‘Pakistan needs leaders, not managers’

Expert gives a speech on management theory and practices.

KARACHI:
If you believe that the theory and practice of management are divorced from each other in countries like Pakistan where paternalism and resistance to change still prevail in large measure, you should probably seek an appointment with the Pakistan chapter of Grid International, a global body that pioneered the research and systematic applications of leadership and culture development in big and small organisations.

Talking to a group of journalists on Wednesday before addressing the country’s corporate executives on the topic of “The Leadership Grid: A Pakistani Perspective,” Grid International Chairman Bruce Carlson said culture change in an organisation should best be implemented from top to bottom by altering people’s attitudes, values and beliefs.

“Problems are the same in every country. They may use different names, but the issues are similar everywhere,” Carlson said, referring to the differences in management theory and practices worldwide.


“Pakistan needs leaders, not managers. Managers administer, but leadership requires wisdom, understanding, forbearance and accountability,” Carlson said.

The speech may not have had much of a ‘Pakistani perspective’ as Carlson who is on his first visit to the country said that he did not know comment confidently about the corporate culture prevailing in the country. In response to another question, Carlson said he did not know if faculty members of Pakistani business schools had made any contribution to the theory of management by means of academic papers in research journals in recent years.

Grid International deploys a network of Grid consultants that addresses clients’ needs in over 40 countries on all six continents. Professionally trained Grid consultants work with multi-cultural, cross-industry clients, boards and CEOs, and help them overcome resistance to organisational change.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2012.
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