Leadership: Bill Drayton
Bill Drayton is the chairman and founder of Ashoka, a global citizen sector organisation that fosters social entrepreneurial activities by empowering people to provide solutions for their communities' most pressing problems (Ashoka, 2011). Drayton has received sundry awards from prestigious institutions, for his efforts in addressing social problems (Ashoka, 2011). He has also been considered by the US News & World Report one of the best leaders in America, the selection committee of America's Best Leaders define a leader as “a person who motivates people to work collaboratively to accomplish great things” (US News, 2008, p. 1). With the above in mind, this essay will analyse what makes Bill Drayton a leader. Based on the leadership theories, I will briefly consider some of the different approaches, especially those which better defines Drayton as a leader.
Starting from a broad definition of leadership, like the one given by Nye (2008), it is arguable that Drayton is a leader because, through his organisation, he has been orienting and motivating people to achieve a common goal, which is to develop innovative solutions for boosting social change (Ashoka, 2011). Drayton makes his collaborators act together and contribute to their social objectives (Bagchi, 2011) on this behalf he fulfils two important functions of leaders pointed out by Nye (2008) as reinforcing identity and cohesion, and mobilising collective work.
There are different theoretical approaches that would clearly acknowledge Drayton’s leadership style, like the servant leadership model presented by Greenleaf (1977). Drayton’s leadership is well described by this model because he empowers people to achieve the organisation goals by meeting their own needs (Ashoka, 2011). Hence his collaborators are convinced that the cause they are serving is for their own welfare. Like Shriberg, Shriberg, & Kumari (2005) adds when describing a servant leader, Drayton has also provided opportunities for his
Starting from a broad definition of leadership, like the one given by Nye (2008), it is arguable that Drayton is a leader because, through his organisation, he has been orienting and motivating people to achieve a common goal, which is to develop innovative solutions for boosting social change (Ashoka, 2011). Drayton makes his collaborators act together and contribute to their social objectives (Bagchi, 2011) on this behalf he fulfils two important functions of leaders pointed out by Nye (2008) as reinforcing identity and cohesion, and mobilising collective work.
There are different theoretical approaches that would clearly acknowledge Drayton’s leadership style, like the servant leadership model presented by Greenleaf (1977). Drayton’s leadership is well described by this model because he empowers people to achieve the organisation goals by meeting their own needs (Ashoka, 2011). Hence his collaborators are convinced that the cause they are serving is for their own welfare. Like Shriberg, Shriberg, & Kumari (2005) adds when describing a servant leader, Drayton has also provided opportunities for his