Posted on Jul 1, 2015
Do you agree or disagree that Leadership is a Relationship?
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Hey there Leaders on RP what are your comments and thoughts about this article?
I believe there are some valid points! Agree or disagree?
Leadership – A Relationship
By Nicole Lewin
There are born leaders and made leaders, but made leaders are more effective. What makes a made leader strong is that, he treats leadership as a relationship. For me, I see leadership as a way to develop camaraderie between the leader and his constituents. If you wish to know more about good and efficient relationships in leadership, then you should continue to read my article.
A lot of people might say that the existing relationship between the leader and his followers is vertical, where the leader is on the top of his constituents. For me, I beg to disagree, since leadership for me is another form of companionship, wherein their relationship is horizontal. The leader equals his followers, while his followers equal the leader. No one is lower than the other.
I would quote what Nelson Mandela had said in a magazine. In there, he said that a leader is someone who would place himself in front for others to follow. In turn, he knows how to place himself at the back to create future leaders. In such statements released by Mandela, I tend to slightly disagree with him, in a way that I look leadership as companionship.
How does leadership convert into companionship? Through companionship, you build bonds of friendship, wherein we become stronger. In leadership, the same thing happens. The leader becomes more empowered while his followers become mightier, in a sense that this relationship of leadership will expose them through the thick and thin of friendship. The power of people.
Now, imagine a world where everyone is friends with. It would had been such a good idea if it will stem through the leadership relationships of every country.
I believe there are some valid points! Agree or disagree?
Leadership – A Relationship
By Nicole Lewin
There are born leaders and made leaders, but made leaders are more effective. What makes a made leader strong is that, he treats leadership as a relationship. For me, I see leadership as a way to develop camaraderie between the leader and his constituents. If you wish to know more about good and efficient relationships in leadership, then you should continue to read my article.
A lot of people might say that the existing relationship between the leader and his followers is vertical, where the leader is on the top of his constituents. For me, I beg to disagree, since leadership for me is another form of companionship, wherein their relationship is horizontal. The leader equals his followers, while his followers equal the leader. No one is lower than the other.
I would quote what Nelson Mandela had said in a magazine. In there, he said that a leader is someone who would place himself in front for others to follow. In turn, he knows how to place himself at the back to create future leaders. In such statements released by Mandela, I tend to slightly disagree with him, in a way that I look leadership as companionship.
How does leadership convert into companionship? Through companionship, you build bonds of friendship, wherein we become stronger. In leadership, the same thing happens. The leader becomes more empowered while his followers become mightier, in a sense that this relationship of leadership will expose them through the thick and thin of friendship. The power of people.
Now, imagine a world where everyone is friends with. It would had been such a good idea if it will stem through the leadership relationships of every country.
Posted in these groups: 
Leadership
Leadership Development
Military Career
Personal Development
Relationships
Leadership Leadership Development Military Career Personal Development Relationships
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 155
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I see where the author is trying to go with this, but I think she fails to understand what leadership is.
Leadership has elements of Ownership. Think back to the first General Order of a Sentry:
"I will take charge of this post, and all government property in view."
This is not only an order, but a philosophy. "Ownership" is Responsibility. It means no longer passing the buck. For a Leader, there is a relationship, but it is one of Trust. We are Trusted with possession of those in our Charge. Those of us TAKE Charge, do so at our own peril as well. We do so because we believe we are best suited for the task.
There are elements of companionship to this, but we cannot mistake comradery for friendship, while in charge. The burden of decision can lose friends. A leader must make decisions that a group either cannot, or is unwilling to. Leaders exist as a matter of necessity. Nothing is solved by committee.
This is not to say the other doesn't have a good concept, but she misses a fundamental, in that a leader cannot be "equal." You must have a Captain on the Team. You must have an Arthur at the Round Table. You must have a CEO for the Board of Directors. That person can elevate his subordinate. Can mentor, and raise them, to the point of eventually replacing him, which is how our structure is designed in the military, but... they are not equals.
Leadership has elements of Ownership. Think back to the first General Order of a Sentry:
"I will take charge of this post, and all government property in view."
This is not only an order, but a philosophy. "Ownership" is Responsibility. It means no longer passing the buck. For a Leader, there is a relationship, but it is one of Trust. We are Trusted with possession of those in our Charge. Those of us TAKE Charge, do so at our own peril as well. We do so because we believe we are best suited for the task.
There are elements of companionship to this, but we cannot mistake comradery for friendship, while in charge. The burden of decision can lose friends. A leader must make decisions that a group either cannot, or is unwilling to. Leaders exist as a matter of necessity. Nothing is solved by committee.
This is not to say the other doesn't have a good concept, but she misses a fundamental, in that a leader cannot be "equal." You must have a Captain on the Team. You must have an Arthur at the Round Table. You must have a CEO for the Board of Directors. That person can elevate his subordinate. Can mentor, and raise them, to the point of eventually replacing him, which is how our structure is designed in the military, but... they are not equals.
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Sgt Martin Querin
MSgt Jeff Greene - I agree MSgt, but the critical flaw is her emphasis on "equal". Eventually there will be conflict otherwise you are not doing anything important. In resolving conflict there must be some form of "the buck stops here". That creates a natural inequality. Nothing difficult, and important and strategic things are generally difficult, gets done where it is all being delegated to a committee of true equals. There needs to be an openness that allows discussion and sharing of information without judgment; but in the end someone needs to say, "we're doing this". That is where her model as described above falls short. How would you have responded if one of your privates simply said, no and refused a direct order based on the perception that you were his equal? If that is not allowed, then "equality" is just a buzz word to make people feel better about themselves...and that is exactly the culture we live in.
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Kathlean Keesler
MSgt Jeff Greene - the last line of your fine contribution speaks volumes, thank you.
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Leadership is a Marriage with Trust and make twins called productivity and morality. I believe leadership is more that a relationship it's an institution.
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SSG Melvin Nulph
The two of you SSG Wingfield & COL Burroughs have summed it up. I would change productivity with responsibility only because I feel it is one reason we (as in the military) produced the leaders that have been able to lead our members to get the positive results we have to date.
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Agree! You better be a damn good leader if I'm gonna jump off the life bridge with you! Leadership in war time is the same as if you were in accident! If your injured and support your neck with my hands I just made a marital commitment to make sure you don't die of a possible neck injury. But you have to trust I know what I'm doing till a proper c-spine can replace me.
I want to know someone has more then just my 6! Cause I don't shorten where I stand.
I want to know someone has more then just my 6! Cause I don't shorten where I stand.
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