I think leaders are in such short supply because companies have stopped developing their internal talent. It seems much more expedient to hire someone who claims to already have great leadership skills. Unfortunately many of these don't stick around long enough in any one company to reap the consequences of their actions.

If companies really want great leaders, then they must invest and grow their own.

Hey Michael,

Great Post!

I pioneering a personal training business twenty five years ago - which at the time was the the first of it's kind in Australia...

My philosophy is:

Be the leader people need. Whether or not you want to be a leader, once you become a business owner with employees... you're the leader.

So lead!

Don't be vague, indecisive and inconsistent... if you can't lead, they won't follow.

Make decisions... do the tough stuff.

Be a role model.

If you want a cool book to read on the subject, check out John C. Maxwell's 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. It rocks.

"A leader who has no followers... is merely going for a walk" - John C. Maxwell

Keep up the great writing Michael.

Craig Harper
john@craigharper.com.au
http://www.craigharper.com.au

Do employers have confidence that from the corporate executive down to the line supervisor, their employees are in the hands of competent leaders. Employers must ask themselves this question: Would I want my son or daughter working in this environment for this person because their entire psychological/emotional well being and physical safety are in the hands of these people every day? So given this reality, it is unbelievable to imagine that there is such a dearth of leadership everywhere.

Hi Michael, it seems that many times even though a business may label someone a leader what they really want is an automaton. They want someone who will do what they want done but don't want to take the rap for. They really don't want someone who thinks for themself because they may not think the way they do. They may fail to see that by having someone who has some complimentary but not identical traits actually adds to the overall leadership rather than detracting from it. The yin and the yang go together because they work together but many in upper management are too busy or too uninterested to explore that possibility. Real leaders become frustrated by this and that, in my opinion is why there is a shortage of real leaders. We wear them out.
Linda