A New Model of Leadership

40 Pages Posted: 10 Sep 2006

See all articles by Allan L. Scherr

Allan L. Scherr

ALS Consulting

Michael C. Jensen

Harvard Business School; SSRN; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI); Harvard University - Accounting & Control Unit

Date Written: August 22, 2007

Abstract

In this paper we provide a new definition of leadership that gives organizations and individuals access to new power. In our model, leadership consists of four critical elements:

-- The creation of a vision for the future that represents a significant departure from the past, one that requires breakthroughs for its realization. -- The creation of a system that facilitates enrollment into and elicits voluntary commitment to the vision by the critical mass of people required to discover and implement the breakthroughs required for realization of the vision. -- The creation of a system that ensures both the timely identification of breakdowns and the dissemination of information about them that, if unresolved, would prevent the successful realization of the vision -- The creation of a system for managing breakdowns that causes people to voluntarily recommit to the vision and maintain these commitments through to the implementation of the breakthroughs required for the realization of the vision

We give examples, from both large and small companies to illustrate our principles and advice for putting these principles into action.

Keywords: leadership, management, breakthrough, breakdown, innovation, commitment

JEL Classification: M00

Suggested Citation

Scherr, Allan L. and Jensen, Michael C., A New Model of Leadership (August 22, 2007). Harvard NOM Working Paper No. 920623, Barbados Group Working Paper No. 06-02, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=920623 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.920623

Allan L. Scherr (Contact Author)

ALS Consulting ( email )

14 Wyndclyffe Ct.
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
United States
845-876-0785 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.alsleadership.com

Michael C. Jensen

Harvard Business School ( email )

Soldiers Field
Negotiations, Organizations & Markets
Boston, MA 02163
United States

HOME PAGE: http://drfd.hbs.edu/fit/public/facultyInfo.do?facInfo=ovr&facId=6484

SSRN ( email )

United States

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) ( email )

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1000 Brussels
Belgium

Harvard University - Accounting & Control Unit ( email )

Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
United States

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