Leadership: Where Does it Come From?

Abstract

Leadership always has been, and probably always will be, an important factor in carrying out the affairs of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). But recently both the need for leadership in managerial jobs and the difficulty of providing effective leadership have grown to be more of a challenge than many at the CIA realize. Senior CIA officials will need to lead, not manage, their way through the challenges facing them in this decade. The purpose of this paper is to systematically outline where leadership comes from and highlight those leadership aspects that senior CIA officials should factor into their strategic planning. The premise of this paper is that leaders count, that people in senior positions can, and should, make a difference. Our future is not predetermined. What will occur in the next decade is in large part the result of decisions that CIA leaders make. These leadership decisions will not only shape the future of the Agency, but also the nation. Leaders in the CIA must have those fundamental qualities of infectious self-confidence, unwavering optimism, and irreversible idealism to attract and mobilize their workforce. This is the true task of the leader.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA261985

Entities

People

  • Lawrence J. Boteler

Organizations

  • Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Communities
  • Executives
  • Governments
  • Health Care
  • Intelligence Community
  • Language
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration
  • Students
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.
  • Systems Analysis and Design