“Sally Morgenthaler writes in the newest edition of CatalystSpace: What is leadership in an age of unprecedented connectedness? When information is as accessible as the iPhone in your back pocket? When the world no longer needs data brokers, when the word authority inspires only suspicion and revolt, and when business, political, and religious icons are deconstructed at the click of a mouse button what does it really mean to be in charge of anything?
Nothing. Because, in the new and increasingly flattened world, being in charge is an illusion. Being in charge only worked (and marginally so) in a world of slow change; in a predictable universe where information (and thus, power) is ensconced in the hands of a few. But that world is gone. With the rise of the individual (the power of one) and the rise of the tribe (the power of one connected), all bets are off. From the grassroots morph of groups like Al Qaeda to fragmenting retail markets to the small enterprise explosion in India and China, we see the old world of big and powerful unraveling.
Still, we hang on to our illusions.’ We retreat into the old story:’ leadership as domination and control.’ We try to deny that human beings are simply wired to push back.’ And now, we have an unprecedented ability to do so. Now, eighty-year old Uncle Harold can post his very own book review on Amazon.com.’ Twelve-year-old Jessica can organize a local rally for her favorite presidential candidate.’ Its a YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook, blogging world. We have broken the anonymity barrier.’ I speak. Therefore, I exist.”
Continue this fascinating here here at CatalystSpace…
(Via Clippings)