Where Have All the Leaders Gone? (Part III)

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With no money or management experience, she overcame enormous obstacles, including resistance from the educational establishment. Nevertheless, she survived early financial crises and created the most successful educational initiative in the past quarter-century, for which she was recognized as one of America's Best Leaders by Harvard's Kennedy School.

• At 33, Jaime Irick already is a division general manager at General Electric (GE). He was a star at the U.S. Military Academy, served in Kuwait, and got his MBA from Harvard before joining GE four years ago. Irick observes: "Leadership isn't about you. You've got to flip that switch and understand that leading is serving the folks on your team."

• Social entrepreneurs Alan Khazei and Vanessa Kirsch are a high-powered couple. Khazei co-founded City Year, the successful urban Peace Corps and was also named one of America's Best Leaders. Kirsch founded Public Allies and now heads New Profit, a venture fund for nonprofits.

• Dina Powell is one of the new global leaders who move comfortably between sectors. A native of Egypt, she made her mark as head of the White House Personnel Office, became special assistant to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and recently joined the executive office of Goldman Sachs (GS).

• With six colleagues, 27-year-old McKinsey consultant Matt Hemsley founded Minneapolis-based LEAD, dedicated to engaging the younger generation in personal philanthropy. LEAD has already signed up 400 young leaders.

• A senior at Seattle University, 19-year-old Seattle entrepreneur Brayden Olson founded Novel Conception two years ago to create virtual-world experiences that contribute to human development.

These emerging leaders understand that it takes collaboration among people with broad perspectives and passion to address the world's most challenging problems: health care, education, energy and the environment, poverty, and global peace. They are likely to become global citizens who can move comfortably among three major sectors—government, for profit, and not-for-profit—to get things done. Their passion for changing the world keeps them from letting established organizations or bureaucratic barriers stand in their way.

To that I say, Bravo! We need all of your energy, enthusiasm, and idealism to make this world a better place. The very best time for you to step and lead is now!

As anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt the power of a small group of people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Bill George, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, is the author of two best-selling books, True North and Authentic Leadership. The former chairman and chief executive of Medtronic, he serves on the boards of ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, and Novartis.