Leadership Qualities & Training

In Mind of a Manager, Soul of a Leader, author Craig Hickman poses the question: “What do we need more of today? Managers, or Leaders?” It’s not until around chapter 10 that he reveals that this was a trick question, because the truth is, the answer is ‘Yes’. We need both. Managing and leading are critical roles with distinct competencies that must coexist if any business is to enjoy ongoing success. In our leadership development programs we describe leadership as a series of considered actions and behaviours, an individual employs, in order to assist the organisation, through its people, to move to a place beyond where it is now; to catalyse and realise the full potential of the organisation and its people.

Management is described as a series of considered processes and methodologies, an individual deploys within an organisation, in order to ensure certainty, stability, order and continuity for the organisation.

Perhaps in simpler terms, we believe that management is the science of dealing with what is and leadership is about the art of ‘catalysing’ what can be. As was once described, ‘We manage things and we lead people.’

In either case, it is important to accept that both management and leadership are verbs not nouns and they are something we do for our people not to them.

In our experience we find business owners/operators tend to fall naturally into one or other ‘camp’. Some are natural visionaries and have the ability to catalyse people and circumstances—leaders. Others have a preference for organising and managing execution—managers. Businesses need both, so owner/operators must ensure they broaden their own skill sets, and/or hire people who are able to bring the necessary experience to the business.

Development Options

At some stage or other most business owners or managers will consider undertaking some form of leadership or management development program. The choices are overwhelming. We would suggest there are several factors that are important in considering which program to enrol in: [bullets]

Does the theory translate into action? There are many courses available which will provide a deep and rich education… yet the key purpose of this has to be the implementation of the learnings. What process does the program use to ensure you receive return-on-investment and that you gain more than just a pretty certificate?

Whether it’s a training program, post-graduate program or a coaching process—what experience does the ‘teacher’ possess in implementing the subjects being ‘taught’? Theories and models can be compelling, but are they proven—and by the ‘teacher’?

Will the content be tailored for your circumstances? Your business, whilst possessing many similarities to businesses in general, will have degrees of uniqueness—any program of development ought to be able to take that into consideration.