The 7C Approach to Conceptualizing Administration: Executive Leadership in the 21st Century

The field of administration of organizations is huge. There are about 1.1 million 501©3 organizations in 2011 (Independent Sector). Each has a CEO, and other top administrators. Let’s assume an average of 4—which would generate 5.5 million Executive Leaders. On the operation level there are huge questions about how these individuals are recruited, trained and educated, paid, replaced and so on. Then there are questions about what, actually, should they DO? And on the conceptual level, there are questions about how we understand the thousands of pieces of writing—both popular and scholarly—about Administration and Executive Leadership. This editorial makes two overall points. One is that the taxonomic device discussed here— the 7Cs—is a good way to think about Executive Leadership and that vast literature. Second the word “Administration” is made up of two parts—Executiveship—the tactical/management part, and Leadership—the strategic/visioning and strategic. Further, as is perhaps evident from the previous definition—Executiveship and Leadership conflict with each other. Many of us are oriented more one way or the other and a few are nimble enough to do both, each when necessary. Let’s discuss each in turn.