A presentation to the AIM Leadership Special Interest Group by Craig McCallum, GM Marketing & Corporate Services
Why is it that we are so infatuated by the term leadership? Why do we find leadership so interesting, so challenging, so difficult, so inspiring? Thousands of companies, including many that are represented here tonight, spend millions of dollars on leadership development – only to get luke warm results…Why? Is it because they rely on leadership competency models that identify generic traits such as vision, direction and energy, for example, then they attempt to find and build next generation leaders who fit this model? One key criteria of leadership for you to perhaps consider as managers and leaders is the building of a leadership brand within your organisation that encourages people within your organisation to live the brand of the organisation and learn leadership styles and behaviours that are aligned to the promises the organisation makes to its customers, thus enabling leaders to respond to company centric challenges.
Read any article in the press today and there is a 99% chance you will read something about leadership – what makes a good leader – how are leaders created – how do we develop & retain leaders – the leadership pipeline, leadership succession planning…the list goes on.
Why is it that we are so infatuated by the term leadership? Why do we find leadership so interesting, so challenging, so difficult, so inspiring? I assume everyone here tonight is interested in some element of leadership – but what is it about leadership that brings you to forums such as this one?
The term leadership is described in so many ways. A Harvard Business School article, "The Work of Leadership" conventionally describes leadership as ‘shepherds protecting their flock from harsh surroundings’ - but then challenged this interpretation with ‘Leaders who truly care for their followers expose them to the painful reality of their condition and demand that they fashion their own response to this reality’. Another interpretation of leadership is that ‘Leaders are the kind of people who embody the promises your company makes to its customers’. We could go on with hundreds of other interpretations of leadership – perhaps explaining the infatuation in leadership.
The discussion tonight covers how to make good people good leaders and reap the rewards. Before we can make good people good leaders, I am sure you will all agree that it is essential that we first attract good people and tell them they are good people whom we are going to prepare for leadership. You will be surprised, or maybe not, as to the number of ‘groomed leaders’ who had no idea they were being groomed or ‘succession planned’ into the next Executive Management Role and end up leaving due to feeling unappreciated and undervalued – why? No one told them they were being groomed, yet everyone else just knew…