The Chinese principle of tien ming, or Mandate of Heaven, is the universal foundation of organizational leadership. Its benefits include the decisive advantage of organizational commitment, or willingness of stakeholders to subordinate their interests to those of the organization. Loss of the Mandate, and the consequent loss of commitment, is among the worst conceivable organizational disasters. A leader who holds the Mandate commands the respect and obedience of followers through the mutual utility of the relationship between leader and follower. This relationship confers a decisive advantage over those who hope or expect to lead through formal authority alone. Management practitioners earn and hold the Mandate of Heaven through service to their stakeholders.
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