Abstract
It appears that the variance of thought that exists within the business and academic worlds concerning leadership has greatly diminished over the last several years. Although we are far from a consensus, most thoughtful academics and practitioners no longer believe that leadership is predicated upon a set of genetic or cultivated traits, exercised by great people to engage others in activities that benefit only the leaders and their respective organizations. Rather, leadership is an episodic process that involves several people at various levels who seek to intentionally influence others to achieve personal and professional goals, benefiting both leaders and followers. With this perspective in mind, the author describes three challenging puzzles that the leader must solve to be effective in the future: the Puzzle of Doubt, the Question and Answer Puzzle, and the Puzzle of Balance. Several frameworks and approaches are presented to assist potential leaders in establishing their credibility, developing the skill and will of their followerships, and solving the significant puzzles that they are currently facing, and will continue to face at an even greater magnitude in the future.
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