Harry Gordon Selfridge understood the crucial difference between the two. A developer of the large London department store, Selfridge achieved success by being a leader rather than a boss. "The boss drives people," he said, "the leader coaches them. The boss depends upon authority; the leader, on goodwill. The boss says, ?I'; the leader, ?We.' The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how."
Here in our state, the Florida Chamber of Commerce has played a large role in developing leadership skills since it created Leadership Florida (www.leadershipflorida.org) in 1982 to build a sense of purpose and community statewide. Its annual training classes comprise 50 men and women who represent a cross section of Florida's geographic, ethnic and professional diversity. Every participant has a record of community involvement and professional accomplishment and a commitment to use their leadership abilities to move Florida forward. Similar successful programs at the city and regional level throughout Florida have sent many of their graduates on to the statewide program.
It's not surprising that a state as dynamic as ours would produce such a program. The diversity of ideas that washes in with each wave of new "Floridians" each year is a great source of this state's leadership and its strength. It also has created the need for strong leaders to pull together those diverse elements. Over an eight-month training schedule, the group travels four times to different Florida cities to expose the class to the economic, public policy and societal issues facing the state. The resulting discussions provoke the investigation and analysis that are key to developing solutions for present and future challenges.
I know first-hand the effectiveness of that training because I had the good fortune to be part of Class XI in 1992-93. The year after Hurricane Andrew swept through south Florida, my class visited some of the worst hit areas and spent a day laying sod in a neighborhood of rebuilt houses. There was no structure set up for our day's work. We were on our own to plan the work. There was no "boss." But it was the real leaders who stepped up to use their leadership skills to get the work accomplished. While everyone was in the spirit of the task and willing to get their hands dirty, it was the real leaders with the dirtiest hands at the end of the day - the same individuals who have the passion and commitment to help make great things happen in our state.
It is impressive that so many bright, talented and powerful people find it important enough to take large chunks of time out of their lives to learn more about the inner workings of Florida. It is an encouraging sign that so many believe in creating and fostering leadership skills.
Certainly one of the greatest responsibilities of successful people is their contribution as leaders. Here in our state, Leadership Florida is playing a central role in developing leaders for the future. And who will they be? No doubt about it: the ones who say, "Let's go!"