Mongolian Khan, upon his first day out of jail, jumped on the horse to lead his nation to new height. Lennon and Yoko still purchased full-page ad in the NYT to run the same poster as they did 40 years ago “WAR IS OVER, if you want it”.
With the new digital order, thought-leaders emerged to shape our agenda and culture.
Gone are the days of orators speaking for hours in the arena.
In our digital age, one just looks you up, at his/her convenience.
The audience no longer has to shout out , as in the Network, ” I am mad like Hell, and I won’t take it anymore”. He or she simply clicks away or types in a negative comment.
Leaders will need to be transparent, harmonizing his/her on and offline persona (only a third of respondents said they were truthful on social networks). Past leadership styles e.g. empowerment, alliance, command and control, and laissez-faire; need to be revised and perhaps, recombined.
Today’s leaders are real people, with hope, fear and dream, just like their followers (on a Harley over the weekend or ride a bike to work, New Year, New You in New York.)
In Matterhorn, we followed the new Lt of Company C through war-time Vietnam.
He learned to make hard calls, to sweat and to cry.
Leaders also face doubt and indecision.
But they are not philosophers. They do think hard but also act decisively.
And mind you, leaders are not accountants.
One of the Kennedy’s whiz kids regret having led the Vietnam War solely by number crunching. (Even the press briefing bore the cutting humor “5 O’Clock Follies”).
Leaders lead without regrets. When time calls for it, leaders are ready .
He or she is not a line manager ( who leads from behind or on the side). Leaders lead from the future, set the tone and inspire excellence . They reframe and rekindle while being “one of the guys”.
Leaders lead people to their deaths, and they thank him or her for it.
We have a few still around. Calling on leaders.
Thang Nguyen 555 