The MEAPA Way Blog - Belgium

We read and hear a lot about leadership – how important it is for an organization’s success.  The right leaders, common sense tells us, will propel an organization forward, inspire employees or volunteers, create new opportunities and create a winning environment.  Poor leadership, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect and lead to underperforming organizations or even the dissolution of one. 

An interesting case study is developing around what happens when there are no leaders.  Instead of comparing leadership in terms of good versus bad, think differently and consider what would happen if no leader existed and organization was forced to continue on its own.   What would happen?  Common sense would again tell us that it will crumble at the edges if not completely implode.  Why do we believe this? 

Is leadership the only thing that keeps trained people engaged with their accountabilities?  Must someone be in a position of authority to tell people who have been doing the same job for years how to actually do their job?  Or is there just such a general lack of motivation that only the inspiring words of the leader drive performance?

Consider the country of Belgium with its current and new world record of a country without a government.  As of this posting date, May 9, 2011 the country has not had a central government since June 13, 2010.   As TIME Magazine noted "However, the absence of a government makes little difference to day-to-day life in Belgium. Many state functions, from education to welfare, have already been ceded over the years to regional and community governments. Belgium deftly helmed the presidency of the E.U. in the second half of 2010, and the caretaker government last month headed off market jitters over its debt levels by quickly agreeing on a tighter budget. The country is recovering well from the downturn, with growth last year at 2.1% (compared with the E.U. average of 1.5%), foreign investment doubling and unemployment at 8.5%, well below the E.U. average of 9.4%."

How does the lack of a government in Belgium apply to your organization?  Consider asking and answering one or more of the following questions:

• What would happen to our organization if the leader was not there? 
• What if the executive committee or council or board that oversees your organization suddenly ceased to exist?
• Would employees and volunteers know how to do their jobs? 
• Would less time be spent on “politics” and more on core business functions? 
• Would people remain accountable to their responsibilities? 

We are not advocating removing your leadership.  Nor do we support the abolition of governments.  Instead, what we want to do is challenge you to find the value and utility in this Belgium situation.   This reflective exercise is just one way you can evaluate the level of understanding related to your organization’s objectives and accountabilities.