A Force for Change: How Leadership Differs From Management
by John P. Kotter
(The Free Press, 1990)

In this report on his research findings, John P. Kotter explores characteristics of both management and leadership in the corporate world. He makes the case that skill sets for each are very different and that both are essential to sustained growth in complex organizations. The book's title, "A Force for Change," and several chapters devoted to various factors that "grow" effective leaders call for a focus on filling the reported gap in true leadership at the top of America's corporations.

The research on which this book is based is more than ten years old. There are newer resources that do a much better job of exploring the nature of change and leadership as a factor in long-term organizational effectiveness. The Dance of Change comes immediately to mind in this regard. Further, as Kotter himself admits in his preface, the material that explores various influences on developing leaders is speculative. Perhaps a chapter drawing our attention in a general way to the influences of heredity and childhood, career experiences and corporate culture would have been more useful than a separate chapter for each. And, just to get the criticism out of the way, Kotter speaks of the deep need for leadership at all levels of an organization, then uses mostly CEOs and top managers as illustrations.

In spite of these shortcomings, A Force for Change is a very useful tool for our deeper understanding of the difference between roles and abilities, organizational need and individual skills, talents and gifts. Chapters one and two use charts and case studies to lay out side-by-side job descriptions for managers and leaders. In the next five chapters, various aspects of leadership are explored in turn -- compared and contrasted with the corresponding management skill sets. The summary charts found throughout the book -- of management versus leadership contributions to organizational effectiveness -- are clear and concise. Kotter obviously understood their value as a teaching tool. They are presented together as a postscript following the text.

As we explore the nature of partnering in leadership, these at-a-glance highlights could be used to help our churches and pastors really see the value of gifts awareness. No one individual brings all the gifts and skills necessary for building up the body of Christ. Each makes unique and important contributions. It is only in linking our gifts and in responding appropriately to the needs of the communities we serve that we live fully in God's will. It takes administration and leadership, shepherding and service, clergy and laity working together to grow up into Christ, who is the head.

(originally posted August 2, 1999)

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