LEADERSHIP

Hi All

If you like the article below, perhaps you would invite me to engage your managers around an informative, inspirational and provocative slide show on radical business leadership. This will cost you nothing.

 

regards Dave

 

WE NEED LEADERSHIP

 

We are in the business of training and development because we believe that we can create meaningful change in the lives of learners and organisations alike. If we were going to do it for the money- we would not even have started. The use of the word “development” is deliberate- we want our learners to grow and we want their organisations to grow with them. Our hearts are very sore when we see little real attention being paid to things like protests, strikes and xenophobia in our society. Conspicuous by their absence, are leaders. A recent article regarding strikes at Medupi has asked the question- why is no-one paying attention? We have done more training and development in the field of supervisor management and leadership than in any other field. It is because the need in the world and in particular this country is so huge. South Africa is crying out for leaders. In case you want to disagree with me, leaders are not simply those people talking to the media by virtue of their position and salary. If we had real leaders out there now what would we be seeing? Let me provide  a few examples for you.

 

• We would be seeing individuals who show their understanding of these complex situations because they have done their homework and possess the intelligence required of their position.
• We would be seeing individuals who are able to connect and empathise with people and their very real needs. Emotional intelligence is a given.
• We would be seeing individuals who are putting innovative solutions on the table. (we are talking way beyond the rhetoric) and inspire and empower followers to implement them. Trying the same thing over and over is insanity- new results only come from new ideas.
• We would be seeing individuals who make people comfortable with change
• Lastly but most importantly, we would be seeing individuals who communicate with conviction and integrity because they have mastered their own flaws.

 

If the above sounds political it is not. Leadership is needed in every corner of our country. We need leaders at Supervisor level to challenge productivity. We need leaders in HR to challenge the obscene packages and bonuses paid to some of our managers. We need leaders in business to confront corruption. We need leaders to regain discipline in the workplace. We need leaders in this country to get us back on our feet again. We need leaders in education to ensure that there is a future.

 

For all of these reasons and more I am personally involved in supervisor and leadership development. Looking back on the last twenty years, it is the field that has motivated me and challenged me more than anything else. I refuse to give up on people and this country.