The Leadership Crisis

A 2005 Harvard University study of confidence in leadership found that almost two-thirds of Americans think we are suffering from a leadership crisis. The study's respondents showed little confidence in the honesty, integrity and ethics of leaders in sectors ranging from business and religion to local, state and federal government. They also showed little faith in our leaders' knowledge, skills and ability to inspire loyalty and enthusiasm among followers.

How can this be possible given the increased prominence of leadership topics in our culture today and the proliferation of leadership training in organizations and educational institutions? One possible answer is that we are ignoring what really constitutes leadership. We may have focused too much attention on issues of style, while ignoring issues of substance - character and virtue.

Do We Really Need Leaders?

At some point in our lives, we have all had a relationship with someone - a parent, a teacher, or an employer perhaps - who greatly changed the way we looked at life and the world. Someone who inspired and motivated us. Someone who taught us to set goals and instilled in us the confidence and spirit to achieve them. Such a person is a true leader.

Today, we are surrounded by people we may call leaders - in government, in business, in education, in the arts. But in truth, we are suffering from a scarcity of genuine leadership. Where are these people really leading us, and why?

After witnessing so much deceit and such frequent abuse of power, many people have ceased trusting their leaders. Still, no matter how cynical we may grow, we resign ourselves to the fact that we need someone to keep our various houses in order. Since we are so preoccupied with our own lives, we are willing to elect or appoint officials to manage the affairs of the land.

But is a leader merely a manager? What should we expect from our leaders? And do we really need leaders in the first place? The answer is yes, we do need leaders. We need guidance in our lives. On our own, we lack the vision, direction and strength to reach our goals. As adults, with the capacity to reason for ourselves, most of us are so overwhelmed by the pressures of daily survival, we rarely find the time and energy to focus on life's larger issues. And when we do, our emotions and inherent subjectivity limit our vision and constrict our movement.