Who leads an anarchy? LO29197

From: Jan Lelie (janlelie@wxs.nl)
Date: 09/19/02


Replying to LO29189 --

HelLO readers, Alan,

Who is who in an anarchy? Interesting, a belief in the ultimate authority
of the CEO. Most CEO's have not been choosen by a democratic process - not
even by the famous shareholders, customers or other interest groups from a
company - , nor have they been produced by a "Deus Ex Machina Machina"
Most have been promoted through the ranks of self-serving, manipulative
middle management. And if they have been choosen through a democraic
process, most people will not have voted for this candidate.

My issue is just that: how does one teach or learn a group or a team to
believe in the authority of a CEO as the result of its (the groups) own
beliefs, fears, anxiety, problems. How can a not self-serving
unmanipulative CEO maintain the groups ability to believe in itself?

Some thoughts:

Before we answer this question, the issues of why a leader is so important
has to be answered: what is this metafore, this image, this archetype?
What is its purpose in the developement, the evolution, the liberation of
man (including woman)? I assume that everybody has some leadership
aspects. In our mind there is a part that seems to be in charge, a soul, a
will, a drive, a purpose. Were did we acquire this? How does it work? Is
it free, free will? Or do we have to pay for it? Perhaps this aspect gets
projected on the world, so things seem to have a spirit, the world seems
to have a God, the organisation a leader. Then the process of
re-integration starts: nothing is for free, but finding out that will pay
us.

Kind regards,

Jan Lelie

Alan Cotterell wrote:

>I think you have summarised the business of leadership in management very
>well.
>
>I don't know whether I am really an anarchist, I believe in the ultimate
>authority of the CEO, however I have a problem with self-serving,
>manipulative middle managers, who sometimes put their own interests before
>the good of the organisation.
>
>Your refence to Winston Chrchill was interesting. I believe he was manic
>depressive (bipolar disease), and would stand with a post between himself
>and triains passing through a station, in case he jumped in front of them.
>He was undoubtedly a genius, and was needed to respond to the two other
>EVIL geniuses (Joe and Adolph), perhaps onlt FDR was sane amongst them.
>He emerged at a time when the whole world was mad.

[...snip by your host...]

-- 

Jan Lelie <janlelie@wxs.nl>

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