Allow me to quote Bridget Menezes on Humility : "Humility is the fruit of self-respect. A humble person neither feels afraid to open up nor does he fear loss. Humility springs from inner security, and this makes a person open, ready to communicate, co-operate and experiment with new thoughts, ideas, and other ways of doing things.....Humility is the proof of self-mastery."
I think Humility is a great management tool to have and also an amazing value to acquire. A manager with humility is a manager who opens hearts and minds. She brings her people willingly to the battle ground. She stands first in the line of fire but last in the parade of victory. She brings change carefully and slowly but surely. She allows conflict and contradiction so as to build character and spirit. She creates more than destroys although destroy she must at times. She builds bridges where none existed before and finds opportunities where others despair. She knows when to retreat and when to strike forward. She talks hard but with a heart. She swings strong but with a smile. She talks to not at her people. She allows mistakes. She tolerates failures. She acknowledges success. She gives credit.
All these and more she can do but all she does with quiet confidence as she is fueled not by brute intelligence nor arrogance. She is driven by the all powerful Humility.
Blessed are the humble Managers and Leaders.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Cultural Change Management
A couple of days ago, I had an opportunity to meet an exciting manager from a private higher education institution based in KL. We had a refreshing conversation on how his institution needs to embark on a high impact cultural change management program. It was so exciting to hear from him ideas and beliefs that I usually only hear from die-hard corporate figures. Here I was talking to a manager from an educational institution who has very clearly integrated his need to maintain the special characteristic of his business with the real demand of the business world. More importantly, he has realized very early on that the only way his institution is going to face up to the multifaceted challenges is by going through a clearly defined and designed cultural change management program.
For me, an organization is a living breathing organism and it has a culture. Its culture could be the natural result of years of existence, a carefully designed one, or a combination of both. The way it does its business will be to a large extent a reflection of its culture. In fact, organizations often fail not because they have lost their competitive edge per se but due to their failure to adjust their business culture vis a vis the changes, challenges and innovations of any given period of time.
So, kudos to all of you managers and leaders out there who have realized the importance of getting the DNA of your organizational culture sorted out. I wish you the best.
For me, an organization is a living breathing organism and it has a culture. Its culture could be the natural result of years of existence, a carefully designed one, or a combination of both. The way it does its business will be to a large extent a reflection of its culture. In fact, organizations often fail not because they have lost their competitive edge per se but due to their failure to adjust their business culture vis a vis the changes, challenges and innovations of any given period of time.
So, kudos to all of you managers and leaders out there who have realized the importance of getting the DNA of your organizational culture sorted out. I wish you the best.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Mind-Teaser Answer
This is for the good people of Yayasan Sabah who made my program for them on 20th September a great success. The following is the answer to the mind-teaser as given by the creator of the test, Peter Watson and as presented by Roger Dawson:
"Only 4 percent of the people he tested got it right. Obviously,you turn the A over to be sure it has an even number on the other side. But most people select the 4 as the other card,to be sure it has a vowel on the other side. And that's the wrong answer! The right is the 7, to be sure it doesn't have a vovel on the other side.
The interesting thing about that is, not only did 96 percent of the people get it wrong, but it's almost impossible to understand why you shoud turn over the 7, and not the 4. Let's say that the second card you turn over is the 4, and it does have a vowel on the other side. So far so good: but you are still left with the possibility that the 7 has a vowel on the other side. That would dispute the supposition that any card with a vowel on one side has an even number on the other.So you can't prove the supposition that way because you have already turned over two cards, the A and 4.
So you should turn over the A and the 7. If the A has an even number on the other side and the 7 doesn't have a vowel, you have proven the supposition. But how do you know the 4 has a vowel on the other side? It doesn't matter whether it has a vowel or consonant. Your challenge was to prove that if a card has a vowel on one side, it has an even number on the other. If the 4 has a vowel on the other side, fine. If it has a consonant on the other side, it's not relevant to the supposition!
As I mentioned in the program, many managers and leaders find it difficult to solve problems and conflicts at the work-place because often times they mis-state the problem or in other words the problem or conflict is wrongly defined. A wrong definition will lead to a wrong problem-solving parameters. More importantly, there are always more than one way of looking at things.
My sincere best wishes to all of you at Yayasan Sabah Group.
