Heroic
leadership
rests
on
the
illusion
that
someone
can
be
in
control.
Yet
we
live
in
a
world
of
complex
systems
whose
very
existence
means
they
are
inherently
uncontrollable.
No
one
is
in
charge
of
our
food
systems.
No
one
is
in
charge
of
our
schools.
No
one
is
in
charge
of
the
environment.
No
one
is
in
charge
of
national
security.
No
one
is
in
charge!
These
systems
are
emergent
phenomena—the
result
of
thousands
of
small,
local
actions
that
converged
to
create
powerful
systems
with
properties
that
may
bear
little
or
no
resemblance
to
the
smaller
actions
that
gave
rise
to
them.
These
are
the
systems
that
now
dominate
our
lives;
they
cannot
be
changed
by
working
backwards,
focusing
on
only
a
few
simple
causes.
And
certainly
they
cannot
be
changed
by
the
boldest
visions
of
our
most
heroic
leaders.