A number of factors contribute to the failure of leadership development programs today. Among these is the limited participation by senior leadership in the training and in holding people accountable for changing behaviour following the training. Limited participation signals a lack of commitment. As one common saying explains, “The difference between participation and commitment is like an eggs and ham breakfast: The chicken participated, but the pig was committed.”
Another reason that leadership development efforts fail is the cynicism of senior leaders. These leaders resist investing time and money into development programs, convinced that such efforts will yield minimal benefits but require maximum resources. This mind-set is disastrous, and it communicates to talented employees that the organization is not concerned about their growth and development. An important paradox to remember is that people do not quit their jobs; they quit their leaders. When an organization fails to develop its leaders, or worse, when an organization develops leaders and loses them to another organization, the impact on organizational performance is staggering.
Developing the skill of Positive Presence and the Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies in your leaders at all levels provides a practical, affordable and on-the-job learning mechanism to take personal development and organization culture development to the next level. It will use the power of a positive mindset and the behaviours of collaboration and connection to set up your team for excellence.
CORPORATE HARMONY is grateful to Dr. Michael E. Frisina for his contributions to this entry.
