And there is perhaps the shortest headline oxymoron in living history.
To be a leader, you have to make decisions. And take people with you.
Leadership is a fascinating discussion point and one that came to light today as I trundled (on feet, confusingly, rather than wheels or a monorail) to Liverpool University’s Management School for a taster session on a fascinating course called Lead.
The concept is to incubate with inspirational leadership techniques, small businesses whose captains want to grow their share of the marketplace.
Through 10 months of mentorship (that’s coaching), round-table discussions and action learning, it is said that you can increase your annual revenues by £200,000.
All for £1,000!
I’m a journalist. I led millions of people a merry dance through newspapers, magazines and websites in my notorious youth. I’m a bit more sanguine about the whole thing now but I like to think I know a thing or two about leadership. Prof Tom Cannon does. He runs a business and teaches business.
But one thing I can’t overlook is this notion that great leaders are born, not made. Tom is a fantastic fellow and he elucidated that to be a great leader you need charisma and communication skills.
95% of the population would fail if these disciplines were tested in some form of freaky psychoanalytical sideshow presentation.
So I wonder how you can tutor an immersive course – 2 days per month over 10 months – with the promise of engendering leadership abilities in 25 people, known as cohorts.
I love the idea and I’d be super keen to dive on in and give it a go if a. I had the time, and b. I genuinely believed that I would get as much out of it as I would have to put in. But as anyone who knows me knows, unless my heart is 100% into something I’d end up taking a place that someone else could make more use of.
Fair play for starting this £9.5m course though. The more help small and medium sized businesses get this day and age, the better.
