The Essence of Leadership and the Power of Networks: An Interview with Margaret Wheatley

Margaret Wheatley (MW): I would refer to the word essence, which in French alsomeans fuel. The question could be asked as, ‘‘What is the fuel in leadership?’’ The real fuel in leadership is understanding and believing in other people. I deŽne a good leader as someone who has great faith in people’s ability and who uses every opportunity to create the means for them to offer their creativity to the organization. The essence of leadership is to inspire people about their own competence and to create an atmosphere of ‘‘we can do that.’’ A good leader is foremost a good teacher—someone who believes in his or her students and helps them to realize their own potential. I do not believe that leaders can be heroes; it is an impossible task for anyone to Žgure out these days.