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The large and growing literature dealing with leadership has not led to an obvious increase in either the quantity or quality of leaders, particularly transformational leaders. My cursory review of the related literature leads me to the conclusion that this lack is due to the ambiguity of the concepts of leadership and transformation.
In the minds of many people today, the terms "administration," "management," and "leadership" are interchangeable. Understanding the differences can directly improve leadership and help bring about significant organizational transformation.
Administration consists of directing others in carrying out the will of a third party using means selected by that party.
Management consists of directing others in the pursuit of ends and by the use of means, both of which have been selected by the manager. (Executives are managers who manage other managers.)
* Leadership consists of guiding, encouraging, and facilitating others in the pursuit of ends by the use of means, both of which they have either selected or approved.
In this formulation, leadership requires an ability to bring the will of followers into consonance with that of the leader so they follow him or her voluntarily, with enthusiasm and dedication-requirements not necessarily involved in either management or administration.
Leadership as an Aesthetic Function
Leadership has been poorly understood largely because it is primarily an aesthetic function-a concept that is also poorly understood. According to ancient Greek philosophers, continuous development depends upon the pursuit of truth, plenty, the good, and beauty/fun-aesthetics.
The pursuit of truth is the societal function of science.
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 and (2) protecting the resources acquired against their appropriation, theft, or destruction.
The pursuit of the good involves the dissemination of ethical and moral principles.
The pursuits of beauty and fun are inseparable aspects of aesthetics. Together they make possible the continuous pursuit of ideals-ends that can be approached indefinitely but never attained.
The role of aesthetics is not well understood in our culture. Aesthetics expressed as art inspires-produces an unwillingness to settle for what we have and a desire for something better. It is both the producer and product of creative...