Leadership: A Simple Concept
A counterintuitive fact that continually arises in leadership circles is that even though organizations across the country spend large amounts of resources every year on leadership development, polls show that less than 10% of leaders are effective. Why is it that something that seems like commonsense on the surface is so difficult to put into practice?
In seeking an answer, I have noticed the following common themes in leadership literature.
People Seek Promotion for the Wrong Reasons
For some, the allure of a raise, power, or prestige is their underlying motivation to attempt to move up in an organization. Unfortunately, it normally does not take long for those around the leader to see, or sadly become the victim of, this “hidden agenda.” If we are not willing to put others and the organization’s needs before our own, people will not put their trust in us. Leadership, like any relationship, must be built on trust.
Leaders Lack Self-Awareness
It is no coincidence that both the concept of emotional intelligence, which is thought to be a better predictor of success than IQ and one of the newest leadership models, Authentic Leadership, list self-awareness as the first component. If leaders do not have self-awareness, how can they maximize their strengths, overcome their weaknesses and be true to their values? Unfortunately, many people are either afraid to ask individuals around them for honest, candid feedback, or have created the impression that less than favorable feedback will result in negative consequences for the bearer of bad news.
Leaders Don’t Put Enough Effort into Their Craft
Leadership, like any skill, comes easier for some than for others. All leaders who want to reach their maximum potential must constantly put effort into improving their leadership skills. Not only must they expose themselves to the best practices of leadership through mentors, reading and formal training, they must mindfully put those concepts into action. The best leadership course in the world or the newest leadership bestseller is worthless if the leader does not consciously set out to ingrain the concepts into behavior within the context of their organization.
There is no Organizational Support for Leadership Development
Finally, a common refrain from students in our courses is that they excitedly attempt to put their newfound knowledge into practice after attending training only to be rebuffed by their leadership when they return to their organization. Leadership training must be supported by the organization’s culture. Leaders of leaders must ensure that leadership training results in positive behavioral change. If not, leadership training becomes merely a line on a résumé.
With today’s ever-growing challenges of recruitment, retention and community support, organizations cannot afford to retain ineffective leaders. After all, it’s always a question of leadership.
