Why Leadership Keeps Failing

[applegrove]

Why Leadership Keeps Failing
by Kathleen Reardon
at Huffington Post
June 8, 2007

"Dan Balz of the Washington Post described the collapse of the comprehensive immigration revision as a defeat for all involved, an indictment of the political culture of Washington and a failure of leadership. Critics, he wrote, will argue that if Washington can't successfully address the "glaring problem of immigration," then "what hope is there for progress on health care, energy independence, or the financial challenges facing Medicare and Social Security?"

The problem, as I've come to see it, is not so much an absence of leadership as a complete misunderstanding of what the term means. Leadership success in solving any problem depends on the leader's suitability to the problem and solution stage at hand. I co-authored a paper on this a few years ago -- "Leadership Style and The Five Stages of Radical Change". The premise: Each problem stage calls for a different type of leadership style.

Some lead by reasoning, others by forming coalitions, bargaining, exerting authority, establishing favor banks, being charismatic, appealing to altruism, exerting power or inspiring. None of these approaches is superior to the others. Each is more or less suited to the demands of the times and issue at hand. Each problem has solution stages, and for each of these (problem analysis, creativity, motivation, implementation) different types of leadership serve best. I think we've lost sight of this. We keep using a hammer because everything has come to look like a nail.

Al Gore took energy solutions on the road. He's a reasoned, motivational leader and that's just what we needed. Evidence of global warming became more evident over the last few years, but people needed to be convinced -- not only that it is real but also that there are reasonable solutions. Al Gore's leadership style was suited to the task and he did an exceptional job.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-reardon/why-leadership-keeps-fail_b_51362.html

[defendandprotect]

1. Good question -- wrong answers . . . .

Overall, if you want to question our lack of leadership, look to what the Europeans have been saying for decades about America . . .
"that liberals and progressives have an odd way of disappearing or otherwise being eliminated."

We have a long history of political violence which is being ignored -- purposefully.

Specificially, re today's Congress, leadership is generally more owned by corporates every day -- that's one huge reason for "failure."
Hillary now in debt to the pharmaceuticals, etal will have a problem with true national health care.

Al Gore has made important inroads on getting the public to understand Global Warming and the threat to humanity and the planet -- but are you hearing him challenge the right of a few families to own our natural resources/oil?
Do you hear Al Gore asking "Where are the electric cars?" --
See: "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

And -- Al Gore's wisdom also gave us Liebermann as VP -- !!! egads!!!











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[applegrove]

2. I think she is right on when she mentions bullying. That is what shut

down the checks and balances at the start of the Iraq War. Nobody spoke up. Now many do..3 years later.

[defendandprotect]

3. Not to mention ANTHRAX tossed at Democrats!!!!

We do all recall that little incident which shut down Congress right after 9/11 when Americans were trying to protest and pass information and documents along to Congress --????

Think that might have been a bit intimidating for Democrats -- !!!???

Regular mail is still be irradiated and held up 3 weeks before deliver!!!!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. I propose a series of athletic feats for our leadership...