After writing the title for this post, I had a humorous picture of a big vacuum cleaner that sucks up leaders.  In many companies, it’s a nightmare or in fact a sad reality.  Business owners have often asked me plaintively, “Ron, you deal with a lot of people and companies.  Is the lack of leadership as bad out there as it is in my organization?”  I reassure them that it is, then I also challenge them,  “…but it doesn’t have to be.  There’s actually quite a bit you can do about the lack of leadership you see around you.”

Leadership development is the key to facing the leadership vacuum and doing something about it instead of complaining or resigning yourself to what seems inevitable.  Leaders can be grown inside your company, but the owner has to be committed, it takes some planning and investment, and consistent follow-through is a must.