Leading from Any Chair: Empowering Those We Lead to Realize their Full Potential and to Become Leaders Themselves

By: Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

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Synopsis: A monumental question for leaders in any organization to consider is: How much greatness are we willing to grant people? Because it makes all the difference at every level who it is we decide we are leading. The activity of leadership is not limited to conductors, presidents, and CEOs, of course--the player who energizes the orchestra by communicating his newfound appreciation for the tasks of the conductor, or a parent who fashions in her own mind that her children desire to contribute, is exercising leadership of the most profound kind. Enabling this kind of engagement from the people we lead, encouraging them to perform to their fullest potential, is described in this chapter as the ability to lead from any chair. The authors provide several examples of what this looks like in practice and remind us that leaders can be found anywhere--not just on podiums or in corner offices--if we embrace this idea. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 5 of "The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life."