Today's reality is as daunting as it is unpredictable. Few enterprises - big or small - are exempt from the impact of national and global interdependence; natural disasters anywhere around the globe can impact production or availability of materials, economic or political unrest can affect supply or costs of resources, travel or other aspects of business, to mention just two complexities

Most people imagine that a good leader will be informed, decisive, and able to steer the organisation in any situation. People believe that leaders should be in control and achieve on a heroic scale. They should be able to identify problems and solve them with either science or best practice. They should be able to create strategic plans, “sell them” in a rational, scientific manner and implement them in a timely fashion with excellent results in all cases.

Leaders in business, government or even the military can readily identify the gap between what leaders should be able to do and the immensity of the problems they face.

People expect to have a voice, so leaders consult, but the leaders alone are held responsible for the results. Additionally, leaders know the problems they face require collaboration to incorporate diverse views, yet most leaders aren’t skilled or equipped to navigate this working style.