Lkl Asd Fasfasfa Sf As F As Dfa Sd

A SYSTEMIC VIEW OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP by Russell L. Ackoff INTRODUCTION In the recent past I have been asked several times: What do systems thinkers think about leadership? I don't know what they think about it because I haven't asked them. In fact, I didn't even know what I thought about it. But the repeated question pushed me into answering the question for myself. Like many othersystems thinkers I have had to sit through what feels like endless sessions discussing leadership and how to create leaders. I have found them vacuous and a terrible bore. Therefore, to think about it substantively and in a nonboring way is a challenge, one I take up here. I have scanned the large and growing literature dealing with leadership without finding inspiration in it. Nor have I found anyevidence of an increase in either the quantity or quality of leaders produced, particularly transformational leaders. My superficial survey convinced me that to a large extent the sterility of this literature is due to the ambiguity associated with the concepts of leadership and transformation. ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT, AND LEADERSHIP These terms are often used interchangeably. What a waste! Thereare important differences they can be used to reveal. Therefore, I have defined them in a way that is directed at improving leadership and bringing about more significant organizational transformations. Administration consists of directing others in carrying out the will of a third party, using means selected by the same party. Management consists of directing others in the pursuit of ends usingmeans both of which have been selected by the manager. (Executives are managers who manage other managers.) Leadership consists of guiding, encouraging and facilitating the pursuit by others of ends using means, both of which they have either selected, or the selection of which they approve. In this formulation, leadership requires an ability to bring the will of followers into consonance withthat of the leader so they follow him or her voluntarily, with enthusiasm and dedication. Such voluntarism, enthusiasm, and dedication are not necessarily involved in either management or administration.

LEADERSHIP IS PRIMARILY AN AESTHETIC FUNCTION Leadership has been poorly understood largely because it is primarily an aesthetic function and aesthetics are also poorly understood. It is one ofthe four aspects of development identified by Ancient Greek philosophers each of which is separately necessary but all of which, taken together, are sufficient for continuous development. These are the pursuits of truth, plenty, the good, and beauty/fun (aesthetics). Truth. The pursuit of truth is the societal function of science. Technology is the application of science and education is theprincipal means used by society to disseminate the output of science and technology. Together they enable people to pursue their ends more efficiently. Plenty. The pursuit of plenty is a function of institutions that are concerned with (1) producing and distributing the resources that make possible the pursuit of ends as efficiently as possible (for example, economic enterprises), and (2) protecting theresources acquired against their appropriation, theft, or destruction by others or nature (for example, the justice system, the health system, environmental protection, the military, and insurance). The Good. The pursuit of the good involves the dissemination of ethical and moral principles. This is carried out by religious and educational institutions, and more recently the field of psychiatry.It entails promoting cooperation to enable the attainment of more objectives than could otherwise be obtained. This, in turn, requires eliminating conflict within individuals (peace of mind) and between individuals (peace on Earth) because conflict limits the number of objectives that can be obtained. Beauty/Fun. The pursuits of beauty and fun are inseparable aspects of aesthetics. Together they...