Comments on: Institutionalizing individuals http://managingleadership.com/blog/2009/06/01/institutionalizing-individuals/ The strategic role of the senior executive Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:13:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Peter Gluck http://managingleadership.com/blog/2009/06/01/institutionalizing-individuals/comment-page-1/#comment-8441 Peter Gluck Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:18:39 +0000 http://managingleadership.com/blog/?p=2238#comment-8441 Thanks, dear Jim, I think the very practice of leadership shows that in many cases we have to develop a "Carlyle about heroes" model of the great CEO's. I know this is somewhat hyperbolic but there are many legends and myths of the really providential leaders of great organizations. Sometimes the reverse is true, weak CEOs can be fatally destructive. Thanks, dear Jim,

I think the very practice of leadership shows that in
many cases we have to develop a “Carlyle about heroes”
model of the great CEO’s. I know this is somewhat hyperbolic
but there are many legends and myths of the really providential
leaders of great organizations. Sometimes the reverse is true,
weak CEOs can be fatally destructive.

]]> By: Jim Stroup http://managingleadership.com/blog/2009/06/01/institutionalizing-individuals/comment-page-1/#comment-8439 Jim Stroup Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:25:00 +0000 http://managingleadership.com/blog/?p=2238#comment-8439 Hello Peter, I agree that a major element of an executive's job is to establish an environment in which the purposes of the organization can be advanced with the greatest possible support from all sources, and the least friction from any of them. As for institutionalizing such a CEO, I think it is a generally false ambition, particularly since in most organizations the CEO is not the owner. The problems we have with management and so-called "leadership" have their origin largely in this confusion about corporate governance. Thanks for stopping by with this thoughtful contribution! Hello Peter,

I agree that a major element of an executive’s job is to establish an environment in which the purposes of the organization can be advanced with the greatest possible support from all sources, and the least friction from any of them.

As for institutionalizing such a CEO, I think it is a generally false ambition, particularly since in most organizations the CEO is not the owner. The problems we have with management and so-called “leadership” have their origin largely in this confusion about corporate governance.

Thanks for stopping by with this thoughtful contribution!

]]> By: Peter Gluck http://managingleadership.com/blog/2009/06/01/institutionalizing-individuals/comment-page-1/#comment-8437 Peter Gluck Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:44:21 +0000 http://managingleadership.com/blog/?p=2238#comment-8437 I think this is a very good paper, rising an important problem. It has to be analyzed perhaps in the frame of the MRA syndrome that has killed or degraded so many great institutions from the beginning of the times. Perhaps the Union of the Gardeners of Eden was the very first of these. MRA- Means Replacing Aims- is an almost ubiquitous phenomenon, the organizations gets amnesic re. that aims for which it was created and its raison d'etre becomes the organization per se and its welfare. A good, CEO is the one who stops this natural trend and focuses the activity of all members of the organization on the real aims- manufacturing, selling, services- new and new ones- and the organizations remains in a continuous state of healthy development. As long as the CEO is a living, thinking, feeling, planning, organizing, stimulating creative human being. Institutionalization of the CEO is kind of creation of a local memecracy in which the ideas of the leader are implemented and work as would the leader him(her)self. Can such a memecracy take the place of the genuine leader? Not an easy problem, especially that the times are really bad, full of surprises, and the surprises have the nasty habit of being bad. A wicked problem, very complex and demanding local and specific solutions. Just think about GM or Big Pharma, as examples. Peter I think this is a very good paper, rising an important problem.
It has to be analyzed perhaps in the frame of the MRA syndrome that has killed or degraded so many great institutions from the beginning of the times. Perhaps the Union of the Gardeners of Eden was the very first of these.
MRA- Means Replacing Aims- is an almost ubiquitous phenomenon, the organizations gets amnesic re. that aims for which it was created and its raison d’etre becomes the organization per se and its welfare.
A good, CEO is the one who stops this natural trend and focuses the activity of all members of the organization on the real aims- manufacturing, selling, services- new and new ones- and the organizations remains in a continuous state of healthy development.
As long as the CEO is a living, thinking, feeling, planning, organizing, stimulating creative human being.
Institutionalization of the CEO is kind of creation of a local memecracy in which the ideas of the leader are implemented and work as would the leader him(her)self.
Can such a memecracy take the place of the genuine leader? Not an easy problem, especially that the times are really bad, full of surprises, and the surprises have the nasty habit of being bad.
A wicked problem, very complex and demanding local and specific solutions. Just think about GM or Big Pharma, as examples.
Peter

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