The connective edge

by Jean Lipman-Blumen

When arch-rivals IBM and Apple forged an unprecedented partnership to build and distribute a computer operating system for worldwide use, these two industrial giants stepped into the Connective Era. In this new environment where alliances shift and re-form at a sometimes alarming rate, organizations are undergoing a fundamental change that demands a new approach to leadership. The Connective Edge defines that approach with a bold new model for connective leaders in politics and government, business and industry, education and religion. It shows them how to move beyond competition to balance the two antithetical forces that will define our future success: interdependence and diversity. Jean Lipman-Blumen, a world-renowned consultant, organizational sociologist, and feminist scholar, explores the future of leadership with examples from Wall Street to the Warsaw Pact, from Gorbachev to Gandhi. Based on extensive research analyzing the leadership styles of more than 5,000 leaders and manag