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The Builder's Manifesto


The Harvard Business Review has an interesting entry titled The Builders' Manifesto. It is a critical review of leadership and the fact, that we don't need leaders but builders. In the post the author Umair Haque is applying 10 principles to bosses, leaders and builders:
  1. The boss drives group members; the leader coaches them. The Builder learns from them.
  2. The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. The Builder depends on good.
  3. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The Builder is inspired — by changing the world.
  4. The boss says "I"; the leader says "we". The Builder says "all" — people, communities, and society.
  5. The boss assigns the task, the leader sets the pace. The Builder sees the outcome.
  6. The boss says, "Get there on time;" the leader gets there ahead of time. The Builder makes sure "getting there" matters.
  7. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The Builder prevents the breakdown.
  8. The boss knows how; the leader shows how. The Builder shows why.
  9. The boss makes work a drudgery; the leader makes work a game. The Builder organizes love, not work.
  10. The boss says, "Go;" the leader says, "Let's go." The Builder says: "come."
Go read The Builders' Manifesto.

Posted by on 22 December 2009 | Comments (2) | categories: Business

Comments

  1. posted by Patrick Kwinten on Wednesday 23 December 2009 AD:
    hmmm, now I am finally in a leading position... Emoticon undecided.gif
  2. posted by Stephan H. Wissel on Thursday 24 December 2009 AD:
    @Patrick Being in a leading position doesn't mean that you have to be a leader in the manifesto's sense. Leading positions are in much wanting of builders. So stay a builder.
    Emoticon smile.gif stw