What does the word “renaissance” mean? Quite literally, of course, it
means “rebirth,” but most of us think of it as an historical period in which there was a revival of classical Greek and Roman art, literature and philosophy. Beyond that the word implies the release of individual creativity and innovation - not just in “things,” but innovation in ways of thinking. After the cultural and social depression we think of as the “dark ages,” the Renaissance gave birth to a new sense of self, of individuality and innovation. And just as surely as night follows day in human affairs there followed a counter reaction to this newfound freedom of self. That reaction was toward centralized control, in the power of princes, kings, the church, all in the name of establishing more order in the Renaissance world.
I’m reminded of an incident many years ago. A neighbor, a recently retired marine sergeant who lived next door to us in San Diego, was talking with my wife Mary and announced he was “re-upping.” “Why?” she asked, “you’ve served thirty years.” He said simply, “Yes, but I just can’t stand all these people out here running around loose!”
The tension between freedom of expression and social order, between innovation and control, is just as real today as it was five hundred years ago.
In his book The Waning of the Renaissance: 1550-1640, author William J. Bouwsma concludes by observing:
Balance historically, however, is usually precarious, as one set of changes stimulates reaction in the opposite direction. The result for the period discussed in this book [1550-1640]…was a pattern of alternation; conflicting impulses were often simultaneously at work, without a clear resolution…between the creativity and spontaneity of cultural freedom and a growing tendency toward order and restraint. But the general impression this period presents is one of tension between the fundamental needs for both freedom and order.
One need only consider the overreaction explicit in the cry for order and control in Sarbanes-Oxley vis-à-vis the excesses of “creativity” in the Enron and similar corporate sagas to understand that, although amplified by sophisticated technological and financial advances, fundamentally things - especially human nature - have not changed that much since the sixteenth century. The tension between the fundamental needs for both freedom and order is still with us.
We need leaders with “an eye for innovation” and the wisdom to foster and nurture creativity without overreacting and imposing reactionary control.
As Lee Iacocca puts it in his recent book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, “Balance not only historically but in our present day and age is indeed precarious."
________________________________________________________________________________________
Technorati Tags: Innovation, Renaissance, Leadership, Leader, History, Freedom, Creativity, Lee Iacocca
