[Ailist] How much AI do leaders need to know to lead successfuly?

[Lionel Boxer]

Because leadership is an Art, I would prefer the question be framed in terms of experience - that is:
"How much AI do leaders need to have applied to lead successfuly?"

Further to this, I would suggest that any learning of AI (or anything else to do with leadership) should include a coaching / mentoring session.  Any art requires doing to do that art successfully.  (eg great paiters become great painters by painting - they generally begin pretty ordinary - Gerry Seinfeld said the same thing about his work as a comedian on Australian TV last week).

So, a CEO would likely have practiced leadership for at least part of his/her career.  However, I would sugges that few of those who this CEO wants to develop have had a lot of leadership experience.  I frequently experience business "leaders" who openly admit that they have never had leadership training and mentoring ... even though they are incumbents in leadership roles.

Of course, there is a fundamental problem that few people these days understand leadership as an art.  This is a problem that is based on a Wittgenstinian "hinge" that leads too many people to understand leadership to be something else.  We need to introduce a new "grammar" that defines leadership in terms of inspiring people.  Prof Rom Harre (who some of us are working with) is doing some work with Wittgenstinian "hinge".  I suspect that he will be publishing something on this soon (or perhaps he already has).

Great article on creating leaders (slim says, "the best training for leadership is leadership": http://intergon.net/slim.html 

Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256
Associate of RMIT University - lionel.boxer at rmit.edu.au
Graduate School of Business
What's up?: http://intergon.net/events.html
The Sustainable Way: http://intergon.net/tsw
>>> <AnneLondon at aol.com> 04/12/07 2:22 AM >>>
Hi everyone,

I would like to ask for your thoughts about how much information or 
background information on AI you think leaders need to have to successfully lead the 
next stage of their business.


Background:
A chief executive has taken a considerable amount of time over the last few 
years to learn about and prepare himself in strength-based approaches to 
change.   He regards this, and the fact that his global team took their cue from him 
and altered their leadership style, as some of the key reasons why the 
business has been extremely successful and is much larger than it was.

The success brought with it some reorganisation and a new team. 

Current situation:
Because of its previous success, there are very high expectations of the 
business, the chief executive and his team of business leaders who have much 
greater responsibilities than before.   

However, as far as I can see, the current leaders do not appear to see the 
importance of investing in their own leadership capabilities or knowledge of 
strength-based change as did their chief exec.

In your view, does this matter?
If you think it does matter, what are your thoughts on how to address the 
situation?
If you think it doesn't matter, please say why. 

I am asking about this having seen how little people investment is included 
in their plan for 2008.   I look forward to hearing your views.   

Many thanks,

Anne Radford   
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