Bono’s leadership is much more than his music. His dedication to change in third world countries is laudable. He believes that by “persuading developed nations to help lift 1 billion people out of extreme poverty” the world can become a better place (Tyrangiel, 1995). In March of 2002, Bono along with Bob Geldof, Bobby Shriver, Jamie Drummond and Lucy Matthew joined forces to combat world hunger and disease. They formed the advocacy group named; DATA (debt, AIDS, trade, Africa). The humanitarian assistance DATA has developed demonstrates Bono’s moral capacity as a leader.
For Bono, the moral obligation isn’t enough. He believes in the change and has exemplified the change process in his effort to attack this world problem. John Kotter believes that the first step to change is building a sense of urgency (1995). Bono has shared data from Africa about the crisis with world leaders to establish this urgency. The formation of his advocacy group, DATA is evidence to support his effort to create a guiding coalition that is focused on his vision and mission of aiding third world countries. Through his concerts, summits and music, Bono has shared his vision that empowers action. The results of his labor are already tremendous as he has unified and organized many celebrities and world leaders to support his mission. With work still to do, Bono’s ability to utilize the change process exemplifies his leadership success.
The lead singer of U2 knows he can not accomplish this task alone. He has worked diligently to build relationships with world leaders and organizations. In January of 2008 DATA merged with fellow grass roots organization, ONE. This merge combined the political advocacy of DATA with the large, grass roots following of ONE. Now titled, ONE this bond proved fruitful in a very short period of time. With over 2 million members the organization stands a strong presence in the fight against world disease and hunger. Bono’s decision making and ability to build relationships models for others the extent of his leadership capacity.
Bono’s organization believes in knowledge building and sharing. ONE has created an extensive system for sharing. Through the use of media and technology this organization communicates its message. Twitter, You Tube, My Space and Facebook are all directly linked to the organization, serving as a social outlet to communicate and share their message ("One," 2009). ONE is unifying advocacy groups, social media, political campaigns and world leaders to fight world hunger and disease. Through his development, Bono demonstrates coherence making at a very high capacity level. Bono has proved through his fight against world hunger and disease that he is a great leader for change.
Kotter, J. (1995). Leading change. Boston, MA: Harvard Buisness School Press.
One. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.one.org/us/
Tyrangiel , J. (1995, December 19). The Constant charmer. Time, 166(25).
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John,
ReplyDeleteJohn,
I have learned a great deal about Bono by following your blogs and had no idea he was such a selfless, caring person, signs of a true leader who not only builds knowledge, but also shares that knowledge. In this case, he used his celebrity and wealth earned through the entertainment business to make the world a better place. Realizing he cannot make a difference by himself, a true leader must also possess the ability to communicate with others and to build collaborative relationships that help in the fight against world hunger and disease.
Reading your blogs makes me want to buy his CDs.
Connie
Wow- I didn’t realize that Bono did and does so much for humanity and takes such an active part in charity work. I have always just enjoyed his music and knew that he was proactive and outspoken on issues he feels are important, but I never truly realized the extent of his involvement. He is truly a leader who uses his fame and fortune for good reasons and uses his voice in a positive manner, knowing that he is a role model to many. He does not let this power got to his head or neglects it, instead he uses it to empower him and the causes that he follows.
ReplyDeleteLike the previous two comments I was unaware of everything he has accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI like what you state about his moral obligation. It really isn't enough to make a difference. I agree with Bono's approach that moral obligation along with having people feel the sense of urgency is the beginning to making a difference. I have always felt that Bono understood the complexity of change. As you state throughout your blog, Bono's commitment to change is not only self driven, but can only happen through his communication and collaboration with others.
He is a true leader. Thanks for all the info on Bono!
Bono's leadership qualities shine through his actions, he uses his status, socio-economic position and celebrity friends to help educate society through the organization he created. Bono is sharing his business skills to influence others. Bono is a crontroller/ promoter from my brief understanding under of his leadership skills. A developer would be one of his strengths if he took the strenth finders test.
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