Comments on: Leadership uses the Other Lobe of the Brain too http://www.otherlobe.com/2009/05/leadership-uses-the-other-lobe-of-the-brain-too/ A Blog About Experiential Education, Social Media, and the Brain... Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:03:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Cynthia http://www.otherlobe.com/2009/05/leadership-uses-the-other-lobe-of-the-brain-too/comment-page-1/#comment-111 Cynthia Sat, 23 May 2009 18:35:27 +0000 http://www.otherlobe.com/?p=203#comment-111 Ashley and Vanessa, thanks for your thoughtful comments. Ashley, I agree. I was introduced to this concept of leadership on many levels of an organization in another of my business courses. Every employee has the potential to lead, for example, by mentoring individuals outside his/her own work group, by submitting ideas to a supervisor on how to perform work in a more efficient and less costly manner, or by modeling a positive work ethic for others. When every employee leads, the organization improves significantly. Vanessa, this is a very interesting subject that gets into psychology of both the leader and the follower. Why are we inspired to follow some leaders but feel compelled to follow others? I think that leaders do need to manipulate people sometimes in order to be effective. However, there is manipulating followers for the common good versus manipulating followers purely for the leader's own interests - two very different things. Ashley and Vanessa, thanks for your thoughtful comments.

Ashley, I agree. I was introduced to this concept of leadership on many levels of an organization in another of my business courses. Every employee has the potential to lead, for example, by mentoring individuals outside his/her own work group, by submitting ideas to a supervisor on how to perform work in a more efficient and less costly manner, or by modeling a positive work ethic for others. When every employee leads, the organization improves significantly.

Vanessa, this is a very interesting subject that gets into psychology of both the leader and the follower. Why are we inspired to follow some leaders but feel compelled to follow others? I think that leaders do need to manipulate people sometimes in order to be effective. However, there is manipulating followers for the common good versus manipulating followers purely for the leader’s own interests - two very different things.

]]> By: Vanessa http://www.otherlobe.com/2009/05/leadership-uses-the-other-lobe-of-the-brain-too/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Vanessa Fri, 22 May 2009 14:55:28 +0000 http://www.otherlobe.com/?p=203#comment-107 I think there also needs to be a certain amount of chraristmatic authority in a leadership figure. Historically, a leader is not always the good guy as Nazi Germany and religious cults have proven. Regardless, these people were charismatic leaders and gained a following. Perhaps one piece that is missing from this bit is that in order for there to be a leader, there must also be followers. This calls to play some fairly basic social psychology processes such as obedience to authority, persuasion, conformity, and consistency. Humans are in a way equipped to behave according to these processes, like it or not, so maybe a leader is someone who is able to manipulate such processes. This is a little controversial, but I figured I would go there for discussion's sake. I think there also needs to be a certain amount of chraristmatic authority in a leadership figure. Historically, a leader is not always the good guy as Nazi Germany and religious cults have proven. Regardless, these people were charismatic leaders and gained a following. Perhaps one piece that is missing from this bit is that in order for there to be a leader, there must also be followers. This calls to play some fairly basic social psychology processes such as obedience to authority, persuasion, conformity, and consistency. Humans are in a way equipped to behave according to these processes, like it or not, so maybe a leader is someone who is able to manipulate such processes. This is a little controversial, but I figured I would go there for discussion’s sake.

]]> By: Ashley http://www.otherlobe.com/2009/05/leadership-uses-the-other-lobe-of-the-brain-too/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Ashley Thu, 21 May 2009 15:39:23 +0000 http://www.otherlobe.com/?p=203#comment-103 Something that Abrashoff did within his leadership to create such an effective team was empower his "subordinates" to find some role of leadership as well. People will give their best, their heart and soul, into a project or a team when they feel invested. It was clear that not only was this a working team, but the Captain also welcomed friendship into the equation. Because he showed genuine care and concern for his men and women, they in turn showed care and concern for him as their captain and leader, taking pride in their duty to him and his ship. In my opinion that is a crucial step in leadership- it MUST come full circle. A leader is someone who can inspire others, but a GREAT leader is someone who can inspire others to lead as well. Something that Abrashoff did within his leadership to create such an effective team was empower his “subordinates” to find some role of leadership as well. People will give their best, their heart and soul, into a project or a team when they feel invested. It was clear that not only was this a working team, but the Captain also welcomed friendship into the equation. Because he showed genuine care and concern for his men and women, they in turn showed care and concern for him as their captain and leader, taking pride in their duty to him and his ship.

In my opinion that is a crucial step in leadership- it MUST come full circle. A leader is someone who can inspire others, but a GREAT leader is someone who can inspire others to lead as well.

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