Imagine the situation: your company’s doing well, but it seems you’re facing one crisis after another. Problems keep cropping up that could have been prevented and you’re facing the prospect of losing employees. What seems to be the problem? If you don’t know the answer then you’re probably in need of a good run through a leadership development program.
The problem that some companies face is that management can’t seem to connect with the employees. The barrier is often there because of corporate culture – people don’t want to complain nor do they want to stand out unless they want to risk getting axed. The Japanese have a saying that the nail that stands out is going to be hammered. He problem is that sometimes that nail is standing out for a reason. Leadership development, at its heart, is all about finding the nails that need to be hammered and that don’t.
So what does leadership development mean actually? Aren’t you a leader by default when you get appointed? Yes, you may be a leader, but are you good leader? This is what has plagued organizations since the dawn of time; yes, the organization may be “too big to fail” but get an incompetent in the right place and it’ll topple on its own. That’s what happened to the Roman Empire and that’s what has happened to several businesses across the years. Leadership development helps identify competent people and give them the tools to lead – it also identifies not-so-competent people and give them the tools not to screw up so much.
So what does this mean for your company – undergoing a leadership development program yourself can have several benefits:
a) Work satisfaction – there is nothing like a job well done. Knowing that you are doing the best that you could possibly be doing is a great boost to personal self-esteem. No more doubts about your capabilities in leading – you know that you can lead your company and lead it well.
b) Skills acquisition – Leadership development programs are more than hot-blooded pep-talks. Most of them impart skills that enable an organization to grow and develop. Some example of these skills are on how to plan properly, how to deal with problems in your company, and how to identify other potential leaders in your company infrastructure. All of these are useful in making sure that your company is running in tip-top shape.
These are only the benefits to yourself. Leadership development programs aren’t usually limited to the top of an organization; mid-level management can also benefit from this. Having team leaders and project heads joining leadership development activities give the following benefits:
a) A more experienced workforce – The skills imparted to your supervisors and team leads give them a definite edge. It also boosts their confidence and helps them to contribute more to the company via their observations and plans.
b) Better rapport with employees – Leadership development emphasizes better relationships with your subordinates. Inculcating this into your middle management corps will reap you dividends in your relations with those at employee level.
These are only some of the advantages of instituting a leadership development program for your company. They are definitely worth the time and money that you invest into such a program. Try starting one today and see the results within a year – you’ll be surprised.
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