An organization can develop great ideas, but success will only come with effective leadership
Most experts ignore the belief that leaders are born, not made. The common belief among leadership consultants is that, with the proper emphasis, leadership skills can be taught, developed, and honed. But according to a recent study, there is an alarming lack of leadership in the business world today.
A study by Development Dimensions International (DDI), a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based global training and human resource firm, found that roughly three quarters of businesses have difficulty finding qualified leaders. (For details, see the executive summary of their study at http://www.ddiworld.com/pdf/cpgn53.pdf). It's difficult to say why there is a dearth of leaders today, but many experts agree that it is probably due to the fact that the skills required for leadership are different in our ever-changing and competitive global business environment. These skills are important in any organization, no matter the size, and they are needed at all levels of management--not just the top.
The DDI study surveyed three groups within a selected list of organizations: human resource professionals, leaders, and associates. The study found that less than half of all surveyed reflected high confidence in their leaders' ability. Only thirty-six percent of all associates surveyed had high confidence in their leaders.
DDI picked fourteen competencies that are important for current leadership positions, and asked all survey respondents to rate them (sorry, the fourteen skills are only available in the full study which you can order from DDI). About half of all leaders surveyed rated just seven of those skills as strengths. The associates' responses were more troubling: they believe their leaders lack strength in thirteen of the fourteen most important leadership competencies! Both groups identified three areas where leaders lack strength: coaching, strategic decision making, and facilitating change.
Many experts believe that the recent focus on technical expertise has thrived at the expense of leadership skills, and the founders of many Internet businesses are learning this reality as they are pushed aside--or out the door.
Because of the constant rate of change in the business world, leadership positions in the future will likely require different competencies. Some core skills will surely continue to be important, like communication and team-building. Other skills, however, will become priorities whether we like it or not. The DDI study revealed that today's leaders are not strong in six of the ten competencies that will be important for future leaders. Those six are:
• Visionary Leadership (30%): where will you take your organization in the future?
• Strategic Decision Making (25%): are you developing long-term strategies that will carry out your vision?
• Aligning Performance for Success (27%): are you able to set measurements and monitor others' progress toward goals against those measurements?
• Empowering Leadership (49% of leaders rating the competency a strength): are you capable of letting others make decisions or take on responsibility?
• Innovation (46%): can you recognize new ideas and encourage your staff to do so?
• Communication (44%): can you explain your ideas clearly?
According to DDI-- and many leadership experts--the leadership shortage is a real concern. Development of leadership competencies is of paramount importance. Why? Nearly seventy-five percent of all leaders surveyed by DDI said they pursue development activities to make themselves more marketable for other jobs. Corporate downsizing and re-engineering have proven that organizations are not showing loyalty to their employees, so loyalty should not be expected in return. And relying solely on outside leadership talent will not be enough for an organization to survive. The focus for tomorrow must be on the management and retention of current staff as they move up the ranks.
The DDI study also suggests that leadership development might best be approached as a joint venture, where leaders take responsibility for their own development and organizations supporting them through the process. Training, mentorship, or even web-based learning will not always be the best solution. True leaders communicate their needs, and organizations should listen and respond.
For more information, contact John Crosby (john-c@sla.org)
RSS
Feedback form
