It is often said that the true mark of a leader comes to the fore when a challenge arises. With so many challenges facing today’s business world it is no surprise that effective leadership has never been more in demand.

The most testing challenge often said to be facing business today is, quite simply, change. Change is essential of course to help a business stay competitive, to meet customer needs, to respond to economic pressures, and to keep up with new technologies.

During such periods of change, some areas within a business may have to shed staff, whilst other areas will be forced to merge. Some staff may well have to undertake increased volumes of work, with many individuals finding themselves operating outside their normal comfort zone.

Helping to keep employees motivated during such challenging periods; to help them to share and believe in a corporate vision and to encourage them to embrace change as a personal opportunity rather than a hindrance, are all cited as essential qualities of an exemplary leader.

True leadership skills will tend to demonstrate empathy for the concerns of employees whilst at the same time helping them to recognise and draw out their own individual strengths in tackling these challenges.

Where do such leaders come from?

It is often assumed that strong leaders of this calibre are difficult to find and attract. Many businesses have found however that quality level management training can help develop very effective leaders from within their own organisation.

Of particular benefit in this process of growing new leaders from within are said to be courses tailored to the specific requirements of a business. A bespoke training course in leadership skills backed up by a managed training service facility has been cited by many a successful company as having provided one of their most worthwhile investments.