Thursday, June 28, 2007

I am amazed at what passes for Leadership Training today!

I am amazed at what passes for Leadership Training today! I just can't imagine someone training leaders who has never led in any capacity. Yet, that's what I am finding more and more in business and in colleges.
I've led small and large Teams, groups, businesses, and programs. And they are all different, but there are some characteristics, and ideals to which all leaders adhere. Most of the people I've read ro heard, do not seem to know these, and just prattle on about what makes a great leader. Even, Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, could not believe anything good about the role of the leader in businesses, until, as the lore goes, his staff almost rebelled, forcing him to come up with his concept of the Level 5 leader (Top Dog).
Leadership, Good Leadership, is integral to the workings of ANY team, group, business or program. You ALWAYS get what you pay AND train for. It amazes me to see great salespeople, for some unknown reason, promoted to sales manager, only to fail. Or to see a great manager, promoted to Leader, only to seemingly lose his/her touch. PRoblem? No training in Leadership.
Yes, George Bush is a good example of a previously competent leader, having better college grades than Kerry, and more experience in leadership than Kerry, fritter away those over the mis-management of the Iraq war, by listening to people who thought more highly of themselves, than of the enemy. It is important to have good counselors. It is foolish to listen to them all.
Or Carly Fiorina, formerly of HP, who alledgedly became soo headstrong, she couldn't listen or change her way, when the marketplace or leaders pointed the right direction.

"The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born - that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people either have certain characteristics or qualities or not.
That's non-sense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born" Warren G Bennis, psycologist.
Good Leadership is only learned, never absorbed. Any thoughts? Questions? Stories? I love to hear from you. (for non-remuneration publication them, though I will keep your name confidential.) Thanks, Dan Cassin

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