Real Leaders Don't Boss (31 page)

Developing more volunteer and board participation in not-for-profit organizations in the area.

Most programs typically run from eight to 11 months. Each new class will usually spend a day learning about the community from accomplished leaders. They will also learn about pertinent challenges facing the community, focus on each class member's personal leadership skills, and explore growth opportunities. Many programs begin with a retreat of some sort (often a two-day event) that can include:

Leadership training exercises.

Lectures by leadership trailblazers.

Exploration of personal leadership styles.

Discussions and discoveries related to diversity in people and perspectives.

Interactive learning among class members.

Employers as well as employees can reap major benefits from these leadership programs. Program graduates—as knowledgeable future leaders—are more valuable to their companies. A company's leadership pipeline is enriched, and program graduates are more effective mentors for their coworkers. As an added bonus, the company's brand gets a boost through its employees' participation with other highly regarded companies, especially if a company sponsors programs or events as part of the leadership training.

More businesses and industry leaders should consider getting involved in chamber-endorsed leadership programs across the country. These programs are vital to communities and operate with your company's interest in mind: to create real leaders for the future of your company and community.

Potential leaders can be anywhere, including the often-overlooked arena of the arts. When work, commitment, and pleasure combine to create passion, nothing is impossible. Music, fine arts, and theater demand an above-average level of creativity as well as discipline, commitment, and passion—all valuable traits often lacking in today's struggling businesses.

William Revelli at the University of Michigan married his love of music with the highest standards of excellence and an
uncanny ability to inspire college students with unremitting discipline. Under Revelli's direction, the Michigan marching band was innovative—the first to use original scores for their band's shows, and employ synchronized music and movements. They were highly praised for their precision, formations, and style. Revelli was tough on his young band members and would not accept mediocrity. His exceptionally high standards demanded strong commitment from his team members—not only to their music, but also in their lives. The university's reputation as a premiere music institution is due, in large part, to Revelli's influence. He would have made an excellent corporate leader.

He is a great leader from the arts, but great leadership can come from anywhere: on the field, court, or track, or from the humblest community college in your area. There are people around you who might do seemingly ordinary things, and suddenly a movement is started. Consider Rosa Parks, a young African-American civil rights activist in Montgomery, Alabama, who in 1955 refused a bus driver's order to give up her seat to a white passenger. Her act of civil disobedience became legendary in the nation's fight for integration. The trick is to look at potential leaders not solely based on their credentials, but in the discipline, values, and vision they have within.

In today's competitive marketplace, successful companies must recognize the importance of nurturing tomorrow's leaders, as they will determine the success of companies in the future. A CEO's most important responsibility is to implement a process that identifies and grooms future leaders for the organization, and to teach and mentor future leaders who exist within the company. A strong leadership pipeline perpetuates a successful company generation after generation.

Following are a few questions to think about. They're not designed to test your knowledge, and there are no right or wrong answers. Instead, it's hoped that weighing the answers will help you as an aspiring leader to understand the role and benefits of nurturing future leaders:

Does your organization have formal leadership training for existing employees?

What more could be done to further mentor future leaders?

Does your company rely on bringing in outside talent to fill leadership openings? If so, can you determine why that is the case? Is there anything you can do to improve the process?

Does an organization have to recruit “superstars” to maintain a highly successful portfolio, or can it achieve sustained top performance by maximizing the skills of its existing employees?