Leadership is so much more than an eagle gazing at snow capped mountains in the distance. Yet when I wander into the offices of our senior management and see these motivational posters I am disenchanted.

Leadership is a requirement cited in their job descriptions and this is how they address the leadership requirement. How about showing me something tangible and measurable? Leaders set a vision to inspire people, this is achieved by setting direction and mapping out a plan to engage the vision. You need to include the very people who are tasked with implementing the vision.

The leader coaches the assembled team to effectively achieve the vision and manages implementation and delivery of the vision. As such, management skills are required to effectively implement the vision using an array of tools. Management outcomes are measurable with strategic plan implementation, financial budgets, marketing outcomes, operations milestones, change management models and optimal staffing requirements.

The state government model where we never see the senior management is ludicrous. Get out of your office, limit these endless meetings that go nowhere and achieve nothing instead getting down to where the work is actually being done. Introduce yourself, shake hands with the team and let the team members know that you are working for them and doing everything you can to make them the most productive they can be.

This will be highly motivational; the staff will comprehend exactly what is required of them and they know they are being supported to achieve this goal. People take ownership of the vision if they feel they are making a difference, they are aware who the senior management is and the shared vision that management should be communicating to the team.