Concepts in Leadership Final Term Paper Ambassador Kamal December 11, 2000 TA: Jacek Hurkala A Study Of Modern Leadership Linking to Sun Tzu’s Art Of War Presented by: George Seraphim A Study Of Modern Leadership Linking to Sun Tzu’s, Art Of War BY: GEORGE SERAPHIM Outline / Table Of Contents I. Introduction II. Material Overview III. “Leadership Without Easy Answers” IV. “On Leadership” V. “Leadership And The Quest For Integrity” VI. Sun Tzu’s, The Art Of War VII. Lessons Learnt: The Art Of War VIII. Modern Applications Of The Art Of War IX. Conclusion I. Introduction We have stoutly studied many aspects of leadership during the past few months throughout intense summarizations of texts and leaders. The goal of our studies is to focus on the features and portions of leadership and analyze historical and contemporary traits, strategies, and techniques that define it. The heart of our course was based on three appealing books and a variety of case studies. These three books will be further analyzed in this paper along with a case study. Also an attempt is made to apply these papers to the case study and show the theory and practice of leadership. II. Material Overview The books are “Leadership Without Easy Answers” by Ronald A. Heifetz. His book addresses more political rather than business leadership. He presents an examination into the formation and strategy of leadership and he does not discuss leadership in all its facets but it is a clear and instructive account of both the theory and practice of leadership. Then the second book is “On Leadership” by John W. Gardner. Gardner gives out a real view of leadership and he describes it on all levels that all people can relate to. He lays out the good and the bad things on leadership. The last book is called “Leadership and the Quest for Integrity” and is written by Joseph L. Badaracco and Richard R. Ellsworth. The synthesis of this book “will provide stimulus, insight, and vision even to the accomplished and successful executive.” It explains how certain prejudices can guide managers through the complex world in which they work. The case study presented is a great one. Sun Tzu’s, “The Art of War” is “a collection of precise instructions for military leaders on how to conduct war.” Written in China about two millennia ago, this book has influenced many military and political leaders all over the world. III. “Leadership Without Easy Answers” The first book is Leadership Without Easy Answers and is written by Ronald A. Heifetz. It deals with the key concepts of leadership. Leaders have certain common characteristics, which he exemplified throughout this book. He discusses the idea that disequilibrium within a society is an opportunity for an individual to assume a leadership role and strive towards equilibrium. The book recognizes that the realization of a vision is a pillar of leadership. Heifetz identifies the contrast between technical and adaptive leadership. Technical leadership requires rich, and dependency is appropriate; adaptive leadership requires choice, and dependency is inappropriate. Additionally, the concept of time management is applied to leadership. This concept is best identified with the clash of short term and long term solutions to a problem within a society. Heifetz examines the difference between formal authority and informal authority, badges with and without rank. He explores the advantages of informal authority, putting forth the idea of creative deviance - again referring to the lessons that may be learned from dissidents. Finally, Heifetz analyzes the risks posed to leaders, both physical and personal. He introduces the idea of “Standing on the Balcony,” which states that leaders need to gain perspective by standing both above the crowd as well as away from his or her self. One of the most important aspects of leadership is not participation, but observation and the ability to bring the problems of the people back to the people. IV. “On Leadership” John W. Gardner’s “On Leadership” is a book that was written throughout experience and knowledge. To emphasize Gardner’s experience, he has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civil honor in the United States. The book attempts to establish parameters and influences that have made leaders rise to fame or to go down in infamy. Specifically, Gardner focuses on factors that influence leadership in the United States. Through this concentrated examination, Gardner seeks to create the mold of a leader who can master the features of American society. Gardner immediately begins his task to explain successful leadership. Through his definition of leadership, he sets the tone for the entire book. Simply, he states that leadership is utilized in everyday actions; thus he is then able to state the many tasks associated with leadership in society. Gardner emphasizes that leadership and power are different, since power is the capacity that one uses to achieve those desirable actions, limiting the undesirable. Leaders do have power, since it is the means to achieve their ends, but all leaders use power to a different extent due to different environments and cultural considerations. Leaders are necessary to create order and increase productivity in a given organization, to bring together all common interests toward a common goal. Gardner might be able to support the early development of leaders but he does not rest on just that. He promotes the idea that leadership is a lifelong education of experience. He challenges individuals to find the potentials that will make them leaders within them. V. “Leadership And The Quest For Integrity” Moving into the final phase of the first part of this course the class finished its 3rd book by Badaracco and Ellsworth called Leadership and the Quest for Integrity. The Harvard Business School Press originally published the book in hardcover in 1989. It mainly focuses on the aspects of managerial leadership in businesses but can apply to all aspects of leadership. Badaracco and Ellsworth also present three leadership philosophies leaders may employ in their business tactics. These philosophies are the political philosophy, which recognizes self-interest and the pursuit of power as major driving forces. The gist of this philosophy is that a leader needs to be flexible in his goals and lead from behind the scenes. Next they talk about the directive approach and the importance of a leader who confronts problems instantly. The leader stands at the front of the pack and explains his vision; pushes the constituents to achieve his goal, even insensitively. The last philosophy is the value-driven approach and this is, according to the authors, the most effective one. This concentrates on the existence of values in leadership. Badaracco