Does Leadership Start From The Top?

How often have you heard yourself say something similar? To state that Leadership starts from the top is fine. However, it does not mean that it only begins from the top.

- Srinath Sridharan & Steve Correa

"Significant change only occurs when it is driven from the top." "Nothing will happen without top management buy-in." - Peter Senge

Obviously for many strategic change initiatives, one needs top leadership sponsorship to succeed. The popular prevalent notion that most initiatives must begin from the top has pushed almost everything upwards - an impossible upward delegation.

Speak to any CEO and you will hear laments of their woes of the numerous ceremonial meetings and instances, when she is expected to express support for an initiative, especially requested by a direct report to get organisation-wide commitment. It is paradoxical that in an age of empowerment, we expect the CEO alone to hold the baton for transformational change.

One cannot dispute that not all initiatives begin with top management sponsorship, but having top management support does greatly increase the likelihood of the initiative’s success. In some cases, initiatives may originate from lower levels of the organisation, such as departmental or team-level initiatives – an initiative on safety at the workplace. These initiatives may gain momentum and support from peers and stakeholders within the organisation, eventually reaching the attention of top management.