Command and Control Just Won’t Die

by Jennifer Miller on January 25, 2012

in Leadership

For nearly two decades, management gurus have been heralding the death of the “command and control” mentality in Corporate America. Personally, I think it’s very much alive. Over a year ago, I wrote that the so-called “death” of command and control management is nothing but an urban legend.

Now, a recent article on the Forbes.com site breathes yet more life into this supposedly dying management philosophy.  The article’s main point was to question the relevance of “vanity” titles like Chief Diversity Officer in corporations.  As part of building the story’s premise, a marketing consultant is quoted as saying, “the only ‘C’s’ with ‘real’ power are the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and, occasionally, Chief Operating Officer.”

I strongly disagree with that statement and decided to post a response on the character-based leadership site The Lead Change Group.  See my thoughts on leading from who you are, not with your title in Do CEO’s Really Have All the Power?

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