{"id":523,"date":"2013-11-10T13:26:07","date_gmt":"2013-11-10T13:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beta.dminlgp.com\/?p=523"},"modified":"2014-08-13T21:20:18","modified_gmt":"2014-08-13T21:20:18","slug":"consider-the-possibilities-the-dynamics-of-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/consider-the-possibilities-the-dynamics-of-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Consider the Possibilities: The Dynamics of Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice<\/em>, edited by Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana, is a wealth of knowledge for those teaching and interested in the practice of leadership. What is leadership? It is obvious there are multiple styles in leading; however, what defines \u201cgood\u201d leadership is differentiated by the variety of leadership situations and opportunities. There are a large number of books relating to leadership readily available, however, in some ways this book is quite unique. The authors express concern that within academia there has not been sufficient research on leadership and they indicate the specific purpose of the essays presented in the book is to \u201cstimulate serious scholarly research on leadership.\u201d[1]<\/a> According to Nohira and Khruana, there has been an increased recognition by leading business schools of the need for better leadership training which has resulted in a clearer mission statement and a more deliberate and stringent attempt by these institutions to meet higher standards in leadership training. At least one motivating factor in the renewed emphases on research and classroom instruction has been the disconnect \u201cbetween the mission and everyday practice\u2026\u201d (Ibid, loc 93). In this case, the authors are addressing the fact that in many business schools, the mission is not being carried out in the academic classroom setting.<\/p>\n

The author\u2019s clearly stated purpose allows for a better use of the book in the context of our [cohort] present course of study. \u00a0As with course introductory books in critical thinking, theology, and social theory, Nohira and Khruana\u2019s handbook on leadership has provided a reference book for leaders which \u00a0will be helpful in our leadership development and in disciplining leaders. The five sections distribute the leadership topics into twenty-six chapters which permit the coverage of a large breath of material into portions that stand alone. With a difficult reading and research schedule[2]<\/a> this week, the essays by multiple authors allowed me to peruse the material and highlight the applicable areas where I experience the challenge of leading.<\/p>\n

The essays offered encompass a broad spectrum of leadership subjects that are relevant to leadership in a global context. In particular, the definitions and applications of leadership styles and leadership in times of change and transition clarify the need and role of those who are sharing in positions of leadership responsibility. As leaders in the Christian church, we are confronted with establishing identity and leading through transition and change. Numerous essays spoke to the effort to lead cross-culturally in a global context. Marshall Ganz[3]<\/a> in \u201cLeading Change\u201d defines leadership in terms that are relevant in the context of global philosophical change. The church leader must define who we are in current cultural context. It is essential to understand and accept the local-global diversity in cultural contextualization and the insecurity and ambiguity of mission and purpose in the present society. Ganz states, \u201cLeadership is accepting responsibility to create conditions that enable others to achieve shared purpose in the face of uncertainty\u201d (Ibid, loc 6451). We lead as we tell the story of our commitment to a common future as we build on a shared past. \u00a0Building relationships in transition and change provides \u201csocial capital\u201d as a result of shared purpose and the commitment of sharing resources.<\/p>\n

Additional leadership concepts are expressed through innovation[4]<\/a> as leaders create a consensus for belonging and co-opting for shared community by \u201cdeveloping the individual and collective capacity for co-design<\/em>.\u201d (Ibid, loc 7527, italics original). Applying innovative leadership recognizes that potential and creative genius can only be developed in community and the individual\u2019s innate ability to create and innovate is fully expressed through social interactions (Ibid, loc 7537). It is in this context that leadership concepts interact with social theory making the achievement of identity and shared purpose possible.<\/p>\n

I learned this week at my mod1 research project that leaders must lead, that is; step-up<\/em> in taking charge of the bridge-building processes that lead to innovative and creative change in cross-cultural relations. Christena Cleveland in Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart<\/em>, refers to this as the \u201cextended-contact hypothesis\u2019 which states \u201cpeople who are friends with people who are friends\u201d are \u201cmore likely \u201cto break down barriers\u201d as they \u201cmodel cross-cultural relationships.\u201d[5]<\/a> This aligns closely with the style of \u201cleading from behind\u201d (Ibid, see note4<\/sup>). \u00a0Leaders bring unity as they shape individual and collective experiences into a common design and purpose. In a similar manner, Alvin Sanders in Bridging the Diversity Gap: Leading Toward God\u2019s Multi-ethnic Kingdom<\/em>, indicates that leadership must be \u201ctransformational.\u201d[6]<\/a> By this he means that leaders must always advocate for unity through innovative change but they do so through cooperative community advocacy; another way of saying we lead from behind. He metaphorically refers to this as the \u201cripple of the ripple effect\u201d (Ibid). Sanders states that as individual leaders \u201cwe are to practice what we preach; and corporately, we are to preach what we practice\u201d (Ibid).<\/p>\n

Understanding principles and practices of leadership is an on-going developmental process. The Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice<\/em> is a major resource that will provide continuing inspiration and guidance in this process.<\/p>\n

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[1]<\/a> Natin Nohr\u00eda. Rakesh Khurana, eds., Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice<\/em>(Harvard Business Press, 210), loc 76.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[2]<\/a> Note: This week\u2019s schedule included four days to attend the conference, \u201cThe Multi-ethnic Church \u2013 2013\u201d sponsored by Mosaix Global Network<\/a>., Long Beach CA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[3]<\/a> Marshal Ganz, \u201cLeading Change: Leadership, Organization, and Social Movements,\u201d loc 6447 \u2013 6969.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[4]<\/a> Linda A. Hill, Maurizio Travag, Greg Brandeau and Emily, Stecker, \u201cUnlocking the Slices of Genius in Your Organization: Leading for Innovation,\u201d loc 7495 \u2013 8082.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[5]<\/a> Christena Cleveland, Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart<\/em>(Downers Grove, IVP Books, 2013), 173.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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[6]<\/a> Alvin Sanders, Bridging the Diversity Gap: Leading Toward God\u2019s Multi-ethnic Kingdom <\/em>(Indianapolis: Wesleyan Publishing House,2013), 162-163.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, edited by Nitin Nohria and Rakesh Khurana, is a wealth of knowledge for those teaching and interested in the practice of leadership. What is leadership? It is obvious there are multiple styles in leading; however, what defines \u201cgood\u201d leadership is differentiated by the variety of leadership situations and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2,195],"class_list":["post-523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-dminlgp","tag-nohria","cohort-lgp4"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=523"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1856,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523\/revisions\/1856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}