Oxford University's Said Business School staged a conference recently on "The Future of Leadership." A survey of Oxford MBA students found that a hefty majority of them thought that there was a major vacuum in leadership today. More than three-quarters (76%) said this was the case in politics and society generally and 82% thought it was the case in international relations. Interestingly, business emerged as having stronger leadership, with 41% identifying it as having a leadership vacuum. One explanation advanced for this was that business rewards good leadership far better than other fields.
The consensus of the conference was that good leaders needed to have moral courage; they needed to be prepared to take risks; and they needed passion.
It may be the case that political parties should encourage and help some of their bright young things learn about leadership. The unseemly haggling that has gone on in the U.K. in recent days as the three main parties tried to cobble together a coalition has not shown political leadership at its finest. With the public already disenchanted with politicians, perceptions will not have been enhanced by the horse-trading that has taken place in the quest for power.
Now, however, the country has a new prime minister in David Cameron. He faces a looming financial crisis on a frightening scale. This is a true test of leadership. Unless he moves hard and fast against the deficit, the markets will pass a very early judgment on his leadership and it will not be flattering. It will also be irreparable.
For more, see - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704250104575238141095433182.html?mod=WSJEUROPE_hpp_MIDDLETopStories
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