What does it cost to be a leader? This is a tough question to answer especially for leaders who are striving to make sure they develop all it takes to be an effective one. Good leaders aren’t born. They are made, and the making process does not run overnight. It takes years. Interestingly, for some, it takes a lifetime.
What are the costs of becoming a good leader? So much investment must be put into place for a leader to become a good one. To have insights and theoretical knowledge about leadership, the initial investment of a leader must be his knowledge. Leaders aren’t high school graduates or college undergrads, although there are some good leaders who lack appropriate education. Handling and managing an organization or a company entails a lot of insight and knowledge on the part of the leader so he will be able to come up with sound, profound and really intelligent judgments and decisions for the group.
Investing in knowledge can be the biggest investment in terms of financial and physical factors. That is because acquiring knowledge will require leaders to enroll in college and post graduate courses to facilitate thorough and more advanced learning. You know that education isn’t affordable at times. And so the leader must strive to spare some money for the growth of his intellectual capacity.
Another costly endeavor for leaders is imaging. Leaders must always look dignified and presentable. A leader can’t effectively preside over a board meeting if he shows up at the conference in a gym outfit. As a leader, you must dress to impress. Physical attributes initially catch attention and command respect among people, as several studies suggest. You don’t need to invest in designer clothes, though. Just be presentable regardless of the brand you are wearing, your constituents and members will treat you in a meeting or a social function with great respect.
The costliest investment in becoming a good leader isn’t the one directly concerning the financial aspect. The biggest cost a leader must bear is the investment of time. Time is gold, as they say. If you want to make it good in becoming a really good leader, you must devote your time to the responsibilities and calls to action of the position. A leader must show the organization members or constituents that he is on call 24-7 when it comes to concerns regarding the office. That is what it costs to become a good leader.