Leadership Information

The Sink Or Swim Approach To Leadership


Looking around in most corporate environments today you'll find mission, vision and values statements proudly displayed on the walls, in print materials and even engraved in granite. Often, they've invested a great deal of time; effort and expense in crafting just the right message to best describe the foundational principles of the company. I can't help but stop, take notice; and then wonder how this foundational wisdom is incorporated into the day-to-day operations. What's in it for the operational leaders to carry out the mission in ways that align with the vision and values? How are they taught to walk the talk?

Many operational leaders today were developed and promoted from inside the ranks of the organization. In fact, most internally developed leaders were promoted without consideration of the potential to lead and inspire others. They're "crowned" with a title and thrown into the corporate waters to sink or swim. Those that swim have enough stamina to figure out what it takes to stay above water. Those that sink are simply in over their heads and can't find a way to surface for air.

I can't help but wonder how the "sink or swim" approach fits into those mission, vision and values statements. The new leaders who are trying to learn on their own without a coach or a trainer take longer, make more avoidable mistakes and often lose their motivation and enthusiasm. Multiply that by the number of their direct reports and the equation becomes an issue that's costing the organization dearly.

If your organization is one that values development and promotion from within the ranks, make a commitment today to establish a new process, and most of all provide the support and training to ensure success. The future leadership within your company depends on it.

About The Author

Lora J Adrianse is the owner of Essential Connections. She is a Coach, Consultant and Facilitator who specializes in the development managers and business owners. She recently left a long-term corporate career to focus on her passion for helping others bring out the best in themselves through the use of Emotional Intelligence. She can be reached through her website www.connectionscoach.com; coach@connectionscoach.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Leadership scenarios for Congress
Washington Post
What (if anything) will get done in Washington next year? That depends largely on which party is in charge of Congress. ...
Tennessee House Democrats accuse Republicans of doing what they used to do.Examiner.com
One-Seat Majority Is Democrats' Bottom LineCQPolitics.com
On Capitol Hill, Obama's new economic measures confront harsh realityCNN International
Boston Herald -Daily Caller -NHPR
all 319 news articles »


Reuters UK

Japan's Leadership Merry-Go-Round
New York Times (blog)
Japan's frequent leadership changes are dizzying and increasingly counterproductive. The country has had 14 prime ministers in the last two decades and ...
Japan's economic recovery may depend on politicsVoice of America
Ozawa, Kan neck-and-neck in DPJ leadership race: lawmaker surveysXinhua
Media see close fight for Japan leadershipFinancial Times
AFP -Asahi Shimbun -Khaleej Times
all 226 news articles »


Audi's $66000 A7 to Challenge BMW, Mercedes for Luxury Sales Leadership
Bloomberg
Volkswagen AG's Audi brand will target families looking for a sportier car with the new A7 Sportback as the ...

and more »


New York Times

Lacking Money and Leadership, Push for Taliban Defectors Stalls
New York Times
Muhammad Akram Khapalwak, a top official at the Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Commission, said some fighters who had changed sides in the past had been ...
Lacking money and leadership, push for Taliban defectors stallsSan Jose Mercury News

all 40 news articles »


2010 Q2 Korn/Ferry Confidence in Leadership Index Reverses Course, Shows ...
MarketWatch (press release)
LOS ANGELES, Sept 07, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Korn/Ferry Institute's Confidence in Leadership Index reveals a significant decline in the trust ...

and more »


Washington Post

US government officials share a few of their favorite books on leadership
Washington Post
The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service and The Washington Post's On Leadership site jointly produce the Federal Coach, hosted by Tom Fox, ...



2010 Service & Leadership Trends in Customer Support
TechRepublic
Overview: This white paper from SupportIndustry.com synthesizes the results of a groundbreaking survey. It assesses the state of customer service issues ...

and more »


Hariri has shown his leadership
Daily Star - Lebanon
Lebanon has direly needed to somehow acquire the substantial span of time required to allow the political leadership to concentrate on these matters of ...

and more »


FOXNews

Opinion: US banks on clean energy to restore our industrial leadership
San Jose Mercury News
The lessons learned in California are paving the way forward for America, and we can all be grateful for the state's leadership in creating clean energy ...
Get Business AlertsHuffington Post (blog)

all 1,172 news articles »


Calderon May Struggle With Priorities as Congressional Leadership Changes
Bloomberg
Mexican President Felipe Calderon may have difficulty pushing through his agenda ...

and more »


Notice: Undefined index: TITLE in E:\domains\e\epiconline.co.uk\user\htdocs\adsense-pages\leadership\inc\rss.inc on line 103
Google News

home | site map
© 2006