Who's in Charge Here?

I don't get, like, all philosophical 'n stuff very often on OLDMTA, but I have been thinking a lot about the nature of community and its role in actually getting things done. It's come to the forefront for me because I was working on a project that was really heavy on the collaborative software and platforms, but very light on the actual progress.

Slow doesn't work for me. I would rather take a day to think and plan and then try something the next day than take a month making 100% sure what we are doing is perfect. I also think that taking a month causes a host of problems like goal drift, fragmentation, and loss of perspective.

Leadership has always been in short supply, and I think even moreso in a collaborative age because teams are no longer guided by carrots and sticks from on high. As always, the true leaders are born with something and learn over time how to use it. But leading has gotten a lot harder even if collaboration has gotten a whole lot easier.

And it got me to thinking about how we now have the tools for collaboration, but perhaps what we need is a better understanding about how to use tools to extend the presence of a team leader into that collaborative environment. I don't mean as the top down dictator but rather as the community guide and motivator -- someone who leads with goals but empowers others to find the means.

What makes a good leader has changed. I have always admired Lyndon Johnson's leadership ability. He got the government to embrace a bunch of legislation (Great Society, Civil Rights) the Congressmen and Senators either didn't like or were afraid to pass. He did it through a few carrots and a whole lotta threatening with the gigantic Johnson stick of doom.

The Johnson model wouldn't work today.

Tools are only good for a team that has a leader that evangelizes goals but relinquishes directing the means.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.