2
Understanding
the Basics
As we survey the path leadership theory has taken, we
spot the wreckage of “trait theory,” the “great man” theory,
and the “situationist” critique, leadership styles, functional
leadership, and, finally, leaderless leadership, to say nothing of
bureaucratic leadership, charismatic leadership, group-centered
leadership, reality-centered leadership, leadership by objective,
and so on. The dialectic and reversals of emphases in this
area very nearly rival the tortuous twists and turns of
child-rearing practices, and one can paraphrase Gertrude
Stein by saying, ‘a leader is a follower is a leader.’
—Administrative Science QuarterlyLeaders come in every size, shape, and disposition—short, tall,
neat, sloppy, young, old, male, and female. Nevertheless, they
all seem to share some, if not all, of the following ingredients:
- The first basic ingredient of leadership is a guiding vision.
The leader has a clear idea of what he or she wants to
do—professionally and personally—and the strength to
persist in the face of setbacks, even failures. Unless you