New book: Democracy and Leadership – a way of life
The picture on the front page illustrates a situation from everyday life on the West Coast of Africa. There local fishermen and fish mongers – mostly women – take a collaborative ‘democratic leadership’ approach to manage each day’s catch.
A lot of people think that democracy is about politics and governance while leadership is about politics and business. And they are right. However, there is more to democracy and leadership than politics, governance and business. Democracy and leadership are also about life in general.
During their work with democracy and leadership over some time, it has gradually dawned on the authors that the values and attitudes that underpin real democracy and good leadership also are very much present in decent everyday human life. Summed up in one concept the common ground is human dignity.
The aim of this book is therefore to clarify how human dignity may be the guiding star in our lives. Hopefully that clarification will inspire the reader to lead an active, participative life both privately and publicly and see democracy and leadership as efficient vehicles to realize this good life on individual as well as community level.