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ISIS Goes to Business School? The Islamic State’s Leadership Advantage
07/28/14
Patrick Devenny
Terrorism, ISIS, Iraq
Much of the group’s recent success can be credited to a leadership cadre that resembles a strong corporate board.
Much of ISIS’ recent success can be credited to a leadership cadre that resembles a strong corporate board.
Terrorist
leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s appearance last month in a propaganda
video garnered significant worldwide attention, to include in-depth
analysis of his wristwatch. The interest is understandable; the leader
of the Islamic State (IS) eschews the spotlight, audio clips and grainy
photos having previously served as the only proof of his existence.
But
the most tantalizing portion of the film may have come near its
conclusion as the camera panned the blurred faces of several men
standing behind Baghdadi. Given their proximity to the self-styled
caliph, they were probably his senior lieutenants, charged with
translating al-Baghdadi’s lofty vision into action. In recent years they
have achieved much, effectively marshaling an array of resources and
building a potent paramilitary force that threatens several regional
actors. Indeed, the group’s effective leadership structure stands in
stark contrast to those of Syrian insurgent factions or the Iraqi
security apparatus, granting the IS key advantages over its opponents.
As
the IS expands, the fortunes of the group will increasingly depend on
these senior managers rather that its black-clad CEO. This natural
devolution of authority is a quandary that faces many business leaders:
success fuels expansion beyond the ability of one figure to manage,
putting the fate of the company increasingly in the hands of the
leadership team. While the mythos of the powerful and all-seeing CEO
sells many a memoir, it is increasingly antiquated.
Read full articlehttp://nationalinterest.org/feature/isis-goes-business-school-the-islamic-state%E2%80%99s-leadership-10960
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