What happens when we have leaders running department, divisions, people, etc. with no leadership development? Not much. If you were to inventory the leaders in your organization and rate them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how would you rate their leadership ability? When companies do not have leadership development in place (internal or external) no wonder so many leaders fail or struggle especially when there is no formal leadership development plan to help them succeed? Even if the organization does not have a plan in place, the leader (old school or new school) must demonstrate personal resolve and commitment to grow and develop their own skills even if the company won’t invest in them, they should invest in their careers.
Leadership involves three crucial dynamics: People, Processes, & Results. Leaders need courage to drive change, coach performance, analyze problems, handle mistakes and continuously improve. I remember a conversation a few years back with a manager. He was studying and paying his own way to obtain an MBA, good for him. The problem was that he lacked communication skills, confidence and people skills. He looked down when he talked to people, he sounded unsure of himself and lacked the ability to inspire and motivate people. Leadership comes natural to some, others have to work hard at it. TRUE leadership lies within all of us – the ability to make decisions on a moment to moment basis that helps us lead ourselves and leads others effectively.
The question is: when you lead, are others following you or are you simply taking a walk?
