Does the world really need leaders?  The media keeps telling us that we do. So, who do we celebrate as great leaders?

Alan Webber, writing in the Washington Post (October 18, 2009) proposed that the famed Swedish Academy should start awarding a new international award for excellence in human relations. Webber asked, "If there were a Nobel Prize for Leadership, what would the criteria be and whom would you nominate?" You can read his thoughts here.

An important question! I challenged myself to come up with an answer. I was stumped for about twenty minutes.  After all, the Nobel Prize in Leadership should demonstrate moral authority, effective engagement with others, and a clear vision. Few are worthy of the award.

Here are some of those I would nominate for consideration.

Rudy Giuliani.  As the mayor of New York after his beloved city was attacked in 2001, Rudy was hailed as a man who acted decisively, and honored life-saving heroes. I admire his actions.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Worth mentioning as an advocate of independent Tibet and a religious leader of Buddhism, fast becoming a minor religion.  The Dalai Lama has already won a Nobel Prize (Peace) so this award might better go to another person.

The Planetary Society.  The society promotes a vision of man's exploration into space, and I am a proud member. Can an organization be a leader? I think so, yes.  Regardless, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to organizations like Doctors without Borders,  so I think this nomination is a fair choice.

And the winner is! If I had to support a single choice, I would award the first Nobel Prize in Leadership to Greg Mortenson, builder of schools and friend to remote communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Author of Three Cups of Tea and founder of the Central Asia Institute, Mortenson has led a campaign to bring education to a part of the world that hasn't always been friendly to the United States and Western values.  Politics don't seem to matter too much to Mortenson, be builds schools because people need them. Read more about Mortenson and his servant leadership at http://www.threecupsoftea.com/.

Who would you nominate and award the Nobel Prize in Leadership to? I am interested in your thoughts. Send me a note.