A Challenge on "Leadership"

I had a comment today from John at a site called "Leadership Epidemic." It read "You’ve been tagged for the “Does Most Leadership Suck Challenge”. The challenge itself can be found at "Does Most Leadership Suck - The Challenge."

For those who do not want to follow the link, here is the challenge:

Does Most Leadership Suck - The Challenge

All Thinking Bloggers

As many of you know, I am in the midst of writing a "ChangeThis" Manifesto titled “Why Most Leadership Sucks, Including Yours”. While I have some definite opinions on why this is the case, I know that not everyone feels the same way I do. As such, I am trying to develop a more-complete and balanced understanding of what other people think. To accomplish this task, I am challenging Bloggers to post an entry supporting their position. In my first round of challenges, I am tagging all of the great Blogs that made it on Priscilla Palmer’s Personal Development List.

To accept this challenge, write a post describing your thoughts on why most leadership sucks. If you don’t agree, that’s fine too. I’m not looking for people who agree with me. I’m looking for a better understanding of what people think. It is better to get a hundred honest posts with different opinions than the same number of “Yes-Man” posts that don’t move the question forward. So, if you disagree with me, post why.

As the replies come in, I will build a list linking back to all of the posts that you write.

So, if you are up to the challenge, write a post, link back to the "Leadership Epidemic" send me an e-mail or drop me a comment and let’s start a conversation.

My response to John is as follow:
I have read your post and all of the comments that followed it. To me, nothing has been clarified as it relates to your challenge. "Leadership Sucks" is far too broad a category. Even if you specify an industry it is far too broad. The only way for the challenge to makes sense is to specify a company, an organization, the government, a person or a leadership style.

Like everything in life there are good and there are bad (referring to leaders and styles.) Most fall into the gray area between "good" and "bad." And to further complicate the challenge; "good" and "bad" are relative terms. For the sake of the challenge I will assume "sucks" (a work I dislike immensely) falls into the "bad" classification.

It kind of sounds like you are attacking the whole concept of "Leadership." If this is the case, then your whole premise is faulty then again. Without someone or some group to assume the leadership role you are looking at anarchy as the result.

Again, it falls back on what you are truly looking for as part of your challenge. You may as well be saying "let's have a challenge on why the color red sucks."

I fall into the category (this may have nothing to do with your challenge) of informed personal choice. If you do not like the leadership of the company that you work for; change companies. If you do not like the government leadership; work to change it. If you happen to be in the minority and cannot effect a change; then you have the choice to move to another country.

My mantra (if you will) is "Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And the Wisdom to know the difference." I believe that we have a tendency to complicate everything when in most cases it simply comes down to personal responsibility and informed choice. Now, before I get any nasty comments or emails, I do understand that personal responsibility and informed choices do have their complications, but we have a tendency to "over" complicate.

I think I have spent too much time on a non-issue, but I am not one to back down from a challenge, especially if some good can come of it.


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