Are you a boss, leader or a builder?
First of all, Happy 20-10!
The New Year is always a good time to review our assumptions and think
about how we want to change our lives for the next year. Umair Haque,
in the Harvard Business Review, has a great discussion
of how 'leaders' lead makes a difference in how effective our
leadership is, with thoughts on building a different paradigm for the
21st century. Here's an excerpt:
"The 21st century doesn't need more leaders - nor more leadership. Only Builders can kickstart the chain reaction of a better, more authentic kind of prosperity.
How can you become one? Here are the ten principles of Constructivism (contrasted with these principles of leadership).
- The boss drives group members; the leader coaches them. The Builder learns from them.
- The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. The Builder depends on good.
- The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The Builder is inspired — by changing the world.
- The boss says "I"; the leader says "we". The Builder says "all" — people, communities, and society.
- The boss assigns the task, the leader sets the pace. The Builder sees the outcome.
- The boss says, "Get there on time;" the leader gets there ahead of time. The Builder makes sure "getting there" matters.
- The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The Builder prevents the breakdown.
- The boss knows how; the leader shows how. The Builder shows why.
- The boss makes work a drudgery; the leader makes work a game. The Builder organizes love, not work.
- The boss says, "Go;" the leader says, "Let's go." The Builder says: "come." "
It's time to build a better society, with a better system for economics not based on growth, on caring most about the individuals in our community's health and happiness.
It's time for new leadership resolutions!