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By any measure, John Maxwell (author, speaker, and pastor) is Harvest Leadership Talent. Planting seeds is one thing, but
one of the most prolifc writers on the subject of leadership to nurturing them to the point where they have the experience
have emerged from the 20th century. In more than 70 published and confdence necessary to be diference makers in their
works and hundreds of quotable quotes, Maxwell’s musings organizations is quite another. For every 10 seeds planted,
represent a huge commercial success. One of my favorite quotes only one may stand the test of time and endure the challenges
is drawn from his book, Developing the Leaders Around You. ahead, and thus ultimately succeed in achieving full potential.
It is actually attributed to another prolifc leadership savant, And the problem is that, try as we might, we cannot know who
Peter Drucker, who challenged an audience at a
conference Maxwell was attending to consider
who would really replace them when the time “The growth and development of people is the
came, emphasizing that “Tere is no success
without a successor” (Maxwell, 1995). highest calling of leadership.”–John Maxwell
Tis quote, while thought provoking, can also
be terribly misleading. It is misleading for two
reasons. First, the succession process is typically one that most that one person really is at the start. Growing good leaders
leaders have little to no control over, and second, as articulated is a long, involved process. It takes time and patience. Te
in A Leaders’ Legacy (Kouzes and Posner, 2006), it is a leader’s Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute (WLDI) formed
task to “liberate the leader…within everyone…” not just in any a relationship with the Chair Academy in the early 1990s to
one of us. Drucker’s statement focuses too much attention on help develop leadership talent across the Wisconsin Technical
the perception that a leader’s legacy is somehow confned to the College System (WTCS). Individually and collectively, the
“person” picked to replace him or her. wisdom at the time led the WTCS to take a more holistic
approach to growing their reservoir of leaders. Tey contacted
For over 22 years the Chair Academy has collaborated with the Chair Academy to conduct an annual leadership program
individuals drawn from over 600 colleges and universities to in the state. Afer 18 years the WLDI organizers report that
help grow leadership capacity on a global scale throughout since their frst class (1995-96), the program has resulted in
the post-secondary education sector. While conducting over over 550 graduates. But what is most impressive about this
250 leadership academies involving more than 9,000 program program is that from the pool of WLDI graduates, 82% have
participants, the Chair Academy staf has made note of what it been retained within the WTC system and 41% have moved
takes to actually build and sustain a leadership culture that will into positions of increased responsibility; in fact, three of the
serve and support an organization for the long haul as well as in graduates are now college presidents and 36 are serving as vice
an increasingly complex world. presidents. By any measure, that is a good harvest!
Commitment. It all begins with making a steadfast Align Mission, Vision, and Values. In poll afer poll when
commitment; one that is dedicated to creating a climate that employees at any level are asked what matters most to them
actively promotes the learning and growth of individuals about their work situation they continually report that, among
throughout the organization. Leadership has to be both other things, they would “like to feel that everyone is pulling on
intentional and involved—wholly invested and engaged in the the rope in the same direction.” Tink about it. No one wants
leader-development process. Some years ago, a president at one to come to work, invest time and energy in moving the needle
forward—on any given issue—
“It takes a leader to know a leader, grow a only to discover there are others
in the same organization pulling
leader and show a leader.” –John Maxwell in an entirely opposite direction,
thus totally frustrating any real
chance of progress. Gallup refers
of our partner colleges in central North Carolina contacted the to this as “engagement” and reports that their research concludes
Chair Academy about hosting a year-long foundation program. that less than one-third of us routinely report we feel truly
Te president in question, who had served for many years, had engaged in the work we are doing and almost 20% of us report
already announced his intent to retire within the year. Te being decisively (and perhaps destructively) disengaged (Wagner
program itself was projected to cost upwards of $60,000. It would and Harter, 2006). Tere are many factors which may contribute
have been easy to leave the necessity of addressing this need to to this phenomenon. Gallup researchers
a successor, particularly at this college, which like many across identify 12 major factors contributing
the nation was struggling to keep its budget in check afer the to the level of employee engagement,
economic downturn that occurred in 2008. In a quiet moment including simply “knowing what is
at a reception hosted by the president for the entire class of expected from us at work,” to “having
more than 40 participants, I inquired as to why he felt it was the essential materials and equipment
so important to make the program happen at this time. His necessary to do assigned work,” to
homespun response was classic—“If you want to grow a tree, “having the opportunity to do our best”
you’ve got to frst plant a seed.” Tis class was the president’s while at work each and every day, etc. (Wagner and Harter,
way of making sure that enough seeds were planted across the 2006). Building alignment and engagement is a process in and
organization to yield sufcient leadership talent in the future. of itself. It begins with ensuring that leaders at every level must

LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.2 Fall 2014 21

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