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RE: Good Leadership is Hard to Find
Expertise–what leaders know–is key for gaining approval and respect from followers and subordinates. Leaders without expertise are perceived as incompetent.
At the same time, expertise alone does not ensure that the right decisions are made. Leadership involves making decisions under uncertainty, so expertise is often less useful than experience, emotional intelligence, and intuition.
Also, since most real-world problems don’t have a clear-cut solution, leaders’ ability to persuade subordinates and followers that their decisions are right are as important as their actual decisions. It is for these two reasons that so many technical experts have very little potential for leadership.
I agree with you about leaders needing to have expertise. I certainly did not mean to imply that it was not necessary. If we are tying slip knots and I don't know the difference between a square knot and a figure 8, I can potentially lose the respect of my subordinates. So over time, I would at least have to acquire a working knowledge. Great comment. Thanks for sharing. Take care,