Who Are America's Exceptional Leaders According to Harvard's 2006 Study?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on a 2006 study by Harvard's Center for Public Leadership that profiles 25 leaders deemed exceptional in America. Participants explore the criteria for leadership, the diversity of leadership styles, and comparisons with other rankings, such as Time magazine's list of U.S. Senators.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes the variety in leadership styles among the profiled leaders, highlighting collaboration, listening, and active management as key traits.
  • Another participant expresses concern about the representation of company executives on the list, suggesting a potential bias towards corporate leadership.
  • A participant shares a personal opinion about their Senator, Wayne Allard, criticizing his effectiveness and contrasting him with the leaders on the Harvard list.
  • Links to both the Harvard leadership list and Time magazine's rankings of Senators are provided for further exploration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the composition of the Harvard leadership list, particularly regarding the presence of company executives. There is also a clear disagreement regarding the effectiveness of certain Senators, with some participants expressing dissatisfaction with specific individuals.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not delve into the specific criteria used for selecting leaders in the Harvard study or the methodology behind the Time magazine rankings, leaving these aspects open to interpretation.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in leadership studies, political analysis, and comparisons of public figures may find this discussion relevant.

Astronuc
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Leadership, as the public tells the pollsters, is in disappointingly short supply. So the 25 people profiled in the following pages are a heartening exception to the rule. " America's Best Leaders " are an accomplished group selected by an independent committee of judges assembled by the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Some leaders are famous names; others, while giants in their fields, may be introduced to readers for the first time. Their leadership styles are as varied as the organizations they manage. EBay's Meg Whitman succeeds with collaboration, while the University of Miami's Donna Shalala leads by listening. C-SPAN's Brian Lamb runs his shop by " walking around. " But what they all share is a clearly articulated vision, measurable results, and, in the words of one management guru, Big Hairy Audacious Goals. We hope that their examples will prove instructional for future leaders and to all others who strive to innovate, motivate, and inspire.
Very interesting!

See the list. Do you agree?
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/leadership/usnews/index.html

Time magazine also did a survey of the top or best Senators.
 
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Too many company executives on the list.
 
Astronuc said:
Very interesting!

See the list. Do you agree?
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/leadership/usnews/index.html

Time magazine also did a survey of the top or best Senators.
My Senator, Wayne Allard made Time's list - unfortunately as one of the worst. :frown: He does almost nothing; probably doesn't even study the bills initiated by others very thoroughly. His only asset (for Republicans at least) is that he is an extremely dependable Republican vote for every issue in Congress. He's even one of the nine Senators that voted to torture detainees.
 
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America's
Best Senators
Those who do, and don't, make a difference in the U.S. Senate
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1184028,00.html

The 10 Best Senators
Thad Cochran
Kent Conrad
Dick Durbin
Ted Kennedy
Jon Kyl
Carl Levin
Richard Lugar
John McCain
Olympia J. Snowe
Arlen Specter​

The 5 Worst Senators
Daniel Akaka
Wayne Allard
Jim Bunning
Conrad Burns
Mark Dayton​