Great leaders ‘get real’

“Many widely held beliefs about leadership are incongruent with the scientific evidence,” notes a Harvard Business Review article about leadership potential . It’s largely accepted that leadership assignments depend upon certain circumstances, the article notes.

The reality is, some people “have a much higher probability of becoming leaders, regardless of the context.” Effective leadership results from emotional intelligence, integrity, curiosity, and ambition.

Those responsible for assigning leadership must recognize that leaders’ personality traits foster business outcomes: At present, only “30% of employees are engaged, costing the U.S. economy $550 billion a year in productivity loss.”

Another shocking reality: An incredible 82% of employees lack trust in their boss, and over half quit jobs because of poor managers.

“Research indicates that 30%-60% of leaders act destructively, with an estimated cost of $1-$2.7 million for each failed senior manager,” the journal notes.

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