When Scott Harrison created the nonprofit Charity: Water in 2006, he wanted not only to bring clean drinking water to millions around the world, but also to redefine philanthropy by converting thousands of formerly skeptical “non-givers” to join and fund his cause.

Born in Philadelphia, Scott was the only child of an accountant and a journalist who were devoutly religious. The Harrison family relocated to New Jersey for his father’s job—a move that proved extremely detrimental to Scott’s mother’s health. Their new home had a carbon monoxide leak that permanently damaged her immune system. While Scott was growing up, she essentially lived in isolation, spending her time in a “clean room”—a tiled bathroom, scrubbed down with a special soap, and a cot washed in baking soda. She wore a charcoal mask on her face to protect her from ingesting toxins from the air. At a young age, Scott became a caregiver for her, which helped him to develop his strong sense of compassion.

As a teen, however, Scott rebelled against his parents’ religious devotion and the restrictive life his family led as a result of his mother’s illness. He fell in with a bad crowd in high school, barely graduating. He joined a rock band and, after graduation, left for New York to pursue music and attend New York University. It was there that Scott was introduced to the world of nightclub promoters. For the next 10 years, he worked as a promoter for 40 different clubs. It was his job to attract the “beautiful people”—the wealthy and powerful who would spend “$1,000 on a bottle of champagne or $500 on a bottle of vodka,” easily paying $10,000 for a night of partying and the opportunity to be seen in the hippest, most trendy places. In return, Scott received a percentage of the club’s sales, making $3,000 to $5,000 on a good night (Clifford, 2018).

Scott became an influencer; one call from him and the beautiful people would follow him to the next “hot” club. A few phone calls made by Scott to the right people could put a nightclub on the map. Scott even received endorsements, being paid well just to be seen drinking a particular brand of alcohol.

By outside appearances, Scott had an enviable life, socializing with rich and powerful people, dating models, driving a luxury car, and living in a lavish apartment. But it was taking its toll: He became disillusioned with his hedonistic lifestyle, believing he was “polluting” himself with drugs, alcohol, and pornography, and feeling disconnected from the spirituality and morality of his childhood (Fields, 2018).

Scott began seeking the “exact opposite” (Fields, 2018) of what he was doing, applying to work with humanitarian efforts. With only his experience as a club promoter to offer, he received rejection after rejection. Finally, Mercy Ships, a nonprofit hospital ship that delivers medical care to places where such care is not available, responded. The organization was looking for a photojournalist to document its efforts in Liberia. For this opportunity, Scott would pay Mercy Ships $500 per month. For him, this was the perfect offer: the opposite of his current life, working in an impoverished country ravaged by civil war with the requirement of paying for the pleasure of serving.........

Question 

1. What leadership traits account for Scott Harrison’s success?

2. How would you describe Scott’s leadership abilities?

3. Leadership includes administrative skills, interpersonal skills, and conceptual skills. In what ways does Scott exhibit these skills?

4. From a relational perspective, how would you describe Scott’s leadership?

5. Though Scott was a well-paid, successful club promoter with a long list of “followers,” would you characterize that element of his career path as “leadership”? Why or why not?