Marj Fleming sits for a portrait in the studio on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.Potential leaders: We all know them and many of us know those who want to be them. In reality; however, not everyone is destined to be a leader. Becoming a leader involves either specific skills, the ability to develop specific skills or hard-won experience that evolves into taking on a leadership role.
The definition of a leader is: the person who leads or commands a group, team or organization. It’s a person who has a specific vision and a way to live that vision.
By any measure, organizations around the globe are struggling to find effective leaders. Millions of dollars are invested in leadership development training programs for potential leaders so that the pipeline of emerging leaders is packed with individuals ready to lead.
We look at skill sets and think getting those right will help us become more successful. We review core competencies, and we look at predictors for success. And yet, “it has proven to be extremely tricky to bridge the gap between raw talent and executive success,” according to the most recent Harvard Business Review.
That takes us to the definition of leadership, which is the ability of an individual or organization to lead or guide other individuals, teams or entire organizations. How is it that we keep falling short when developing those individuals?