An interesting comment tonight on my favourite (only) television program – ‘This week in politics’
Michael Portfolio was remembering how he had to be fully prepared and briefed on all the details before he met with Margaret Thatcher. He said how much this kept him on his toes such was the fear that he would be exposed as a fraud and not up to the intellectual benchmark of the Prime Minister.
He also said that he didn’t fear John Major half as much and consequently didn’t prepare as much and therefore was not as good a politician.
Much has been written about Alex Ferguson this week but he clearly caused the same amount of fear in his players (often multi-millionaires themselves) and again, had a standard of skill and behaviour on and off the football field that he wouldn’t compromise.
Unsurprisingly, from these strong leaders, results were achieved and their will was carried out.
In any kind of organisation but especially business a lack of leadership could be the one thing holding you back from achieving the profits you desire. Leadership skills often have to be learned by business owners and don’t come with the manual of how to do the ‘business-owner’ job but as any business grows, it is this skill, above all others, that is essential to high profits and continued, sustained growth.
