Skip to main content

On Leadership

Recent events have caused me to reflect on the nature of leadership.  The following reflections are incomplete and are not meant to be exhaustive. They are general principles, not "how-to's." I am sure there are many resources available I could have drawn upon, but these principles are based primarily on my personal experience and observations.  I may continue to revise these principles, and welcome the input and ideas of my readers.

Good leadership places the good of the group ahead of the good of the leader. It encourages the expression and consideration of diverse viewpoints. It draws upon the talents and wisdom of those led. It understands the position and needs of the group within its larger environment. It fosters the growth and well-being of the group's individual members and of those who rely upon it. It respects individual freedom while seeking the common good. Good leadership is thoughtful and strategic.  It is proactive, not reactive. It takes no offense at criticism, but responds to criticism in positive ways. It is strong but kind.  It seeks to build up, not tear down. It is accompanied by clear vision.

Bad leadership places the good of the leader above the good of the group. It imposes the leader's views on others and stifles dissent. It disregards the talents of the group's members and expects them to follow without input or participation. It treats the group as an island, disassociated from its environment. It ignores the needs of individual members and those affected by it. It sacrifices individuals' freedom to the leader's concept of the common good. Bad leadership relies on emotion over reason. It reacts to situations but does not shape them. It rejects criticism and lashes out or ignores its critics. It is weak, unkind and destructive. It lacks vision.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eight Simple Words

During my junior year in high school, I sat in the back of our auditorium listening to our drama teacher, Ruth Bair, attempt to persuade a large group of students to try out for the school play.  With me, at least, she was successful.  I auditioned for a part in Archibald MacLeish's "JB," a modern day drama based on the Book of Job.  All I garnered that time was a walk-on part; better roles awaited me my senior year.  But Mrs. Bair's little speech was enough to get me in the game.  And the experience of  performing in the school plays was the highlight of my high school years. What she said that I remember is this:  "If you don't extend yourself, you haven't lived."  Some memory of biology class made me think that this was both literally and figuratively true, though I'm not sure about the literal part, and it's only the figurative that matters to me.  But through the years and decades that followed, whenever I was unsure about participatin
Post a Comment
Read more

"The Upswing" and Our Problem with Masks

 I have begun reading the book "The Upswing" by Robert D. Putnam. In the first chapter, the author calls for balance in two vital yet conflicting characteristics of the American identity. Because these characteristics underlie our great national divide over the wearing of masks in a pandemic, I wanted to post the following insightful passage now: As Tocqueville rightly noted, in order for the American experiment to succeed, personal liberty must be fiercely protected, but also carefully balanced with a commitment to the common good. Individuals' freedom to pursue their own interests holds great promise, but relentlessly exercising that freedom at the expense of others has the power to unravel the very foundations of the society that guarantees it. I believe Mr. Putnam has captured the heart of what is afflicting us at this time of crisis; some Americans' fierce devotion to personal liberty as a supreme virtue, without regard to the collective good. I look forward to
Post a Comment
Read more

Memorial Day 2016

I am not even close to worthy of the sacrifices our men and women in uniform have made to protect my freedoms. Nothing I have done in life begins to hold a candle to their service.  So let me begin by simply saying "thank you" to any of them who may read this post.  My country, my family and I are forever in your debt.  I cannot ever emphasize that enough. Although I never served in the military, I am a patriot.  I deeply love my country and what it stands for.   I proudly served a term as President to a bar association that launched a program to provide free legal advice to military veterans.  I recited the Pledge of Allegiance when I was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, and repeated it every time I participated in admissions ceremonies for new lawyers.  I get teary-eyed when I think about the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner as it is being performed and try to imagine the setting in which Francis Scott Key penned them.  My father served in the Army during World War II
Post a Comment
Read more