That our organisations need better leadership if they are to survive and prosper in these turbulent times has become a truism. Well-led companies know that leaders are made, not born and invest accordingly in the development of their future managers.

But, in spite of the energy devoted to leadership development, the return on investment is rarely on a par with the hopes and expectations of participating executives or company sponsors. The perennial question "can leadership be learned?" remains firmly rooted in our minds. Why is leadership development such an elusive activity? Most of us can agree on basic definitions. Simply stated, leaders are people who: