Many of us have been exposed to numerous training workshops organized around the topic of Leadership. Although we often inspire to be better Leaders, the goal simply exists because it seems like “the right thing to do”.
The advantages of strong Leadership, however, go far beyond “the right thing to do”. Strong Leaders inspire others, and create work environments that are highly engaged. Engaged team members are diligent and dedicated, and are willing to do what is necessary, often far beyond the minimum requirements of the job. They provide discretionary effort that is highly desired, but not required, as part of their defined role expectations.
Managers who are not true Leaders are often their own worst enemy, poorly managing the labour force, which is often the largest cost center in the business. Their inability to manage and balance labour requirements leads to sub-optimal results, and can easily become the difference between profit and loss.
We often talk of Leadership like it is some kind of enigma, some dreamlike quality that doesn’t really exist…Kind of like a Unicorn. We deem it as a “soft skill” that is highly desired, yet never realized.
Strong Leadership is not some magical concept. It is real, and is the only true way to get real and lasting bottom line results.