Leadership Development Is Vital

“The key to success in any endeavor is the ability to lead others successfully.”
According to Hyatt Hotels: “If there is anything I have learned in my 27 years in the service industry, it is this: 99 percent of all employees want to do a good job. How they perform is simply a reflection of the one for whom they work.”
This humorous story underscores the importance of effective leadership: During a sales meeting, the manager was berating the sales staff for their dismally low sales figures. “I’ve had just about enough of poor performance and excuses,” he said. “ If you can’t do the job, perhaps there are other sales people out there who would jump at the chance to sell the worthy products that each of you has the privilege to represent.” Then pointing to a new recruited, retired pro-football player, he said, “If a football team isn’t winning, what happens? The players are replaced. Right?”The question hung heavy for a few seconds; then the ex-football player answered, “Actually, sir, if the whole team was having trouble, we usually got a new coach.”
Leadership can be taught Leadership is not an exclusive club for those who were “born with it.” The traits that are the raw materials of leadership can be acquired. Link them up with desire and nothing can keep you from becoming a leader. Others may give you the principles, you must supply the desire. Leadership is developed, not discovered. The truly “born leader” will always emerge; but to stay on top, natural leadership characteristics must be developed.
Observations:1. We teach what we know; we reproduce what we are. Leadership is caught from a leader; therefore, a mentor or a model of effective leadership is essential.2. A model plus training equals growing leadership. The ultimate climate for developing leadership potential is produced when you have an effective model to observe and principles to practice; therefore, we can learn leadership principles to through books, tapes, seminars, and other self-improvement vehicles.3. Ninety percent of your leadership will be through development. The ten percent that is gifted will succeed only if development and growth of learned leadership are pursued.