Sociology

This article by Mort Meyerson is a prime example of an actual paradigm shift in leadership from one that is autocratic where power is centralized on the hands of the leader to one that is democratic where the leader shares power by involving his or her employees in the decision making. This kind of leadership is needed in the new organizational landscape and which is what Meyer describes in this article.

I am in agreement with Meyerson of the need for this kind of leadership in this new environment. Nowadays, in order for an organization or a company to be successful, it must not limit itself to creating profit and driving its people to work for profit because, it is true, that economic success is not the only end for which people work. Employees have lives beyond the four corners of the office and being rich does not guarantee satisfaction. As Meyer posed, employees do not have to be miserable in order to get rich. Being given a say in the policies being implemented in the company, employees can grow with the company which is a good thing as they are supposed the companys primary asset.

Meyersons position that one can be successful without punishing customers is also very commendable and is parallel with the values incorporated in democratic leadership. The article is a very good attestation of the results of this shift in leadership when applied to a company, in this case, to Perot Systems.  Respecting customers does not only guarantee one time profit, it leads to a longer and more productive relationship.

LEADERSHIP AND VISION IN DISASTERS WAKE
In this article, Rondinelli and Maniccia propose a plan for the rebuilding of the site of the World Trade Center citing the need of the leaders to see beyond the rubble of the destroyed WTC. The importance of vision in leadership was cited and which is very apt as in an event such as this one, it is easy to get drowned in hopelessness and pessimism. The article itself presents a vision of reestablishing the site as the countrys center for global commerce, trade and finance to the leaders who will take up the job of rehabilitation.

More important to my humble opinion than the infrastructure and technological plans presented in the paper is the need for the leaders to determine first what they envision of the WTC site after the rehabilitation. This vision will provide the blueprint of what needs to be done. In this case, the site is envisioned to be an incubator of technological innovation, a test bed for advanced transportation and infrastructure and a center for human resources. Whether, the leaders take up this vision or not, I think the underlying message of hope is clearly presented in the paper and which is vital to the rehabilitation.