Chaordic Leadership

Knowledge Center

What is Chaordic Leadership? Meaning.

In 1999, former VISA CEO Dee Hock coined the term Chaordic Organization, a system of organization that exhibits characteristics of both chaos and order but is dominated by neither.

Of course, chaordic organizations need to be managed or led accordingly. In the traditional perception of management, management inevitably is viewed as exercise of authority -- with selecting employees, motivating them, training them, appraising them, organizing them, directing them, controlling them. That perception is mistaken according to Hock.

Chaordic Leadership involves four responsibilities:

1. Manage self (50% of time): one’s own integrity, character, ethics, knowledge, wisdom, temperament, words, and acts.
Without management of self no one is fit for authority no matter how much they acquire, for the more authority they acquire the more dangerous they become.
2. Manage those who have authority over us (25% of time): bosses, supervisors, directors, regulators, ad infinitum. Without their consent and support, how can we follow conviction, exercise judgment, use creative ability, achieve constructive results or create conditions by which others can do the same?
3. Manage one’s peers (20% of time): those over whom we have no authority and who have no authority over us -- associates, competitors, suppliers, customers -- one's entire environment if you will. Their respect and confidence is essential if we are to accomplish anything of significance.
4. Manage those over whom we have responsibility. Little time should be needed for this fourth responsibility:

Compare with: Chaordic Organization  |  Organic Organization  |  Servant Leadership  |  Level 5 Leadership  |  Hagberg Model of Personal Power  |  Changing Organization Cultures  |  Core Group Theory  |  Seven Surprises  |  Learning Organization  |  Twelve Principles of the Network Economy  |  Dialectical Inquiry  |  Appreciative Inquiry

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This ends our Chaordic Leadership summary and forum.