Leadership is specific
Herb Kelleher is one of my heroes. I love the stories of him drawing up the idea for Southwest Airlines on a cocktail napkin, drinking his Wild Turkey 101, and generally being just a little outrageous. I like to use him as an example of why leadership development isn’t general, it’s very, very specific.
Herb was a great business leader, but try to imagine him as the CEO of Microsoft or JP Morgan Chase or Zara. He’d be an awful fit. Leadership is specific to an industry, a company, and a position.
Leadership development should be specific
Leadership development should be specific, too. The leader you’re developing must be effective in a particular industry and company and position.
Specific to the industry
Every industry is different. Sometimes a leader needs to be adept at keeping costs down or creativity up or dancing with government regulators or managing a supply chain. Your leadership development program must give your people the tools to be successful in your industry.
Specific to the company
Every company is different. Sometimes a leader needs to be good at clearing away the rubble of previous failure. Sometimes he or she must be able to seize the trapeze of opportunity as it swings by. Always, he or she must be able to work with the grain of company culture and your other leaders. Your leadership development program must give your people the tools to be successful in your company.
Specific to the position
Every position is different. No matter what you think might be a leader’s potential for leadership tomorrow, he or she must be able to do the job they have superbly. Your leadership development program must give your people the tools to be successful in the job they have right now.