"Only 4 percent of the people he tested got it right. Obviously,you turn the A over to be sure it has an even number on the other side. But most people select the 4 as the other card,to be sure it has a vowel on the other side. And that's the wrong answer! The right is the 7, to be sure it doesn't have a vovel on the other side.
The interesting thing about that is, not only did 96 percent of the people get it wrong, but it's almost impossible to understand why you shoud turn over the 7, and not the 4. Let's say that the second card you turn over is the 4, and it does have a vowel on the other side. So far so good: but you are still left with the possibility that the 7 has a vowel on the other side. That would dispute the supposition that any card with a vowel on one side has an even number on the other.So you can't prove the supposition that way because you have already turned over two cards, the A and 4.
So you should turn over the A and the 7. If the A has an even number on the other side and the 7 doesn't have a vowel, you have proven the supposition. But how do you know the 4 has a vowel on the other side? It doesn't matter whether it has a vowel or consonant. Your challenge was to prove that if a card has a vowel on one side, it has an even number on the other. If the 4 has a vowel on the other side, fine. If it has a consonant on the other side, it's not relevant to the supposition!
As I mentioned in the program, many managers and leaders find it difficult to solve problems and conflicts at the work-place because often times they mis-state the problem or in other words the problem or conflict is wrongly defined. A wrong definition will lead to a wrong problem-solving parameters. More importantly, there are always more than one way of looking at things.
My sincere best wishes to all of you at Yayasan Sabah Group.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Vision, Values and the Way We Do Business
There is an often quoted story of how Jack Welch, the former warrior-CEO of GE, made every employee carry a card that states the core values of GE.
Yes, for me Jack Welch was a warrior-CEO in the true sense. It takes a warrior to wage war on entrenched culture and values that are like a quick-sand dragging an organization into the bottomless pit of poor performance, weak customer service and shameful ROI for share-holders.
After retiring, Jack has given numerous high-powered talks and also informal interviews. I have watched and read some of them. What strikes me the most is his emphasis on vision and values. He always,always goes back to the value and vision that he wanted to give GE.
My fellow corporate trainers and I are always amazed when we find many of our participants who are sometimes senior managers are not able to describe the vision and value of their respective organizations. For us, its like the story of if you don't know where you are going, anywhere will be just fine. That includes down.
Vision and values drive an organization. It gives a road-map for its employees. It gives a clear guidance on the parameters of everything they do from 9 to 5 everyday. The decisions they make or don't make, the service they provide or don't provide, or the innovations they make or fail to make are all driven by the vison and values that they believe in. But of course, as all things, employees must be given a reason to live and breathe the said vision and value. One of the best reasons for them to do so is when they have a say in developing the vision and values. What people give birth to they do not destroy.
Business, Work and Life : They are Connected
I would like to share this with all of you. I received it from a good friend of mine recently.
In all my corporate programs, I often pause to share with my participants stories and anecdotes that warms the heart. In an age of break-neck speed, I think it is important to pause to reflect on reality. I believe that when we are at peace with ourselves, we make much better managers.
Read and ponder.
Enjoy.
A wonderful Message by George Carlin:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
George Carlin
In all my corporate programs, I often pause to share with my participants stories and anecdotes that warms the heart. In an age of break-neck speed, I think it is important to pause to reflect on reality. I believe that when we are at peace with ourselves, we make much better managers.
Read and ponder.
Enjoy.
A wonderful Message by George Carlin:
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
George Carlin
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Being a Learning Organization
You may find the title of this article strange. I know that we are all used to articles and discussions on how to make an organization a learning organization. Well, its the same actually. Its just that I am more inclined to think that all organizations are already learning organizations even before the term was coined and became a fashionable statement. Organizations have always been learning and improving BUT they have not been doing it conciously nor was there any systematic way of doing that. NOKIA, BP, BMW and Lee Kum Kee are not some young kids on the block. They have been around for a long time and some of them have completely reengineered what they do as a business entity. I find it hard to beleive that they did all these while not being a learning organization. For me, the term may be new but the practise is as old as Genghis Khan.
Hence, whats more critical now is for the leadership of every organization to institute clear strategies of how its people can realize that they are a learning organization and how important it is to be a learning organization. Its not so much about learning new tools but rather learning new ways of using existing tools.
However, I do believe that certain factors can enhance how well an organization act like a learning organization. They are :
1. Tolerate mistakes
2. Reward originality
3. Invest in people development programs
4. Encourage sharing ( top down and vice versa)
5. Encourage team work
Hence, whats more critical now is for the leadership of every organization to institute clear strategies of how its people can realize that they are a learning organization and how important it is to be a learning organization. Its not so much about learning new tools but rather learning new ways of using existing tools.
