On Becoming a Leader - Warren Bennis

Warren Bennis died this summer aged 89. As one of the leading authors of dozen of books on the subject of Leadership, one has remained with me above others - "On Becoming a Leader", his personal reflection on the preparation for being ready to lead.

Bennis asserts a number of key points in this book that resonate with me;

• Leaders are made, not born and therefore we can get better at it. There is not a magic formula.
   
• Leaders need  to take responsibility for their actions and not blame others if things go wrong. Mistakes are accepted as part of the learning process towards growth and progress.
• The point is not to become a Leader, the point is to become yourself. True Leadership comes from within , it is not a coat you wear when required.

And on the subject of why Leadership is necessary in business and the wider community, I'll leave you with a quote from Bennis himself ....

"One person can live on a desert island without leadership. Two people, if they are totally compatible, could probably get along and even progress. If there are three or more, someone has to take the lead. Otherwise, chaos erupts."