People Leave Great Companies Because of Poor Leadership

People who join great companies leave because of poor leadership. We have verified this ourselves or know someone who has. The essential relationship between Leaders and Followers has been researched extensively by Barbara Kellerman¹. In essence, the measure of an effective Leader is the presence or absence of willing Followers. Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall² suggest that the following eight questions are a valid measure of a Leader's effectiveness. They advocate that Leaders don't need to have the same qualities or competencies but they must be held accountable for creating the same feelings of willing Followership in their organizations. These questions have their roots in the findings of the Gallup Organization released in 1999, with the research having been re-verified on numerous occasions since³.

I am really enthusiastic about the mission of my company.
At work, I clearly understand what's expected of me.
In my team, I am surrounded by people who share my values.
I have the chance to use my strengths every day at work.
My teammates have my back.
I know I will be recognized for excellent work.
I have confidence in my company's future.
In my work, I am always challenged to grow.

What, then, do Followers want from their Leaders? Quite simply, that they make us feel part of something important and meaningful... they see us, connect to us, care about us, challenge us in ways that value our individuality and uniqueness. We all have a special place in our hearts for those who make our journey more meaningful and more hopeful.

Barbara Kellerman⁴ reminds us that "we all long for leaders whose primary purpose is our best interest — not theirs. Leadership is not a profession. Nor is it, or ought to be, a stepping stone to, say, money or power or authority or even influence. Rather, it is a mission."

We are all Leaders or Followers at sometime or another. Wherever we find ourselves, may we contribute joyously to a cause bigger than ourselves.

References