and Ellsworth identify many dilemmas, which face leaders and are issues during the vast majority of their decisions. These crucial dilemmas opposing the leader include: substance versus process, and confrontation versus compromise. This book takes the many necessary hardships that a true leader experiences with every decision that he or she makes in the story of life. VI. Sun Tzu’s, The Art Of War Sun Tzu lived during "The Spring and Autumn" period of China. This was the golden age of ancient China stretching between 722 B.C.E. to about 470 B.C.E. At the time, China was not a unified empire, but a group of small states divided into dozens of principalities. During this period most famous Chinese philosophers arose: Lao-Tzu, the author of the Tao Te Ching, Confucius, Motzi, and, though seldom recognized as such, Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu was a native of the Ch`i State. The surname "Sun" was bestowed on Sun Tzu's grandfather by Duke Ching of Ch`i (547-490 B.C.). Sun Tzu's father, Sun P`ing, rose to be a Minister of State in Ch`i, and Sun Tzu himself, whose style was Ch`ang-ch`ing, fled to Wu on account of a rebellion. He wrote the Art of War in thirteen chapters for Ho Lu, King of Wu and he were subsequently made a general by the king. He led an army westwards, crushed the State of Ch`u and entered Ying, the capital. In the north, he kept Ch`i and Chin in awe. This book was written around the 6th century B.C.E. at a time when recruiting and training an army from uneducated peasants was a great challenge for leaders of the day. Sun Tzu was able to do that and his type of leadership is considered by many a “cruel” leadership and has been debated by literary scholars for two thousand years now. It contains the oldest formalized concepts and principles of (conventional) war and military strategy. The Art of War is composed of thirteen chapters, ranging from nineteen to sixty-one statements each. In these chapters Sun Tzu introduces the concept of autonomy and sovereignty of the army Commander despite the King’s authority. Tzu introduces five “factors” which he calls fundamental and essential to war. The first one is moral influence and he means that which causes the people to be in “harmony with their leaders so that they will accompany them in life and unto death without fear of mortal peril.” His second factor is weather and that is the dealing of natural forces with the performance of military operations in accordance with the four seasons. After that he mentions the terrain and command factors. Terrain is the various distances that troops have to cover in China—from steep mountain ranges to arid deserts to flooded marshes. The command factor is the ability of the Commander and his qualities of courage, bravery, ethos, sincerity, morality, and discipline. The last factor he mentions is that of doctrine, the assignment of tasks to the officers and understandability of those tasks. Also the requirement of important assistance used by the army in the hands of porters, cooks, engineers, map makers, and weather forecasters. VII. Lessons Learnt: The Art Of War Sun Tzu’s lessons dealing with battle are still followed today because of their timeless wisdom. This work is required reading at most military academies and a copy can usually be found in the personal libraries of corporate CEO's as well as the board room. The book, Art of War reinforces today’s situational theory of leadership. Sun Tzu’s use of prejudices, acknowledges that many things a manager does must vary depending upon the situation, task, or strategic importance. “Management of many is the same as management of a few. It is a matter of organization.” Sun Tzu, like Badaracco and Ellsworth, affirms integrity and value driven leadership through shaping an army so its values and ideas make it a strong competitor. He creates a sense of pride and accomplishment within the army and that exemplifies one of the examples that Badaracco and Ellsworth talk about in the business world towards successful managerial leadership. “Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.” [1:20] “The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few.” [6:16] Tzu speaks of the principle of surprise and planning ahead on how to face events. In order to reach victory the actions to be taken remain secretive. The same principle goes for leadership and supported by Gardner with having a common goal but not sharing it with people. Once your purpose becomes known it also becomes more difficult. “Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.” [6:1] “Arriving early in the battlefield” can help a leader project the enemy’s position. By projecting the enemy position a leader can plan the attack and defeat the enemy. This applies to the business world by projecting the future. A smart manager will project the future and take certain risks according to up to date statistics and facts. It is also once again about planning ahead and believing in yourself as Gardner mentions. When one believes in one’s self he or she can accomplish anything, including leadership. By feeling good about themselves, leaders can become confident and pave his or her way towards successful leadership. VIII. Modern Applications Of The Art Of War Many books have been written since The Art of War was first written in order to guide and help businessmen. The basis of these books is the original text of the book. One of these books is Sun Tzu’s Art of War for Traders and Investors, written by Dean Lundell who has been on Wall Street for more than twenty-five years now. In this adaptation of Sun Tzu’s classic, Lundell applies the lessons to the art of investing - from designing a personal trading plan, to timing market moves, to gleaning data from a global information network. Other books are The Art of War & The Art of Sales, The Art of War & The Art of Marketing, and The Art of War & The Art of Management. Today’s business books of Sun Tzu help as a guide to success and are vital to any market leader. IX. Conclusion As we enter the world of leadership, the books that were studied were very beneficial as an initial study of leadership. Applying the case study of Sun Tzu to the books is very essential because of Sun Tzu’s timelessness. More significance can come from this classic when it is applied to modern theories and practices. Bibliography Badaracco Jr., Joseph L. and Ellsworth, Richard R. Leadership and the Quest for Integrity. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1989. Gardner, John W. On Leadership. New York: The Free Press, 1990. Heifetz, Ronald A. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1994. Shaw, Bernard. Classic Leadership Cases. Saint Joan. Hartwick Humanities in Management Institute, 1995 |