Leadership Art

Leading is not just about being at the front and top, for without anything behind or supporting that position there is no leader.

Sometimes this simple fact is forgotten by leaders who steam on ahead, powered by their ego which is fuelled by those directly supporting them.

Then they get some far and think on checking the operations. Only by now they are like a train in a comedy film where the engine has been decoupled.

On their own they can't really move forward and they therefore need to go back to pick up the rest of the train. Only they don't know how far back or how long to pick up those carriages which contain the very nucleus of business; their people.

As they head back their competition comes whizzing by, moving forward with a whole set of carriages. Their leader walking through the train from engine to engine making sure there is cohesion, forward drive and contingency.

By the time the other engine gets back to their carriages the people will feel abandoned and disgruntled. Who knows the competitors train that whizzed by may have picked up some of the best ones on the way!

By now the competition is miles ahead and you are in rebuild mode.

Leadership is about understanding and engaging at all levels all of the time. Don't decouple and you'll stay in front!