A wolf pack is simply organized: there is a leader who is in charge and to whom everyone submits. He is the strongest animal with the best instincts. He controls everything, sets the goal, the course, and the speed. If something isn't going fast enough for him, he prefers to do it himself. When he runs, everyone runs. And when he attacks, he has the pack behind him. In this way, he keeps his environment small so that he himself appears large. The alpha wolf is the doer among the wolves.

True movers and shakers also dominate our era. They have long been regarded as heroes and pioneers in business, politics, and society. The system of the alpha male and the pack has been transferred, but it no longer works today. The power of the movers and shakers has become a stumbling block for others. The life stories of Anton Schlecker, Leo Kirch, and Adolf Merckle are prime examples of this era.

The few movers and shakers used to drive everything forward

The dependent ones took refuge with them. The unspoken agreement was: the doer takes care of you, and in return you devote your life to the company. Through their behavior, they unwittingly created dependent people, complainers, and to-do list workers. But their time is over, because people have changed over time.

First, we needed followers, then employees. Today, we need people who think for themselves. In the 21st century, people want to be strong and are no longer satisfied with being dominated—not even in exchange for security or money.

What we need are new role models!

Now that the old ones have served their purpose, an emotional vacuum has emerged in an unstable time. A counterpoint to the doers has developed: I call them the leaderless. Just like the doers, they exist at all levels of society. The leaderless are those who rebel against the system of the doers, who want to be different. They want to wrest power from the doers, who have concentrated it in their own hands for decades.

Leaderless people want to destroy the empire of the doers. That is why they represent the opposite of them: while doers take responsibility themselves, leaderless people reject it. Just as doers strive to follow the principle of "it's best to do everything yourself," leaderless people want other people to solve their problems. But their system is also crumbling. Their time is also over. Society is increasingly exposing them as hot air – we can recognize the leaderless by their impact everywhere we look. They are characterized by blame, excuses, blockages, refusal to take responsibility, and mediocrity.

Transformation into a human developer

We are in a period of transition in which we must set the course for a successful future. Through transformation, doers and those without leadership can become "human developers." It does not matter which pole the leader from. Human developers drive without pushing. They show the way without pointing the way. They shape without forcing into molds. They let go by grabbing hold. They grab hold by letting go. They are successful without violating the world. Their effect: they strengthen and empower people and lead them to responsibility "for the whole." They bring the needs of the individual and the collective into a fruitful balance. They show how, through giving, growing, and letting things happen, not only one wins, but everyone wins.

The new role models are like Captain Kirk from Star Trek. He leads with authority without being authoritarian. And he relies on what others are capable of. What's more, he demands things that he suspects the crew is capable of. And his trust is rewarded. With real successes instead of average results.

Leading means setting an example

This also applies in the context of values. In my video contribution "Value discussion – living respect yourself,"I invite you to think about the following: Do you live the values that are important to you, or do you demand values from others? Do you focus on your talents, turn them into strengths, and share them with others? Do you respect others for their talents and appreciate them? It is always easier to see the shortcomings of others than to recognize your own and work on them – but this is the only way to become the best you can be.

Image source: David Selbert