This is seen in practice time and time again. When problematic situations arise,
many managers lose their sense of interdependence. Their vision becomes short-
sighted, the focus shifts to the delegation of tasks, information sharing decreases
and they start supervising everyone and everything. Yet it is in tough times that
employees look for a strong leader who knows the way forward and who shouts out
the longed-for “land ahoy!” This may be considered the “Return of Leadership.”
However, “leadership” has more than one meaning.
Stories abound of managers who become obsessed with control and self-
promotion. For these managers, the threat of losing power is more overwhelming
than their organization’s concrete problems. Whether a company remains in crisis
or recovers from economic difficulties depends considerably on the behavior of the
person leading it. When, under these conditions, only superficial and not genuine
leadership prevails, cracks will start to show. Workers become discontent and
performance suffers, in part due to a refusal to “cave in” to the demanding manager.
There is less focus on tasks and more on evasive maneuvers. For managers who
tend to respond to crises with personnel reductions, this can have grave conse-
quences: the best employees are the first to go.
1.3 An Invitation to Dance
In the information age, an organization capable of transforming itself is the best
strategic weapon on the market (see Moss Kanter 1989). But especially for large
concerns, which have been slowly cruising the seas of the world economy for
generations like ocean liners a course correction, let alone a U-turn, is never a
short maneuver. Managers must develop change structures. This is the primary task
of future-oriented and relation-driven leaders. Quality leaders stand at the helm,
in firm control of the wheel, looking ahead and promptly recognizing what is
approaching.
It is not impossible to teach giants to dance, but it does require combining forces
and concerted efforts (see Moss Kanter 1989). Or, to continue the metaphor of the
ocean liner: a good, coordinated crew, heading out together on a new course. The
change-oriented manager recognizes the importance of inspiring and engaging
others to come together in innovative labors, to awaken their joy in innovation
and overcome conservative attitudes.
Large enterprises, such as Johnson and Johnson, 3 M, Citibank and Aventis,
have a certain advantage concerning change processes compared to smaller
enterprises. For the branch giants the business runs nearly by itself – otherwise
they would not be so successful. Those who must constantly worry about their daily
business hardly have the time to push innovative ideas. The magic word is
“uncoupling” the think tank from daily business (see Drucker 2002).
Change processes occur in three stages. Concrete change projects are the first
stage, and involve the integration of employees and managers in the same team.
Considerable progress can be made quickly. The integration of employees and
14 1 Leadership in the Twenty-First Century Leadership in the Crisis?