| When economic times get tough, competent | | | | responsibility within the organization are very |
| leadership is more important to a company than | | | | valuable within an organization. The ability to |
| ever. Unfortunately, when profits are down, many | | | | interpret and accurately assess the competitive |
| companies try to cut costs by trimming training | | | | environment that surrounds a company is also |
| budgets. While sticking to a budget is important to | | | | very important. |
| any organization, a better approach is to optimize | | | | The Value of Good Leadership |
| leadership development programs to get the | | | | Strong leadership can be especially important |
| maximum benefit, instead of cutting them out | | | | during difficult times. It is easy to lead a company |
| altogether. | | | | when times are good and profits are high. |
| Assessing Which Skills Are Most Important | | | | However, when business conditions become |
| Studies have shown that some leadership skills | | | | challenging, employees quickly turn to the leaders |
| tend to be more valuable to a corporation than | | | | within an organization for guidance and focus. A |
| others. Skills that underline a persons overall | | | | good leader will be able to inspire employees to |
| credibility within an organization are often | | | | reach for higher goals, improve performance, and |
| perceived to be most useful. Being able to act | | | | do everything that is necessary in order to |
| with authority in any given situation, while at the | | | | successfully weather the difficult times. When |
| same time building trust is vitally important to | | | | employees are inspired to take ownership and |
| anyone in a leadership position. It is also important | | | | responsibility within the company, they feel more |
| for a person to learn how to promote an ethical | | | | powerful and in control, and therefore can achieve |
| work environment, and inspire those around them. | | | | more than they might have ever believed was |
| Managers who are able to motivate employees to | | | | possible. |
| do their best, support company goals, and take | | | | |