Is There a Crisis of Leadership?

&Studying Leadership

Outline

• Class Discussion: Is There a Crisis of Leadership?

• Cronin’s Top Ten List– Considering Cronin’s criticisms of

leadership studies

• Assignment #1

Discussion Questions

• 1) What do each of these authors say about the existence of a crisis of leadership?

• 2) To the extent such a crisis is indicated, what is the proposed solution of each?

• 3) Do you agree?

Gardner and Burns

• 1) What do each of these authors say about the existence of a crisis of leadership?– Both perceive a crisis in leadership

• 2) To the extent such a crisis is indicated, what is the proposed solution of each?– Both suggest a similar solution: an enhanced

understanding of leadership

Couto and Greenleaf

• 1) What do each of these authors say about the existence of a crisis of leadership?– At one level they disagree

• Couto indicates there isn’t a crisis• Greenleaf agrees to the presence of a crisis

– Both authors have similar perspective on national leadership

• 2) To the extent such a crisis is indicated, what is the proposed solution of each?– Both authors look to a revitalized conception of

leadership that extends to all levels

One final question…

• What are the implications of these readings for our approach to leadership in this course?

Studying Leadership

Cronin’s Top Ten• 1) Leadership cannot be taught• 2) The study of leadership is elitist• 3) Leadership training is likely to be more concerned

about means than ends• 4) Leadership is vocational; it is not a proper

academic subject• 5) Leadership training might produce ruthless,

manipulative leaders without values.• 6) The notion of leadership is too vague• 7) The study of leadership cuts against disciplinary

specialization.• 8) A liberal arts education is itself a leadership

education• 9) There is no corpus of knowledge to master in

leadership studies• 10) Leadership is creativity and it can’t be learned

Interim Summary

• We have started thinking about leadership

• Assessed the current status of leadership in our society and how it might be improved

• Examined strengths and weaknesses of studying leadership

• ….next week we’ll develop a definition…

Assignment

• Individual writing assignment # 1:– Complete the following for the next

class:

• “Leadership is..”