The contemporary society stands at a crossroads where the need for transformative leaders is more evident than ever. During one of the MAU Talks at the Millennia Atlantic UniversitySchool of Business in Doral, the renowned academic and professional, Julio Cesar Henriquez Toro, addressed this pivotal topic. Below is a detailed review of his presentation.
Strategic Leadership and the Challenges of Modern Society
By Julio Cesar Henriquez Toro
Speaker’s Profile: A Glimpse into Julio Cesar Henriquez Toro’s Journey
Julio Cesar Henriquez Toro is not just a lawyer and Doctor in Political Sciences but also a passionate advocate for education and social development. With nearly two decades of experience in the legal field, Henriquez Toro has held prestigious positions, including leading the Doctorate in Legal and Political Sciences at the Simón Bolívar University of Barranquilla. Moreover, his commitment to society has made him an influential voice in the media, leading television programs like “The Thermometer” on CTV Barranquilla.
Unraveling the Concept of Leadership
Leadership, according to Henriquez Toro, is a term that has evolved over time. While some definitions focus on the ability to guide and control others, in the contemporary era, leadership has transformed into a communication process aiming to influence and steer a group towards specific goals.
Diversity in Leadership Styles
Throughout history, various theories and types of leadership have emerged. Max Weber, for instance, identified charismatic, traditional, and legal leaders. However, Henriquez Toro introduces more contemporary concepts like “telegraphic leadership” and “Fratti’s leadership,” reflecting the digital age’s influence on how leadership is exercised and perceived.
Consistency in Strategic Leadership
One of Henriquez Toro’s central points in his talk is the significance of consistency in leadership. In a world where negative values often take center stage, a strategic leader must be a beacon of integrity and authenticity. Consistency between thought, word, and action is vital to earn the trust and respect of those being led.
Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Leadership
Today’s society presents unique challenges that demand leaders with a clear vision and unparalleled adaptability. These leaders, as per Henriquez Toro, should inspire, communicate effectively, and above all, act with integrity. Additionally, they should be adept at surrounding themselves with competent teams, delegating responsibilities, and fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented environment.
Julio Cesar Henriquez Toro’s talk at the MAU School of Business was a deep dive into the intricacies of leadership in the modern age. He emphasized the importance of consistency, communication, and the ability to influence positively. In a world where negative values often overshadow the positive, strategic leaders must rise above and lead with integrity, authenticity, and a clear vision. Henriquez Toro’s insights serve as a valuable guide for aspiring leaders and those already in leadership roles, reminding them of their responsibilities and the impact they can have on society.
MAU Talk Transcript: Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Leadership by Julio Cesar Henriquez Toro
“Good morning. It’s truly a pleasure to be here with you. We will discuss a topic that touches the core. It touches the core because today’s society eagerly awaits transformative leaders. Today, we will specifically address strategic leadership. The first question we must ask ourselves is: what is leadership? I found three definitions that I’d like to share with you because they seem clear and straightforward.
The Behavioral Sciences Dictionary defines leadership as the personality qualities and capacity that favor guiding and controlling other individuals. This definition, as its name suggests, focuses on guiding and controlling other individuals. From this perspective, the leader seeks to control, guide, lead, direct, and enhance personality traits.
On the other hand, the Spanish language dictionary defines leadership as direction or leadership. Does this imply that the leader has a commanding voice? It’s the one who instructs, orders, and directs, and it also defines it as the main figure of a political party, a social group, and generally any collective.
Nowadays, the term “politics” applies to many areas. In this institution, for example, there’s an educational policy. In your company, there might be a data treatment policy. In society, there are environmental policies, traffic policies, family policies, among others. Politics is no longer solely associated with decision-making in the community. Some researchers suggest that each individual has their personal politics, based on the criteria with which they choose and decide.
Considering another perspective, some define leadership as the process of directing the activities of group members. And here appears a term that changes everything: influence. A person with a personality that exercises guidance and control is very different from someone who exerts influence. Influence is distinct from command, direction, and leadership.
So, which criterion do we stick with? I came to a conclusion without being eclectic. Going back to poetry, thank you very much. Eclectics were those who took the best concepts from all theories and opted for a simplistic form. I don’t consider myself eclectic, but I propose the following definition: Leadership is a set of qualities, abilities, and aptitudes that a person possesses, allowing them to influence, guide, direct, lead, orient, and determine through a communication process.
I added the term “communication process” to refer to interaction with members of a social group or organization to achieve proposed objectives or goals. Therefore, leadership is a communication process. Since ancient Greece, communication was essential in rhetoric, oratory, and argumentation because this dialogic process allowed leaders to influence, guide, and direct. If a leader doesn’t have a plan or objective or doesn’t know where they want to lead, everything will be improvisation. Although improvising shows skill, it always carries a risk. The strategic leader knows how to communicate, sets clear objectives and goals. The best way to persuade and influence is to have communication skills.
You don’t need to be a philosopher, poet, or skilled orator. A simple message, if expressed clearly and with objectives, will probably influence. I’m drawn to Max Weber’s leadership theory, who said there are three types of leaders: charismatic, traditional, and legal. The great challenge we face as a society is coherence, which is the congruence between what one thinks, says, and does. In a society where negative values predominate, there are often discrepancies between these three aspects.
The challenge for those in leadership is to maintain coherence and motivation. That’s the great challenge of strategic leadership. And here we do talk about values because the great challenge of strategic leadership lies in them. The lack of leadership is a symptom of modern society’s moral crisis.
Consider this phrase: “Everyone wants to be leaders to stand out, not to transcend.” Transcendence comes from spiritual positions. To transcend is to change nature and reach a higher state of life. The leader must have the ability to transcend, not to feed their ego or gain fame and prestige.
If that’s the objective of this conference, I will respect people who teach that, but I believe that strategic leadership has another purpose. It’s not merely presenting the leader as a superhero. The best leader is the one who knows how to share responsibilities, knows how to delegate, and enhances the talent and ability of their work teams. The leader is not just a coach.
A good leader is someone capable of teaching, sharing, and preaching through example. “Mediocrity prevails over ability.” This phrase is potent, but we’ve all said it at some point, especially when we see someone we consider less capable in a leadership position, and we think, “How is it possible that they put him in charge, and we have to do the work?”
Now, the boss doesn’t have to know everything. The leader doesn’t either. The leader knows how to surround themselves with competent people. The leader knows how to delegate. The leader knows how to share. The leader knows how to enhance the talent and ability of their work teams. The leader knows how to motivate. The leader knows how to inspire. The leader knows how to communicate. The leader knows how to set goals and objectives. The leader knows how to influence. The leader knows how to guide. The leader knows how to direct. The leader knows how to lead. The leader knows how to orient. The leader knows how to determine.
Thank you very much.”
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