However, I do believe that certain factors can enhance how well an organization act like a learning organization. They are :
1. Tolerate mistakes
2. Reward originality
3. Invest in people development programs
4. Encourage sharing ( top down and vice versa)
5. Encourage team work
Preparing for Conflict Resolution : A Manager's Guide
Often times a manager/supervisor will be required to play the role of a mediator in work related conflicts in the work place. Often times also, many managers plunge into conflict resolution without proper preparation and planning. The following is a simple yet effective guide-line for managers to prepare themselves prior to engaging in any activity relating to conflict resolution.
1. Prepare mentally : Clear (temporarily at least) your own problems and challenges. You are right if you think that you have to 'put on an act'. Thats part and parcel of being a leader; you can't afford to allow personal problems and challenges to affect your managerial responsibilities.
2. Be sure not allow your past knowledge of the parties involved in a conflict to cloud your approach. Ramli may have been a trouble maker in the past but he may also be the innocent party in the current conflict. Fairness must be seen by all those involved.
3. If possible, take the conflicting parties away from the environment that produced the conflict in the first place. Don't underestimate the power of a positive environment in conflict resolution.
4. Make it clear to all parties that they must accept the fact that the conflict is in relation to work and not personalities. This is to show them that you are not on a witch-hunt.
5. As far as possible, get all needed information before attempting to resolve a conflict.
6. If at all you are a contributor to the conflict, own-up to that as soon as the meeting starts.
7. Ensure that all parties are given ample time to voice their frustrations.
8. Be sure to keep repeating that conflicts are not all that bad in the work place as conflicts can give birth to new and better ideas.
9. All resolutions and agreements reached at must be approved by all parties concerned; if possible in writing
10. AND most importantly, enter a conflict resolution situation with a clear mental picture of you resolving the conflict to the satisfaction of all.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
A Desired Employer
There was an article in today's NST in which Jack Welch discussed how an organization can become an employer of choice. Isn't it great? Companies and management gurus are actually talking about how they can manage and run their organizations in such a way that people want to work for them. Why should any organization bother to make it self desirable to the workforce? Why should it even try? If people want a job, let them come.Right? Wrong!
Today organizations take great pride when the international magazine, TIME publishes its list of Best of Employers of the year. Such a title has become a great source of pride and organizations use it in their marketing just like how ISO's are used. They hope that such accolades will attract the best minds from the market to seek employment with them. I was once told by a visiting management expert that Microsoft (USA), Infosys (India) and Lenovo (China) are so aggresive in recruiting from college campuses that they practically pay their young recruits forward so that they do not get attracted to the competitor! I am sure a Best Employer title will do great wonders too.
The thing is this : to get the best, an organization has to be the best. The more skilled the job is, the more the organization needs to do to make it self attractive for courting. How does an organization becomes a desired employer? The first step is for all senior managers to realize that they have to once in a while get away from the demands of their everyday tasks and responsibilities and spend time in developing and reviewing their strategic HR approaches. If there is a quarterly review of financial matters, I think there should be one for the most critical asset : human resource. This is People Management in the 21st century. The ROI from this will be tremendous.Just ask Microsoft.
Today organizations take great pride when the international magazine, TIME publishes its list of Best of Employers of the year. Such a title has become a great source of pride and organizations use it in their marketing just like how ISO's are used. They hope that such accolades will attract the best minds from the market to seek employment with them. I was once told by a visiting management expert that Microsoft (USA), Infosys (India) and Lenovo (China) are so aggresive in recruiting from college campuses that they practically pay their young recruits forward so that they do not get attracted to the competitor! I am sure a Best Employer title will do great wonders too.
The thing is this : to get the best, an organization has to be the best. The more skilled the job is, the more the organization needs to do to make it self attractive for courting. How does an organization becomes a desired employer? The first step is for all senior managers to realize that they have to once in a while get away from the demands of their everyday tasks and responsibilities and spend time in developing and reviewing their strategic HR approaches. If there is a quarterly review of financial matters, I think there should be one for the most critical asset : human resource. This is People Management in the 21st century. The ROI from this will be tremendous.Just ask Microsoft.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Decision Making : Whats That?
There is a story by Roger Dawson of how the CEO of a multi-million dollar organization said that he doesn't really know how he makes decisions.
