The Powers to Lead : Kepemimpinan Lembut nan Cerdik

Along with terpilihnya Barack Obama as U.S. president, people expect to change the very style of leadership in the White House which in turn could affect the future situation of the world. Leadership style of the U.S. neo-conservative like George W. Bush Jr.. for this to make sure more people continue to perish from the U.S. hit. Even if you can hit, it will only enjoyed a few people around Bush. Meanwhile, due to Bush policies that have hands of iron, has been making a lot of people miserable. Therefore, Obama slogan that says "Change, we believe in" is indeed the entrance to reorganize the style of leadership at this time although many people also began to doubt that the slogan is, to be practiced in the middle of the siege, neo-conservative. They know this is not a leader, they only know the authorities.

Leader because he is not ruler of birth control is not only want, but was born leaders to guide people towards peace and prosperity. Leaders who only want to memakmurkan people with all kinds of ways, including how the violence Permitted, clearly will bring disaster. As appear in some years, this leadership when U.S. President George W. Bush, who show more violence to the field of oil fields in the area of Central Asia and the Middle East. Bush prefers way exploit the tragedy of 11 September 2001, rather than using the loopy pattern berdiplomasi. This kind of leadership in contrast with the presidency of Bill Clinton, who tends to the ways of culture and diplomacy.

This book is a continuation of government science professor JFK School of Government of Harvard University, Joseph Nye. Nye previous paper titled "Soft Power''(2004) attract attention because reopen the discourse of power that have perlekatan with the history of mankind. Leadership in the history of mankind is a matter of style and character. Style of leadership is always the hard way fast, rough, and often brutal. Conversely, softer style of leadership are able to approach and influence. Nye explicitly distinguish between the two styles of leadership as well as the impact that can ditimbulkannya. For Nye, this leadership style tends destruktif. Strong leadership style (hardpower) that can run quickly and force, as are the dictator in history and political power of the human race.

Of course, achieve and maintain power to the way of violence is not the only way for a potential leader or leaders who want to continue in power. Instead, with the soft power can also be. Road soft power diplomacy on this form, dialogue or negotiations. Important factor in this softer style of leadership is the influence of the objects of power. If the object is a community, a leader with the style softpower would prefer peaceful means in solving various problems.

Peaceful means such as negotiations between the interpreter runding-RI and GAM in August 2005 until this far proven successful in the land of fire muffled rencong it. Indeed, there are some who rate the negotiations showed that the weakness of the negotiator, but indeed the effectiveness of negotiations that the most important.

Whether accidental or not, Nye's first book was published a year before the Helsinki agreement in August 2005 that the violence between RI versus GAM. Even though not directly associated with the agreement that, clearly envisaged a new direction of the world at this time when the parties want to resolve disputes not only a zero sum game, but all eligible parties dispute have the power to win or win-win solution.

Nye successfully read the signs of the times that this violence is not the only mode to control an object. According to him, softness required in processes of settlement of problems between the parties, especially to reach the peak of leadership. In addition to how soft is needed, plus also a canny way without violence necessary for a leader. Softness in the leadership shows wisdom solve the problem. Soft style of leadership is such that it would start plural found in forums across the country or when the leaders of each country met to discuss a global problem other.

Nye on the historical argument, that the history of mankind shows that the leader is always the best use of violence is very expensive and could siphon resources soundly. The leaders of the world who use violence to achieve power while keeping the cost issue must be proven large. Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Stalin (Russia), and other leaders need to exhaust ruffianly cost countries extraordinary large to continue to create fear, terror, and the total loyalty of his people. The dictator was only thinking about how to effectively use violence to maintain power. They created the authoritarian style of leadership that menghalalkan for violence in the name of national stability. Even if the practice should be to suit political opponents, the submission and often political opponents of the dictator is due to appear afraid or pasrah. Not participate due to feeling under a joint leadership.

Presumably, has continued the theme of leadership menghangat in line with the socio-political development in the country. When the 2009 elections close at the same time start to appear for an alternative presidential candidate. Therefore, more and more leadership training that is required by a prospective leader, other than broad audience outside the field of governance and politics. Businesses and other non-political interest is also visible, especially to the establishment of the characters is a leader shaping attitudes. Exercise is structured properly, can be expected in a sustainable manner to build leadership in specific areas. However, write Nye, many experts who think that authentic leadership is natural. Ancient history has shown it. The leader is a figure born, not through the established practice. Born by the community leaders, was not made by training community. However, Nye tend to agree with the leadership in the training said that in the modern world leaders that was formed, not born.

According to Nye, the leadership is the art, not science. Therefore, art is a direct embodiment of the depth of feeling, not only the logic of power. In the practice of leadership, not only led the art comes from those who are in the top of the government, but the company's CEO also often contribute to the pattern of leadership that is eligible for review (hlm. 74). Leadership that is rigid on the standard protocol now be re-reviewed. Such leadership has been evident dismiss the leaders of those who are led. Feedback mechanism in the top-down relationship that is input from the workers to their superiors can be an example for the governance of participatory.

Canny leadership with feedback mechanism right, can replace the style of leadership that is based on hard power (hard power) or to the power of software (soft power). No longer required intimidation, threats or install sangar advance only to maintain power, but simply shows the sincere feeling of empathy, sympathy and dialogue attitude emansipatoris. Thus, a leader can penetrate nature of thought and feeling that they led. This process not only be feasible when the power will be achieved, but while the peak power of a leader must also do so if he would conquer "the hearts and minds" (heart and mind) that dipimpinnya. Nye is in the process tersulit because this is often not aware of the leader if he has been using hard power, not the software.

Book title: The Powers to Lead
Author: Joseph S. Nye Jr.
Publisher: Oxford University Press, UK
Printed: I, October 2008
Thickness: 226 pages

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