Leadership by the Book
By Ujima Donalson,
POD Manager
Connective Leadership: Managing in a Changing World by Jean Lipman-Blumen
Connective Leadership is a leader “must have.” Part One of the book takes a look at the origins and evolution of leadership and presents a compelling case for change. While these early chapters are interesting, I found the true meat to reside in Part Two, which presents the Connective Leadership Model (discussed below). Part Three of the book explores the results and implications of utilizing the Connective Leadership Model within organizations.
Lipman-Blumen advocates that radically new forms of leadership are required in this era. Her vision of connective leadership reflects a paradigm shift "from independence to interdependence, from control to connection, from competition to collaboration, from individual to group" and enables leaders to transform traditional leadership and "draw upon a broader spectrum of behaviors than they may be accustomed to."
The Connective Leadership Model is a conceptual tool that describes leadership behaviors in great detail. Lipman-Blumen explains that “the purpose of the model is to help us analyze leadership and specific leaders in terms of their underlying behavioral preferences, called achieving styles.” The model not only allows us to assess our own style but also to apply other articulated styles in hopes of becoming a connective leader. After this model is explored, several chapters examine and compare the various "achieving styles" in detail.
All in all, this book asks and answers the question of what connective leaders can add to organizations and what do we stand to gain or lose if we don’t shift leadership to suit the times. In addition, this book serves as a compelling reminder to thoughtfully engage with leadership strategies prior to applying them and to not simply fall back on what we think we know about leadership.
