Leadership development is essentially an activity or a program that enhances the skills of a leader within an organization. Leadership development can take place in the form of an MBA program, executive retreats or short term courses within the organization. 

 

Leadership programs are designed to empower employees with the necessary skills to lead people and the organization they are working for. An effective leader should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. The individual should have the power to negotiate, resolve conflicts, and influence his/her fellow colleagues. 

 

Once a leader is able to manage people efficiently, he/she is trained to lead the organization. Here, the focus is on aligning the goals of the employees with the corporate strategy. This is possible when a leader inculcates and builds a culture of commitment and trust.

 

According to many business experts, one of the companies in India that has excelled in developing powerful leaders is Infosys. Infosys has come up with programs to develop potential leaders. 

 

The management team of Infosys believes that a leader should be able to provide clarity, set the right standards and provide constructive feedback. Many companies in India have the wrong notion of the duties of a leader. 

 

They believe that a leader is responsible for delegating work and ensuring that it is completed on time. This does not define the role of a leader completely. 

 

A leader should identify the strengths and weaknesses of his subordinates and delegate work that brings out the best in them. In addition, a leader should provide clarity on a project if the team is unable to proceed. A leader also acts like a mentor, guiding employees in the right direction. 

 

At Infosys, leadership programs are conducted on a regular basis to groom potential leaders. This way, every leader is equipped with the necessary skills to bring out the best in employees and to lead the organization to success. 

 

Infosys has established the world’s largest corporate training facility in its 270-acre campus in Mysore, India. A lot of money, time and effort have been invested in churning out effective leaders. This is the reason why Infosys is one of the very few Indian companies that is able to compete at the global level. Infosys has a talent pipeline that can feed the growth of the organization. This is what every organization should aim for to ensure that they are on par with other multi-national corporations.

 

According to a study conducted by Hay Group, a global management consulting firm, leaders should be proficient in strategic thinking and the execution of projects. And companies that provide opportunities for employees to develop their capabilities end up with effective leaders who are ready for any challenge.

 

In this study, Hay Group identified 20 companies in the world that are known for their leaders and leadership programs, and the only Indian company to have made it to the list is Infosys. 

 

Other companies in the list include Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Accenture, Procter & Gamble and Cisco, to name a few. Having powerful leaders is important for any organization. In the absence of effective and powerful leaders, the organization loses its focus, stagnates and moves too slowly.

 

And when economic problems arise, it is usually companies with strong leaders that rise above the challenges and swim through the turbulent currents of peril and darkness into light.

 

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