Behavior
Leadership Currencies
The various resources and capabilities that confer leadership status in different contexts. Leadership can be earned through knowledge, social connections, resource control, or other valued attributes.
Biological Context
Elephant matriarchs lead through knowledge, hyena matriarchs through social dominance, bonobo females through coalitions. Different species and contexts value different leadership currencies. Understanding which currency matters reveals who holds power.
Business Application
Organizations value different leadership currencies: technical expertise, political savvy, financial acumen, network connections. Success requires understanding which currencies your context rewards.