Leadership Responsibility Without Authority (LRWA)

For me, the clarification of this phenomenon by codifying it is new, but the phenomenon itself is not. I'm currently participating in a leadership position in a non-profit where I certainly have responsibility, but often do not have the authority to make decisions. I can suggest decisions and hope that the "powers that be" think the decisions are useful and beneficial, but it is implied and understood that you only make decisions without further approval in the most extreme circumstances.

However, it doesn't seem that everyone in a leadership position in this organization is subject to these same rules. In fact, it might be said that some (well, particularly one and perhaps others) reject the notion of responsibility without authority and instead claim that authority. It might be said that this individual is one of the best leaders in the organization, perhaps simply because he refuses to give into the notion of LRWA. I'd bet that it's quite a bit easier to fulfill those requirements of your position if you categorically claim what you know you need to do your job.

Herein lies a great question: what are the motivations of the leader? Are they personal gain or the good of the organization? Should leaders without authority be encouraged to take the authority they need to complete the job? Is this a skill that should only be encouraged in more senior leaders, allowing the newest leaders of an organization to learn about the norms, values, and mission of the organization more fully? Perhaps an even more apt question: if you don't trust that your leaders know the organization's norms, values, and mission, why do you select them as leaders?

I'd postulate that sometimes an organization's leadership cannot be selected with the perfect individuals in leadership positions, but that the individuals who show the potential and willingness to be developed may become the perfect individuals for leadership positions.

In such a case, I'd say that more senior members of such a leadership team should be encouraged to take the authority to effectively carry out their duties, but only if an individual has the following skills:
- an understanding that their decisions are perhaps the best possible decisions for the organization
- the intelligence to seek out advice and counsel for any decision in which they feel some sense of unease in making, especially from other senior individuals within the organization
- the strength and persistence to explain their reasoning and choice to the "powers that be" or others in the organization, when questioned
- the knowledge and acceptance that mistakes do happen
- the willingness to try to correct mistakes
- acknowledgement of those mistakes and that they happened as a direct result of their decision (I'd bet that this fear is what moves many organizations to permit leadership responsibility without authority.)
- acceptance of a challenge to continually improve their leadership within the organization

Certainly, I must concur that experience is the best instructor. That said, encouraging leadership experiences in new leaders may be the best possible method of training future leadership. LRWA is an integral part of this training, but may also limit the education that the organization's future leaders can receive.