Leadership on the Line by Martin Linsky—Chapter 1 Review: The Heart of Danger

The changes that we seek in our society, in our life is not easy to accept or get used to. People have their own habits, beliefs and responsibilities. Even though they can be bad ones, but it’s not easy to give up. There is fear inside their heart and mind. Fear of losing relations, money, freedom, civil rights and mostly losing stability from their life. They also could lose everything. These fears become more visible in the times of crisis, disaster and self-realization.

Changing the habits, values, and attitudes changes one’s personality. After all, this is what we are. With the change in our character our roles also changes.

The chapter covers a wide range of examples showing how society has always opposed changes even though they wanted it, fear became eminent. But eventually people (like Lois and Maggie, Sylvia) kept pushing the limits. They faced problems in family life and social life. they stood to their beliefs which was against the traditional ones. With time when people realized, these people became successful showing the quality that required being a leader.

Their approach was they faced the problems right away not turning their heads back and they communicated with people which Ecuador’s president Mahuad did not do. That is why he lost his popularity about 55% in less than a year during the time he was in power. As a mayor of a small town, he used to roam around and used to deal with the day to day problems jointly with people. But as a President he became more technical which created a distance between him and the mass.

It’s not always easy to find a solution and take decisions even if you are in a position of a leader. Because you need to go through that change first yourself. That’s why it took time for IBM to take the right decision. And to take the decision you need to sometimes go beyond your authority. That what leadership requires, and that’s what it really is.

It’s quite natural that the society and community resist changes. Cause changes create instability in lives. Even though people are in favor of the change, they fear the loss. There, the leadership will become handy, cause a true leader will make them go through that. The heart is full of danger and hope. Let the hope guide you through the danger.