Page 157 - Harnessing the Strengths

140 ■ Servant-Leadership in the Intercultural Practice

Figure 10.3 Command and control versus delegated autonomy

Successive Versus Parallel

There is scarcely a more competitive industry to be found than
that of the automobile industry. The game here has been played
on the cutting edge for decades. The suppliers, the dealers,
and the clients all know this. Thus, there is a lot to learn from
this game. Many management principles and solutions have
sprung out of this industry, including the practice of integrat-
ing successive and parallel thinking—also an attribute of the
servant-leader. This has to do with the need to bridge many
opposing values, starting with the concept of the car itself.
A car needs to go fast, but it also has to be safe. More-
over, a car needs to be compact, but it also needs to have the
maximum amount of space. It should be inexpensive, and
comfortable. If you think about it, it is amazing how they are
able, for the price of a Volkswagen in 1970 (after infl ation
correction), to have a car that not only is elegant but also
has the latest technical gadgets on board. Finally, the driver