Leadershift

I’ve been reading Leadershift, new in paperback, by Emmanuel Gobillot (The Connected Leader). It’s one of those books, for me, where somebody puts expression to gut feelings and that intuitive straining after hunches you just struggle to find the words for: so I think it’s really good. I also hope it’s going to be really useful. Of course, Gobillot is speaking primarily into the corporate business communities, but there’s a huge amount of wisdom here for those with ears to hear from the Christian leadership community. I’ve scrawled all over the book, but at page 62 I put finger to macbook ……

‘as a new world of mass collaboration is upon us, leaders should stay well away from trying to act as architects and town planners attempting to redesign the communal landscape. Instead, their time will be better spent tending the gardens and renovating the houses to make the place attractive for people who want to move in.’

…. The trends indicate that the coordination of activities we have so far achieved through hierarchical means is not efficient and that the means through which we achieve coordination will need to change.

…. Does that mean that leadership is irrelevant? Are we going towards some anarchical, communal days where no one is in charge? The way we have led might be irrelevant, but this is not true of leadership altogether. We are living beyond the days of leadership.

All on p 62 of ‘Leadershift’ by Emmanuel Gobillot.

For those who realise we’re spending too much energy barking up the wrong tree I would heartily recommend Leadershift. I’m sure he’s not 100% accurate in his reflections and observation of current trends, but if he’s describing the changing landscape, which is influencing the vast majority, both inside and outside of the church, with even 51% accuracy (and I think it’s a lot higher), then it’s worth taking note of. If he’s right, then our future as leaders will be heavily impacted by the trends he describes. However, ‘good’ we feel we may have been, the skills demanded in the future will need to look very different.

You need to read the book.