Journal of Scholastic Inquiry: Business
Volume 11 Page 123
The Shepherd Leader: Orienting, Harnessing, and Adapting the Collective Intelligence of the Team Philip L. Fioravante Walsh College
ABSTRACT As organizations look to its leadership to set the direction of the entity, there is a model by which the leader does not actually get out in front. Rather, in this leadership methodology, the leader looks at the organization “from the back” perspective and assesses threats and opportunities and helps to encourage, orient and direct the organization in a manner that optimizes performance outcomes. Akin to the servant leadership approach, the shepherd leadership methodology requires authenticity, mentoring, the communication of a shared vision and commitment to the greater good. Shepherd leaders are often not clearly seen as distinctive from the organization [the flock]; however, these action-oriented leaders are providing cohesiveness, clarity of direction, reassurance and a sense of belonging to all of employees [and other stakeholders]. The intentions are to ensure the team members and the organization, as a whole, are on course and atspeed in terms of achieving the mission and objectives. Keywords: shepherd leadership, adaptive, orienting, harnessing, observant, servant leadership, authentic
Introduction The notion of shepherd within organizations was popularized by the renowned South African leader, Nelson Mandela (1994), as proclaimed, “a leader…is like a shepherd. [The shepherd] stays behind the [team], letting the nimblest go out ahead, whereupon the others follow…being directed from behind” (p. 22). Similarly, Mandela purported that leading [the organization] from behind enables individuals to move forward with the guidance orientation of the leader. There is no denying that shepherd leadership is a fascinating and unexplored phenomenon in the realm of leadership models in business. Shepherd leaders must have
