Why It Seems Like Nothing Is Ever Accomplished?

Nearly everyone who has been involved in a leadership position with most organizations eventually faces the same reality, which is that, in too many cases, excessive amount of time and effort is spent on the inconsequential, often mostly meaningless, and menial issues, and not nearly enough emphasis is devoted to the truly relevant challenges.

In reviewing three decades of correspondence, notes and files, related to numerous organizations, and especially reviewing minutes from meetings, it is amazing how many times certain issues are discussed, over and over again, every year. Recently, I was sorting out one such file, when I noticed that meeting after meeting, year after year, the same issues were discussed. Even more disconcerting was the fact that because most organizational leadership is temporary, finite and transitional, in many cases, the organizations start each time "from scratch." Is it any wonder, really, that so little seems to ever get accomplished?

Most individuals that ascend to an organization's leadership are well meaning people, but that really "do not have a clue" what is needed, expected, or should be done. They neither understand the process, the ramifications, nor the necessities of leadership. Because the vast majority of organizations do not have effective leadership training, this tends to be a recurring issue and challenge. When I am eventually called in to observe and consult, I consistently am told that the organization is well run, and only needs some minor "tweaking." I am often told that they do run leadership seminars on a fairly regular basis, and that their leadership is strong. Unfortunately, however, in most cases, what I am being told is a leadership seminar, is often merely informational, or an indoctrination or orientation. In order to be considered a leadership seminars, the sessions must be interactive, put potential leaders on the spot, and make the attendees both think and understand "problem solving." True leadership training teaches skills such as basic negotiating, staff utilization and limitation, staff training, expectations, qualifying, locating and identifying future leaders, etc.

Training in leadership is not a one-time panacea. It is not a "one size fits all" situation. It is not for everyone. It should be limited to those identified as past, present, future or potential leaders.

In most cases, training should be ongoing, and done in stages. It should be something that attendees perceive as necessary, important, valuable and beneficial. It must teach "hands on" techniques, decision making, "visioning," and implementation. It must explain that leadership is often lonely, and should never be a popularity contest.

Until the methodology is in place, and leaders follow efficient and effective leadership techniques, many of us will continue to observe that, in many organizations, very little seems to get accomplished. However, as sad as that is, many untrained leaders delude themselves into believing that they are being constructive. Many of these untrained leaders resist training because they seem to believe that their experience means that "they are the experts and know it all." When one has consulted and been involved in this field as long as I am, hears that, he understands that mere experience is far different from true expertise. Until the proper methods and techniques are in place, organizations will suffer from their lack of accomplishment, and thus their mission, regardless of how important and significant, will be far more difficult to accomplish.