Putting Leadership in its Place
Friday, September 17, 2010 at 11:09AM I often struggle as I think about leadership. On one hand, I know it's important. On the other hand, I sometimes choke on all the conflicting leadership theories, and I wonder if we have made leadership a panacea.
I find this quote from The One Thing You Need to Know
In general, my experience conforms with that of Warren Bennis, perhaps the preeminent leadership expert, when he says, "Leadership accounts for, at the very best, 15 percent of the importance of any organization."
This helps me as I think about the importance of leadership: 15 percent is a lot. But it also helps me realize that we need to resist the temptation to think that leadership is everything. It's important, but it's not everything.
Reader Comments (4)
I would say that this is a fairly narrow view of leadership. If you are talking about positional leadership, OK, but if leadership as a general need in any organization to be fulfilled by whomever, then the percentage has got to be higher.Many of us may struggle with ours and others positions of leadership and wonder about how effective or influential they are but there is no doubt that without leadership an organization or organism is done!
I was expecting some disagreement!What's interesting is the source of this statement. It comes not from a skeptic about leadership, but from an acknowledged expert.Here's what I'd say. A football team can get a new coach, and if he's really good maybe that team is 15% of the way to the Super Bowl. A church can hire a great new pastor, but at best they're maybe 15% of the way there. It's an important 15% , crucial even, but there are many other factors that will determine what happens.By the way, that's why a leader can sometimes have success in one organization, and not have the same success when moving to another.
Earl you're speaking like a businessman. The church is lead by the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. And before you guffaw, Jesus is no metaphor or silent partner either. Human shepherds are significant because God's word says so as they lead through the word and flesh out directional ministry but us sheep share the same Shepherd and Overseer as them (unlike the business model) and we have the same access to Scripture, so human leadership ought not be over-estimated.
In Earl's defense, I'm the one quoting the business guru!