The New Psychology of Leadership

A recent article in Scientific American Mind by the same title presents the dual notion of leader being defined by the circumstances versus the circumstances defining the leader, the latter being more of a situational calling forth higher levels of leadership. It is an interesting question. Group behavior itself is leadership and is drvien by the social identity that helps group's coordinate and take action.

This brings the conversation back to the consciousness of the follower. If the follower follows blindly, then...well history shows us plenty of examples of the results. For many, group leadership is a matter of belonging, of social identity where values are shared and it may or may not include the capacity to stop the bus and make sure there is clarity on the direction.

Corporately, leadership is at an interesting crossroads quite simply because many of the things that we thought leadership was about: tough love, top down, or use of authority, are in question given the divergent range of values. Cooperation and support are the bylines for today's leadership. The characteristics of a leader of the past are not the same as the one's today.

The conclusion of the article is that 'for leadership to function well, leaders and followers must be bound by a shared identity and by the quest to use that identity as a blueprint for action.' This, for some cultures, could  mean a bit of a shift.

How well do leaders in your company embody this understanding and way of thinking?