Friday, March 13, 2009

Why the Military Produces Great Leaders

I found this article on HarvardBusiness.org to be interesting, especially the following quote:

"The current economic environment, partly caused by a crisis of self-service leadership, has created belt-tightening reminiscent of a world war, with budgets slashed, travel funding restricted, training programs cut, personnel layoffs, and other draconian, cash-saving measures in place. CEOs have to start leading like generals—even if that means living a lifestyle in common with their troops."

The author implies that there are two basic styles of leadership—one in which the leader serves him or herself, and another in which the leader serves the people he or she leads.

The comment thread on the article is also interesting, as people debate whether or not the military approach to leadership—the one is which the leader serves others—is really best for the business world.

It all makes me wonder about different leadership styles in associations, and the perspectives that leaders from different generations might bring to the question. In my own experience, the association leaders who "lead for others" are always more beloved than those who "lead for themselves," but I'm not sure they are any more effective.

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