Quote: Machiavelli On Change
Source: Wikimedia Commons
“And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”
- Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 – 1527), The Prince, Chapter 4
Machiavelli wrote classic books for the ruler an the practical (some would say cynical) side of leadership. The most well known is The Prince, which was written as a guide the the heads of various small city states which made up Italy during this period.
It’s worth scanning. For example, Chapter 23, is titled, “How to Avoid Flatterers.” It mentions, “A wise prince ought to hold a third course by choosing the wise men in his state, and giving to them only the liberty of speaking the truth. . .” However, most of us would no doubt reflect sadly, that we, unlike the Prince, have friends who just tell us what we want to hear. And because they tell use what we want to hear, we remain ignorant of the true nature of things.
—Murray Johannsen
Lessons From Rock Climbing
A hill or mountain is often a metaphor for a problem or obstacle that must be overcome.
You might ask, what does rock climbing have to do with transformational leadership success? Quite a lot it turns out.
It turns out that the rules defining success in one endeavor, can be used in other. In this case, the heuristics that work in a sport also work in leadership. A heuristic is just a fancy word for a rule of thumb–in this a a fuzzy rule that works most of the time but not all of the time. And it works in many situations or not all. So it is not like a scientific law, a formula or an algorithm.
For example, we have all heard metaphors saying you must, “Climb to the top,” and “Work your way up.” This video really describes a set of rules for getting from here to there.
Access the Video
Copyright © 2009 by Murray Johannsen
The Leader’s View of Uncertainty
“The most important thing is the troops have to understand where they are going. People don’t like change, but they can deal with change. They can’t handle uncertainty. I think it is the job of leaders to eliminate uncertainty.” — Colin Powell
A Classic Book on Transformational Leadership
Transformational Leadership, 2nd Edition
by Bernard M. Bass, Ronald E. Riggio
This is a book written from the academic side of view–strong on theory and strong on research. Bass, has developed a very strong reputation as an expert in the area of transformational leadership. You will see his name mentioned from time to time in a number of different blogs and journals.
