THE CORPORATION
…dynamic order
The corporation is a highly flexible, responsive organization that makes use of leadership at every level. It is able to quickly mobilize leadership to attend to business, environmental and social issues. It is able to develop, adapt and integrate systems and structure programs to continually secure advantage by allowing leadership to act (independently and report later) on matters concerning the business of the corporation.
The corporation is able to maintain its organic nature (and ensure success) by submitting to leadership specific processes for determination, direction, discipline and development. This opportunity is given (offered) to leadership with various levels of trust, assignment scope and degree of responsibility against pre-determined (matching) capability. Successful initiative is rewarded and effort appropriately recognized. Leadership is developed in corporations by increasing competence (training), increasing scope of assignment and periodically evaluating trust (with a view of increasing responsibility). By doing so the corporation is able to ensure that only those who are capable are entrusted with corporate (social) responsibility. This also reduces risk, stresses competence, promotes the capable while giving (fair) opportunity to all for participation
By placing leadership in the hands of those who need it, with the backing and support of the organization the corporation is able to avoid monumental structure that carry heavy overhead and create organization inertia.
Corporations differ from other forms of organization in that they are most dynamic and therefore offer more opportunities for participation and involvement in corporate affairs. Corporations offer suitable (not necessarily stable) environments for leadership development. Though corporations offer the environment to develop leadership, clear development plans to harness corporate potential must be outlined.
Because the leadership function is shared out throughout the organization, leadership is able to develop laterally through expanded responsibility, rotation and exposure without having to wait for vertical advancement. This means that careers in corporations need not be made through a series of (vertical) promotions, but satisfactory careers can also be achieved by exploring and exploiting personal abilities and building diverse competencies applicable within the corporation. This makes employees flexible all round players
The Human Resources function in the corporation manages the development of leadership to competently address the needs of constantly changing internal organization. The human resources function also prepares leadership to respond appropriately to environmental conditions for the organization to serve survive and thrive in its environment.
Corporate leadership is an example of responsive leadership creating and developing leadership structures to meet its social obligations and take up social responsibility. The corporation specifically assembles and develops leadership for that purpose. Corporate leadership is also proactive in that it collects and uses environment intelligence to determine organization strategy and future focus. The nature of The Corporation offers powerful lessons on effective organization management, efficient order and proficient leadership.