Professor Warren G. Bennis, considered the father of leadership, believed in the adage that great leaders are not born but made, insisting that “the process of becoming a leader is similar, if not identical, to becoming a fully integrated human being”. Both, he said, were grounded in self-discovery.
I have always been a believer in the notion that employees don’t leave companies; employees leave poor leaders!
“Do ineffective leaders recognise that they are indeed flawed leaders?”
If it is to be believed that ineffective leaders lack self-discovery, then it can equally be believed that flawed leaders are themselves led poorly.
The latest AMCI (Australian Management Capability Index) results find that Australian business leaders continue to show confidence in the areas of corporate governance, financial management and external relationships. However, they are less confident about people leadership.
So the question remains “Are senior leaders failing middle managers?”
Who is responsible for managing leaders? Who is responsible for growing leaders? Are leaders responsible for mapping their professional leadership growth or are their leaders culpable for their development and professional growth?
When you plant a seed do you hope it will flourish and grow? or do you actively invest time in nurturing, watering and managing its development.
Leadership has many mistresses, however, the most critical factor in growing strong leaders is Time. Time spent developing, time spent nurturing, time spent coaching.
The greatest gift to bestow on an employee is time. Time to listen, time to coach, time to mentor. Time is the single greatest gift you can give to those you lead.
Effective leaders provide a platform for cultivating a culture of leadership, recognising others and articulating the value of team.
Effective leaders have a purpose, effective leaders are authentic, effective leaders are humble.