Changing Minds

CHAPTER 5

Leading an Institution: How to Deal with a Uniform Population

UNTIL NOW, we have examined mind changing on a grand scale. We have analyzed how extraordinary leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Mahatma Gandhi attempt to change the minds of individuals—citizens of a nation or community—who differ significantly from one another in background knowledge or attitude. But what of leaders charged with changing the minds of smaller, less diverse groups—such as a university, corporation, or club—whose members have many things in common?

In some respects, the task faced by a corporate executive or a college president is analogous to the challenge faced by a national leader like Tony Blair or George W. Bush. In each case, the leader—together ...