Pegasus: Dee Hock Keynote LO10876

jpomo@gate.net ("jpomo@gate.net")
Wed, 6 Nov 1996 11:42:43 +0000

Replying to LO10869 --

Ginger Shafer asked

> Can we indeed be led or be leaders if we're not capable of
> self-discipline, able to lead ourselves?

As to whether people can be led if they're not capable of self-discipline,
we believe and have demonstrated in the workplace that this type of person
is most often externally directed, not internally directed. As such, they
are followers (conformists) who do what they think they are expected to
do. They do this by extracting the value standards reflected in what they
experience and using these as their guides to action. So these people are
being led by what they experience and bosses can manage these experiences
in order to lead these people in the direction desired. Most often, bosses
aren't aware of this process and fail to take advantage of it.

As to whether a person who is not self-disciplined can lead others, if
they are in a position of authority what they do has a considerable
leadership impact on subordinates who are followers (there being degrees
of followership). Without self-discipline, their leads will not often be
positive unless this person's boss influences them to lead in a positive
direction. Left to their own devices, people without self-discipline will
tend to lead in negative or dysfunctional directions.

Regards, Joan

Joan Pomo The Finest Tools for Managing People
Simonton Associates Based on the book
jpomo@gate.net "How to Unleash the Power of People"
About the book go to http://pages.prodigy.com/DMHD39A (use caps)

-- 

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