Bookshelf: Society needs you to move outside your bubble

ARE you one of the the many people who want to be part of society beyond your own paid job? To help
out at the youth club, the hospital, a national or local charity?

According to Julia Middleton, whose book, Beyond Authority: Leadership in a Changing World has recently been published, society needs people like you.
I
In today's complex world no single institution can solve an issue any more. Society needs leaders who can span organisations of different kinds. And what organisations need, as well as society as a whole, are leaders who understand the value of networks. Middleton argues that as long as leaders operate only
within their own "inner circle" they are at risk of perpetuating the "silo effect" with teams looking upwards rather than sideways. And when that happens, they are at risk of missing opportunities, and the wider community loses out.

But for society to benefit, diverse networks of people need to be galvanised into taking or supporting
action. And all this needs to be done without telling people what to do. So how do you lead beyond
your own established authority? This can be as much an issue for the accountant who volunteers to
do the church books as for the churchwarden who serves on the housing association.

The answer is that effective leaders do not demand authority, but are granted it, and they lead through
influence, not power. This means taking personal risks, trying new things, and engaging with people
you are not used to engaging with.

You can't plunge into the unknown without a lot of courage. Thankfully Beyond Authority is packed full of examples of people who have successfully extended their influence to the benefit of
society. This is a book for everyone who wants to reach out.

Beyond Authority: Leadership in a Changing World (Palgrave Macmillan). £25 or £22.50 from
the Resources Centre resources@chelmsford.anglican.org
Julia Middleton 01245 294406

Print this page
Bookmark this page