| I first wrote about effective leadership in August | | | | Our leaders are now required to accrue social, |
| 2007 and thought it was time, five months later, | | | | human, and natural capital as well as the more |
| to revisit the subject again. Leaders must inspire | | | | traditional financial and capital asset base. |
| us to follow their lead. How do they do this and | | | | There is a growing demand for our global and local |
| ensure that they don't lose a few of us on the | | | | organisations to demonstrate that they, the |
| way? Well they can lead by example and earn | | | | people that lead them and the products and |
| our respect through their actions and the goals | | | | services they provide are transparent, reliable and |
| they achieve, but are these enough? Are we | | | | worthy of our trust. There is also an increasing |
| increasingly demand more? | | | | demand for our leaders to be positive, real and |
| Organisations have become more brand centered | | | | authentic and deliver solutions that are robust and |
| rather than leader orientated over recent | | | | long lasting, rather than short-term and populist. |
| decades. Corporate and brand equity has | | | | We want to know who our leaders are and why |
| developed based on developing trust in the | | | | they are worthy of our support, we want actions |
| organisations, goods and services rather than | | | | and delivery rather than hollow words and sound |
| people who run those organisations. National and | | | | bites. This demand will be driven more and more |
| international brands such as Ford, Cadbury's, | | | | as we expect our leaders to address the long |
| Rowntrees, Fry's, Sainsbury's, were originally built | | | | term social and global environmental issues that |
| from a leader's or even a family vision. They now | | | | face us. |
| have a corporate vision developed by a corporate | | | | So what is effective leadership? I believe that |
| body that is seeking to meet stakeholder as well | | | | effective leadership is understanding where you |
| as shareholder needs. These needs at times may | | | | are and where you need to be and being able to |
| be mutually exclusive and provide a source of | | | | carry all those around you on the crest of the |
| conflict for our leaders that need to be resolved. | | | | wave until you all safely reach the shore. |