The leaders have arrived

Many of the leaders we need for a secure and prosperous future are already in the workplace.
Technically and occupationally competent, some of them have already been 'spotted' because of the respect they command through their technical abilities and their 'people skills'. They have perhaps already been promoted to the fast-growing category of 'team leaders'. Others will continue to arrive as the popularity of vocational options for a career grows, fostered by an explosive growth in the numbers of students being directed towards further and higher education. Every year City & Guilds alone accredits almost one million such individuals for their vocational skill and knowledge. More and more of these students are learning the basics of management along with their occupations. Alas, the basics of management, which may be all the management development that these vital new workers ever receive, do not go very far towards developing leadership competencies.
The combination of self-organising teams, the devolution of decision-making to the individual, and the widespread demand for lean and organic change, create a new demand for the development of pervasive, organisational leadership. Managers will, as ever, be responsible for the effectiveness of enabling frameworks for work, and these must be constantly reviewed to ensure the emergence of best practice and innovation. We must cease to regard leadership as what emerges when already-senior managers are sent off for a fashionable career break at a business school.
Effective leadership permeates the organisation. Not only do charismatic leaders inspire everyone in their organisations, but they also develop the qualities of leadership among others. Leadership is also firmly linked to innovation. A truly innovative organisation is not simply the product of effective management, but of leadership, vision and an ability to involve all the people in the excitement of new challenges.