You can’t go a day without reading of some story on leadership – the good, the bad, the ugly. Why is there so much focus given to this topic? If the leadership development industry is a $billion dollar one, then why so we still have ineffective leaders at the helm? Why does this lead to employee dissatisfaction and increased turnover?
The focus on leadership is important for several factors:
- bridging the gap between leaders and managers so that more in the latter act like those in the former and create strong-hold organizations
- succession planning as Baby Boomers continue to age and leave the workforce, thus identifying and preparing the ‘next’ to step into these roles
- enabling Millennial and Generation Z workers to identify and enhance their skills as they grow within their organizations so they will ascend to future leadership roles
- as the gig economy continues to grow and be a stronghold, leadership skills are necessary to gig workers who need transferable skills
There are many reasons why leadership development is important as leaders are the ones who steer the ship, so to speak. It’s not just the title but the actions behind it that make someone effective. However, it seems that not all who are in a leadership role, or who aspire to become one, put much attention or effort into what it takes or how to do so. How do we change this?
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes – and styles. Leaders are not just born, they can be made with the right mindset and skill development. This is where training, education, and mentoring can come into play to enhance one’s skills and abilities; but mindset and commitment need to be in place to truly take hold. Just as with any skill, it takes mastery of the topic to become a good habit so the more one educates themselves keeps in constant awareness of their behaviors, the more effective leader they will be.
However, organizations need to also make the commitment in leadership development and stand behind this with each individual leader. I’ve seen leaders ascend to these roles because they were good workers but soon failed because they were not give the support they needed. I’ve seen companies buy leadership programs only to have them sit on the shelf, with what sounded like a great program at the time, losing to time and inattention.
If they want truly, effective leaders who have vision and heart, then they must invest in and make the time in their development, while giving them continuous support. Great leaders can create engagement of workers who truly want to contribute to the organization; they can inspire them to focus on the tasks at hand to bring in returning customers and profits; and they can pass on their knowledge and expertise to develop others.
The benefits of having great leadership are many – this is why the focus is on leadership, and their development, needs to continue to be. It also takes action and commitment to the process on both sides which will keep businesses staying the course for years to come.
If you’d like to learn more about leadership and how to get the most out of yourself, and your people, we’re here to serve. We have our Fableader program where we will:
- Look at your goals, challenges you are facing, and opportunities you might be missing.
- Uncover any hidden problems that may be sabotaging your desired results
- Create an action plan and implement it together so that you finally get the results you have been looking for but were unable to find.
- Address challenges that come up along the way, leaving you feeling renewed, re-energized, and inspired to take action and get faster results
If you’re ready to get started, contact us today to schedule your Fableader Breakthrough Strategy Session. barbara@cyscoaching.com Visit our website at http://cyscoaching.com and our blog at https://allaboutcareerssite.com.
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