Then, there is a story popular among EQ trainers of how a manager secretly arranged for a work-tour for the husband and two teenage sons of one of his top performers to show them how hard the wife/mother is working everyday. His objective? To show the family that they need to give her a break once in a while so that she can re-charge. The reason? He made the decision that he didn't want to loose her.
In both these examples, critical decisions have been made. The former says he doesn't really know how he comes to his decisions while the latter clearly has thought out carefully of his decisions. In reality, we are the sum total of all the decisions that we have ever made in our lives and our lives will become as determined by the effects of the sum total of all future decisions that we are going to make. The same goes for organisations. General Electric, AirAsia, Toyota, Micosoft, Google,etc all have a common factor : Effecient Decision Making. Not always right decisions but effecient decision making processes.
The difference between a bad decision and a bad decision arrived at via an efficient decision making process is that the latter can be easily identified, corrected or abondened. Leaders at all levels of organizations must be able to think about thinking and decide how they come to their decisions. Otherwise, organisational strategies become fixed, rigid and inflexible. That is no way to do business in the 21st century.
Then, there is a story popular among EQ trainers of how a manager secretly arranged for a work-tour for the husband and two teenage sons of one of his top performers to show them how hard the wife/mother is working everyday. His objective? To show the family that they need to give her a break once in a while so that she can re-charge. The reason? He made the decision that he didn't want to loose her.
In both these examples, critical decisions have been made. The former says he doesn't really know how he comes to his decisions while the latter clearly has thought out carefully of his decisions. In reality, we are the sum total of all the decisions that we have ever made in our lives and our lives will become as determined by the effects of the sum total of all future decisions that we are going to make. The same goes for organisations. General Electric, AirAsia, Toyota, Micosoft, Google,etc all have a common factor : Effecient Decision Making. Not always right decisions but effecient decision making processes.
The difference between a bad decision and a bad decision arrived at via an efficient decision making process is that the latter can be easily identified, corrected or abondened. Leaders at all levels of organizations must be able to think about thinking and decide how they come to their decisions. Otherwise, organisational strategies become fixed, rigid and inflexible. That is no way to do business in the 21st century.
When the BEST leaves....
Retaining top performers in an organization was never easy. People managers will tell you that it just got more difficult today. Some organizations that I know of have 40% employee turnover and; they are in industries where a stable staff strength is needed for the business unlike the fast-food business where high staff turnover is almost always expected.
When a top performer leaves an organization, he/she takes more than just himself; he takes with him the money-can't-buy knowledge and insights into how a certain aspect of his job functions are carried out. Now, things get more 'expensive' when the top performer leaves under less than satisfactory circumstances as weeks before he leaves he will lay a carefully planned groundwork among his co-workers as to the 'real' reasons for his decision to leave and trust me when I say that such reasons will have nothing to do with how good the management has been to him. Whether knowlingly or otherwise, a top perfomer who leaves will always be able to bring the motivation of his co-workers a notch down. Lets also not forget that when a top performer gives a two-month notice to the management; he has invariably given himself at least another 2 months notice prior to informing the management. Under most circumstances, what the organization now has on its payrol is an employee who is going to only perform at 50% (or less) of his capacity for 4 months. People managers shoud calculate the cost of this to the organization! This is the reason why somethimes I wonder why companies insist on 2 months notice!
As costly as all these are, they are actually not inevitable. People managers can retain their top performers. Lets be honest here and admit that there is no way under the heavens how anybody can retain ALL their top performers ALL the time. There will always be those who leave. There will always be others who make better offers and provide more attractive perks. Besides, as I recently ponted out to a manager, a long serving employee could mean loyalty OR a no hoper anywhere else! So, whats important is to have systems and strategies in place to ensure that at the least our top performers do not jump the boat at the first sign of trouble or better offers.
People managers must come to the realization that it is the nature of the 21st century workforce not to show any loyalty to the organization. Their loyalty is only to their career or their expertise. The old pep-talks glorifying loyalty to the organization will not cut it with the young kids coming out of our universities. They need to be told how by staying on with us, they can develop themselves and; oh yes! the organization too. They need to be told how the organization will appreciate and reward their talents and contributions. People managers must be able to provide an attractive picture of career development and professional enhancement.
