Lee Iacocca's new book (Where Have All the Leaders Gone?) is a scathing denunciation of the many leaders who have forfeited trust, admiration, and respect because of their self- centered, arrogant, greedy, illegal, and immoral acts.

He asks, reasonably, where the inspirational leaders he remembers from an earlier time have gone? He no longer sees leaders who are concerned about the general welfare and who call others to join them in making a difference, not just for personal gain, but because it is good for society and humankind.

Too many leaders have collectively contributed to the loss of respect and admiration by:

* Being more concerned about their own financial welfare than expecting such accountability of others - they consistently increase their own compensation packages while not sharing the firm's profits fairly with those who generated it.

* Failing to be accountable for their performance while expecting it of others - they install systems and procedures to hold others accountable while avoiding accountability for themselves.

* Making plausible but knowingly deceptive arguments to convince others to accept their decisions - they fail to provide a full and accurate assessment of the situation and instead shade the truth and build an argument on what will persuade, not what is accurate.

* Believing that they are not subject to the same laws and standards as others - they succumb to the belief that they are better than the rest of us and that they are somehow above the law and immune from the ethical and moral restrictions of society.

* Avoiding the scrutiny and public critique, thus allowing them to obscure and ignore their mistakes and lack of accomplishment - rather than having the courage to face the facts, they preserve a façade that protects them from review and rebuke.

What does the loss of leadership mean for the next generation of leaders, growing up today, who see what has happened? Will they follow the lead of the leaders, described above, or pursue another path.

I see glimmers of hope in the actions that the younger men and women of the United States are taking. I see sons, nieces and nephews, and many younger aspiring leaders:

* Asking for and being open to feedback from their elders.

* Being more willing to be held accountable for the results they produce at work than many of their superiors.

* Being honest about what they can and cannot do.

* Being responsible for their own financial future by saving as much as they can and living within a budget.

* Being aware of and maintaining the balance between work and family.

Many of the younger people I know have not followed the example of the leaders who have, as described above, mislead us.

Thank goodness.

I am a huge sports fan and, admittedly, root for teams for which there is little likelihood of their winning.

What is it, for me and other sports fans, that enables us to continue to hope, despite repeated evidence to the contrary?

I suspect that there is a deep-seated drive within the human spirit that refuses to quit and is willing to do whatever is possible to survive or excel.

Can leaders tap into that spirit? Should leaders try to nurture the hope of those they lead so that they, like die-hard sports fans, refuse to quit?

What do you think?

Recently, I attended a lecture by a Greek scholar who said that the Ancient Athenians, proud of the city-state, believed it was their responsibility to participate in the work of the state.

Athenian citizens were far more than just innocent bystanders - they were actively involved in running the state, including deciding on whether to go to war or not, and they were also citizen soldiers who, once war was declared, fought the wars for which they voted. The citizens were proud to be Athenians and willing to participate in and fight for the government to which they owed so much.

Is there a lesson here for today's leaders? I think so. Leaders who can develop a sense of pride on the part of their employees will have people who do more than just show up for work - they will, like the Ancient Athenians, eagerly participate in those critical activities which make the business excel.

Are the people in your organization proud to be a member of it? How do you know?

email: archie@archietinelli.com archie@archietinelli.com