I'm sad to report that in the past few years, ever since uncertainty became our insistent 21st century companion, leadership has taken a great leap backwards to the familiar territory of command and control.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
We need to move from the leader as hero, to the leader as host.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the shift in leadership style from a traditional heroic model to one where leaders facilitate and support others.
Margaret J. Wheatley's quote suggests that effective leadership should not be about the leader being the central heroic figure, but rather about being a host who creates an environment where others can thrive and contribute. This shift acknowledges the collaborative nature of modern leadership, where empowering team members and valuing their input is essential for success.
Themes
LeadershipHostCollaborationEmpowermentSupport
In practice
Example use cases
In a team meeting about project management, this quote could inspire discussions about creating inclusive environments.
More from Margaret J. Wheatley
All quotes βIn our daily life, we encounter people who are angry, deceitful, intent only on satisfying their own needs. There is so much anger, distrust, greed, and pettiness that we are losing our capacity to work well together.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
Even though worker capacity and motivation are destroyed when leaders choose power over productivity, it appears that bosses would rather be in control than have the organization work well.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
Our willingness to acknowledge that we only see half the picture creates the conditions that make us more attractive to others. The more sincerely we acknowledge our need for their different insights and perspectives, the more they will be magnetized to join us.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
They have eliminated rigidity, both physical and psychological, in order to support more fluid processes whereby temporary teams are created to deal with specific and ever-changing needs. They have simplified roles into minimal categories; they have knocked down walls and created workplaces where people, ideas, and information circulate freely.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
It's not differences that divide us. It's our judgments about each other that do.
Margaret J. WheatleyRead
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