[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Leading Quietly in the 21st Century
“Leading Quietly” is not a book that promotes the pompous prominence of those our culture labels as its leaders. It is not about celebrity, fame or vainglory. It is about the "small and obscure" actions done by ordinary people who make the world work. Badaracco has written this book after four years of research and discovery that the quiet leaders are those whose patience, restraint and modesty are in a great part responsible for impressive achievements. He defines "leading quietly" as those individuals who maintain a low profile, and inconspicuously do what is right for themselves and their organizations without fatalities.
Good workers are those who are honest with themselves about how well they truly understand a situation and how much control they really possess. They don't kid themselves or deny reality. Effective workers learn to trust their mixed motives. They accept their motives to be confused and mixed, and they use this ambiguity to solve problems or create compromises. Successful leaders often play games or create stall tactics to gain enough time to ponder difficult situations and think things through. They understand the value of buying a little time when necessary. Wise workers build "political capital" and use it wisely. They cautiously borrow on this capital when proceeding in an uncertain environment or situation. Quiet leaders gather the details of complex problems. They take the time to "drill down" through the quagmire of bureaucratic, legal or technical details to discover a good solution. The quiet worker also seeks creative compromises as a responsible and practical goal of the responsible leader.
There are many memorable points of view, but perhaps the one that sticks most in my mind is that quiet leaders possess three very unglamorous virtues: restraint, modesty, and tenacity. "Each of these is a habit of mind and action, and each helps men and women use the tools and tactics of quiet leadership in responsible, effective ways." ....
