Leadership is not on the curriculum at school, or university, so how do we learn it, or … can
we learn to be a leader? Aren’t leaders born to
it? Field Marshall Viscount said leaders can be
trained, so did Sir William Slim and Sir Winston
Churchill, so does John Adair and so does Sandy MacGregor.
The teaching of functional leadership for industry received massive support from the UK based organisation “The Industrial Society” in 1969 when John Adair’s approach to leadership was adopted as the working model to be taught to industry. Quoting Adair (Effective Leadership 1988): “The three leadership approaches – qualities, situational and group – are to be visualised as paths leading up the summit of a mountain. If you go up one path you will be led to the other two.”
This group approach spread not only to industry but also to the Military Forces and to Human Resources in developing countries. Professor Adair also taught it at the University of Surrey and the University of Exeter. At the universities Professor Adair found a widespread sense that “What industry needs now is not bosses, but leaders.” How true is this today? The Karpin Report on Leadership and Management Skills identified the need for leadership training and formal education for Australia’s front line managers. Current skills are seen to be falling far short of our Western World competition.
So where does one start? With anyone of any age who has not had formal leadership training! This may be at middle management or at the coal face – that is, in industry with young recruits or those that show promise.
As evidenced by Mike Cotter – a 56 year old corporate MD and CEO from Victoria – when he wrote to us in part saying:–
Having read your books, studied and implemented your scientifically proven principles and techniques, the results are simply amazing.
People are responding in ways I never thought possible. They’re enjoying themselves more.
I’ve always thought of myself as reasonably good in the leadership stakes, but recently I’ve taken a quantum leap forward and for that Sandy MacGregor, you have my deepest gratitude. I’ve now got more balance in my life too.
For a final word on leadership, see these words of wisdom:–
The world will not belong to managers or those who make the numbers dance, as we used to say, or those who are conversant with all the business and jargon we use to sound smart. The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders – people who not only have an enormous amount of energy, but who can energise those whom they lead.
Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric.
This
Online Course coaches
you with all the skills required to be a Leader in the
world of today.
|