Once a top performer has been identified, there needs to be a serious attempt by the organization to lay the groundwork on how to retain him or her. I would suggest that there should be a general framework to retain top performers AND a more individual-specific strategy. A commitee should be set up to track and develop the career development aspects of a top performer. This commitee should comprise of among others the General Manager,HR manager and the head of department and the said top performer. He or she must be kept in the loop at all times. There is no point in saying on the day a resignation notice is given that the organization "...had great plans for you".
Keep your BEST to be the BEST. There is no other way.
When a top performer leaves an organization, he/she takes more than just himself; he takes with him the money-can't-buy knowledge and insights into how a certain aspect of his job functions are carried out. Now, things get more 'expensive' when the top performer leaves under less than satisfactory circumstances as weeks before he leaves he will lay a carefully planned groundwork among his co-workers as to the 'real' reasons for his decision to leave and trust me when I say that such reasons will have nothing to do with how good the management has been to him. Whether knowlingly or otherwise, a top perfomer who leaves will always be able to bring the motivation of his co-workers a notch down. Lets also not forget that when a top performer gives a two-month notice to the management; he has invariably given himself at least another 2 months notice prior to informing the management. Under most circumstances, what the organization now has on its payrol is an employee who is going to only perform at 50% (or less) of his capacity for 4 months. People managers shoud calculate the cost of this to the organization! This is the reason why somethimes I wonder why companies insist on 2 months notice!
As costly as all these are, they are actually not inevitable. People managers can retain their top performers. Lets be honest here and admit that there is no way under the heavens how anybody can retain ALL their top performers ALL the time. There will always be those who leave. There will always be others who make better offers and provide more attractive perks. Besides, as I recently ponted out to a manager, a long serving employee could mean loyalty OR a no hoper anywhere else! So, whats important is to have systems and strategies in place to ensure that at the least our top performers do not jump the boat at the first sign of trouble or better offers.
People managers must come to the realization that it is the nature of the 21st century workforce not to show any loyalty to the organization. Their loyalty is only to their career or their expertise. The old pep-talks glorifying loyalty to the organization will not cut it with the young kids coming out of our universities. They need to be told how by staying on with us, they can develop themselves and; oh yes! the organization too. They need to be told how the organization will appreciate and reward their talents and contributions. People managers must be able to provide an attractive picture of career development and professional enhancement.
Once a top performer has been identified, there needs to be a serious attempt by the organization to lay the groundwork on how to retain him or her. I would suggest that there should be a general framework to retain top performers AND a more individual-specific strategy. A commitee should be set up to track and develop the career development aspects of a top performer. This commitee should comprise of among others the General Manager,HR manager and the head of department and the said top performer. He or she must be kept in the loop at all times. There is no point in saying on the day a resignation notice is given that the organization "...had great plans for you".
Keep your BEST to be the BEST. There is no other way.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Leaders Galore
Leaders and leadership : The 2 most powerful words today. Not that in ages gone by there were no leaders; there were many. However today leaders and leadership take on a different dimension. With the advent of information and communication technology, it has become easier for leaders to 'share' their leadership secrets with the world. Soon we became leadership junkies just as millions of others became self-help junkies. We devoured every single word uttered by these leaders. In fact the newly coined term, celebrity CEOs captures this wonderfuly.
There is nothing wrong with this of course as we all need a figure-head to lead us. Whether we like it or not, there will always be those who lead and those who are led. But, we should stop and ask ourselves what it means to have leaders in our organizations. Is leadership in an organization the sole responsibility of one or two individuals? Is leadership a function of the possition OR is it a function of the person.
How do we develop leaders at all levels of our organization? I believe that to do this we need to first and foremost accept the fact that leadership is a function of a person. In other words, everybody in an organization is a leader and he/she are required to shoulder leadership responsibilities. It doesn't matter whether one sits in the CEO's office or in the guard room: Everybody should be and act like a leader.
There is nothing wrong with this of course as we all need a figure-head to lead us. Whether we like it or not, there will always be those who lead and those who are led. But, we should stop and ask ourselves what it means to have leaders in our organizations. Is leadership in an organization the sole responsibility of one or two individuals? Is leadership a function of the possition OR is it a function of the person.
How do we develop leaders at all levels of our organization? I believe that to do this we need to first and foremost accept the fact that leadership is a function of a person. In other words, everybody in an organization is a leader and he/she are required to shoulder leadership responsibilities. It doesn't matter whether one sits in the CEO's office or in the guard room: Everybody should be and act like a leader.
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