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  • Leader to Leader

Look 'Outside the Building' for the Future of Leadership

By: Rosabeth M. Kanter
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Abstract

The author discusses what she terms “outside the building” issues, such as climate change, pandemics, and racial/gender justice. These complex issues are “beyond the boundaries of single organizations.” As she writes, “I call this new leadership for the future ’advanced’ leadership, because of its broader scope and, at the same time, more limited formal power, which challenges leaders more than an official mandate does.” She references former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, the late leadership author Warren Bennis, and the academics Robert Putnam (famous for his book Bowling Alone), Sherry Turkle, and others. The author observes that “Innovation and change can’t follow a fixed script. The work is more like improvisational theater, which takes shape in response to observer feedback.” While it may seem that society is hopelessly divided and gridlocked, there are hopeful signs: “When more people flex their leadership muscles and find the courage to take on big problems, they exude the optimism of activism. That positive energy can be contagious and can unite us in new ways. By undertaking the daunting, yet meaningful, task of making a difference in the world, advanced leaders can transform the lives of many people—including the leaders themselves.”

Keywords

Change Leadership; Advanced Leadership; Innovation; Complex Systems; Impact; Leadership; Change; Leading Change; Innovation Leadership

Citation

Kanter, Rosabeth M. "Look 'Outside the Building' for the Future of Leadership." Leader to Leader 100 (Spring 2021): 31–34.
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About The Author

Rosabeth M. Kanter

General Management
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  • Finally Companies Have to Be Upfront about Job Pay Ranges By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter
  • Colette Phillips and GetKonnected!: Creating Inclusive Ecosystems By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Amy Chiu and Joyce Kim
  • What Top Executives Can Learn from Junior Employees By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter
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