My generation is faced with great challenges, but also great opportunities. How many role models within the business world do we really have to look up to? If we want a role model who is filthy rich by doing the wrong thing then there are plenty, but the students graduating college and high school right now are beginning to realize it now takes more than the minimal effort to succeed in life. Instead of having a bucketful off honest, hardworking executives to follow, we are looking at that bucket and seeing all the things not to do.

The news keeps telling us again and again we will be the ones paying for what is going on now. How are we going to react to this? Are we going to be like the ones that came before us and steal and weasel our way to be able to buy that fancy new BMW? That's not the way this country thrives. My generation needs to reevaluate the values of what was, and create values of what can be.

We all need to stand up and be leaders. "The Leadership Challenge" talks about challenging the process. How can we improve the lives of the next generation if we keep doing what's been done before? New ideas, new people, and new creativity need to come from our generation.

To be a great leader, I believe a person needs to be a leader in their own life. Not in a general sense that they are always a leader in every situation they are in, but more relative to their successes. Although I do not have hard facts to back this up, I would believe a president of a company that is only the president because his/her father created the company would not be as driven and as good of a leader as a president who worked their way from the bottom. I have learned that it is very important to run your life as if it were a corporation. You need to have clear goals, and always be striving to achieve those goals.

In these times when a whole country's economy can be shaken up by a few greedy, dishonest people, it is also very important to remember that honest and dependability are two of the greatest characteristics a leader can have. These traits help a leader not just succeed in business but also in life. How many times have you heard of a lying, irresponsible person lead a company to high revenues? Alright, I guess its been in the news a lot lately, but how many times have you heard of a lying, irresponsible person lead a company to high revenues, and not get caught! Although I'm sure there are still some out there, I believe honest, reliable people will always come though on top in the end. To be a great leader, honesty and reliability should start with their personal life, and extend through all aspects of their life.

Steps to Becoming a Leader
By Carrie Lanoue

1. Find a group of people with a problem.
2. Rationalize the problem.
3. Determine a solution to the problem.
4. Assure the group of people that YOU are the right person to help them solve their problem.
(This stage will take quiet a bit more than a smooth talker. The leader must be caring for the group of people he/she wants to lead. The leader must also show some expertise in the area the problem is in, or the followers will not follow the leader.)
5. Put your plan into action.
6. Fulfill all the promises you made.



No, I don't believe leadership is as simple as a 6 step process. If it were I would not have to be taking CSR 309. But I've been asked about 600 times by Professor Feinberg "what is leadership," and I've been thinking about it a whole lot. So this is my pre-course, rough sketch of leadership. Well see how differently I see the topic in a few months.