking about your cook analogy. From it I imagine that it's best to break down the job of leadership into small steps you want people to take which will ultimately lead to where you want them to go.

Comment by Cal on June 14, 2012 at 12:50: Adonis > I discovered that the people who I lead need different styles of managing / leading

Cal > Last time I talked a bit about management styles was with an owner of a commercial construction company. It was regarding a newer supervisor who hired and ran the field crews. He said that person was going to have to figure out what that person really wanted/needed - 'sheep' or 'wolves' to manage. I think he most wants sheep, who can give wolf work results.

On your previous question that I addressed - "Does anyone her have a preference on leadership styles?" - here's one for you. At times I'd get involved in projects with someone who I'd consider as having a pretty firm ENTJ personality type preference. Although considered 'natural leaders' - eg. http://www.personalvaluation.com/entj_personality.shtml - he once told me that he always wants to lead, even if he didn't know what he was doing. I kind of smiled at that, thinking that it did seem to fit with his nature.

Comment by Cal on June 13, 2012 at 1:46: Adonis > Does anyone her have a preference on leadership styles?

Cal > I like to 'lead' in a way that people eventually don't need leading. They become competent in what they're doing without needing my input. I feel I have better things to do than have to constantly 'babysit' people about something they should be able to learn and carry on doing without my input. Or at least not a lot of input.

But that can require them needing more self discipline than most of those I've dealt with like that seem to have had. They almost seemed to need someone dictating to them their time for being at work and leaving, how much they were expected to have done in that period, the quality of work that was expected.
Those situations I don't care to let go on for too long. I prefer that those people go find someone else to work under.

Comment by Franis on June 12, 2012 at 20:03: OK, I'll try doing some thinking here.
Leadership styles are based on answering needs, sometimes in combination.
I'll attempt to define some basic needs that leadership uses:
fear - urgency
power - control - authority (being the meaner bad-ass)
curiosity - mystique - inspiration
social membership - belonging - trust
rebellion - vice (because it's "forbidden")
pride - prestige - (arrogance when combined with fear)
passion - desire - definition of "need"

Comment by Franis on June 12, 2012 at 19:53: Shamir, I am not sure you know it, but you're becoming a leader.

Comment by Franis on June 12, 2012 at 19:52: As a culture, we need better examples of leadership. "Power corrupts" is something that I'd love to get rid of permanently, but I don't think that's going to happen.

Strangely enough, the best leaders indicate direction through inspiration, not incentives. People want to make sacrifices to make a vision happen, because this work shows their triumph, concern & thoughtfulness.
Leading through parable, stories, testimonials, charisma, example and considerate modesty is a rare thing. As a leader, you cannot lead without having to enter into conflict with some people who will complain the loudest. Because as we know, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease."

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