Remarkable Leadership Means Incredible Innovation
Guest Author: Leanne Hoagland-Smith
The buzz in the corporate world to the small business owner is leadership.
What is it? Where do you find it? Why is it necessary?
Business executives know that remarkable leadership means incredible innovation. From innovation, we secure growth and exceptional performance. We only need to look at the last 100 years or so to see the a sampling of those results:
Henry Ford’s leadership created assembly line manufacturing. His ability to find the best of the best allowed him a unique competitive advantage, at least for a while.
General Dwight Eisenhower’s leadership brought modern logistics to the forefront. D-Day was an incredible display of innovation given the million troops to the thousands of vehicles and airplanes to over 5,000 ships not to mention 3,500 gliders all focused on the same event. This historic day was made possible by remarkable leadership.
Jack Welch’s leadership catapulted General Electric (GE) from a market value of just $14 billion to over $410 billion in 20 years. His leadership generated innovation throughout the ranks at GE.
Remarkable leadership in the 21st century is needed if companies are to survive some of the current challenges. For example, the United States is facing a 30 million shortfall between the retiring baby boomers and the forthcoming workplace replacements. Corporate America is responding to this potential looming disaster by growing their human capital through leadership development. Their leadership actions have resulted in the innovation of a $1,000,000,000 executive coaching industry.
Yet, what many fail to realize is that each and every individual has the potential to be a remarkable leader who thrives through innovation. Human beings by their very nature appear to be “genetically wire” to improve their lot in life. At one time, mankind lived in caves and now many reside in safe and secure single family homes to multi-story high rises. Not so long ago, computes took up several floors and solved problems in hours to hundreds of hours. Today’s computer sits on a desk and processes information in seconds, not hours. So what is the process to develop remarkable leadership within each person?
The first step is for every individual to believe that leaders are made not born. Many still believe that leadership is genetic and that they can never become a leader. Then the community, education, government, social and spiritual environments must reinforce leadership by building self-responsibility. When people are developed into self-directed leaders who have the freedom to ask the “What If” questions and the tenacity to continue despite the failures, this is the beginning of incredible innovation.
“Change or Die” is a common phrase that many have heard especially during the last 50 years. In early 2007, Alan Deutschman turned that adage into a popular book. However, I believe that we must embrace a different adage - Lead to Innovate. We must go beyond the issue of change and truly push the ability of each and every person to lead with the goal of creating incredible innovation.
Leanne Hoagland-Smith, M.S. is a speaker, business consultant and business coach who has written hundreds of articles with a focus on improving individual and organizational performance through excellence in leadership to executable strategic plans. She partners with her clients to deliver results driven leadership in people, teams and organizations. Leanne can be reached at 219.759.5601219.759.5601.
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Tomorrow: “Six Steps To Help You Achieve More With Less”
Over on my personal blog, I am featuring my buddy Wally Adamchik with”Adamchik’s Laws Of Leadership”. You can read it here
And finally: Today, another good friend, Wendy Weiss, ‘The Queen of Cold Calling’ will be conducting two “How to Follow-up With Prospects” Live Coaching Teleconferences to help business owners, entrepreneurs and sales professionals gain the skills necessary to follow-up with prospects until they buy.
4pm Eastern, Tuesday, June 26th:
How to Follow-up with Prospects, Business-to-Business System
9pm Eastern, Tuesday, June 26th
How to Follow-up with Prospects, a System for Network Marketers
Get all the details and register here:
http://www.wendyweiss.com/howtofollowup/index.html
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POSTED IN: Leadership Skills
1 opinion for Remarkable Leadership Means Incredible Innovation
Tammy Stanley
Jun 26, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I agree that each individual has the potential to become a leader. I would add that one of the ways to tap into that potential is to create the awareness that all people have an innate genius of some kind. When individuals appreciate some characteristic they have as genius, they begin to believe that they can take a leadership role. Part of becoming a leader is believing one can.
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