tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015340.post6714772990401973970..comments2023-12-22T01:59:35.407-05:00Comments on The Musings of an Urban Christian: Looking for This Kind of LeadershipLHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02127870226377459490noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015340.post-6078840665983092372009-04-06T05:48:00.000-04:002009-04-06T05:48:00.000-04:00Eric, good point. One dynamic you find in older c...Eric, good point. One dynamic you find in older cities like Philadelphia is this friction between homegrowns and transplants, where homegrowns distrust transplants for their new-fangled ideas and homegrowns are frustrated by transplants' unwillingness to see things in new ways. <BR/><BR/>Of course, cities need both perspectives, as too much of either is bad for decision-making. And friction isn't necessarily a bad thing and can in fact be a good thing if it is comes out of a spirit of open-mindedness and mutual purpose. <BR/><BR/>But when the opposite happens - people refuse to learn, and people push because of their own agendas and not because they want to see genuine progress - then you have the sorts of innovation-killing idea intolerance that you speak of.LHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02127870226377459490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015340.post-45415899568321861062009-04-04T16:41:00.000-04:002009-04-04T16:41:00.000-04:00Timely topic. From my perspective as a planner, I...Timely topic. From my perspective as a planner, I do think the quality of leadership in a city is what sets it apart from others. It's not just about social tolerance (as Richard Florida would claim), but its more about idea tolerance. If the leadership you are working for does not want to try new things, that really puts a damper on innovation. I often do not like teaming up with certain consultants because I know they are idea killers. They have an aversion for new thought. A leader needs to be especially sensitive to the quality of thinking and enthusiasm of her charges. Those leaders know how to cultivate that enthusiasm and utilize human potential, even if the ideas generated are not yet tested. They know that enthusiasm is what drives the energy of the project to outperform the normative. Even if ideas fail, they show how you can work with the margins of limitation. I think this is what sets apart cities like Melbourne and Toronto. When you go to those cities, you sense that their leaders are daring.Eric Orozcohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00320742140050171881noreply@blogger.com