Is leadership an art or a science, and do good leaders focus on the company's employees or on its bottom line? Ana-Maria Valente, director of the Professional Association for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, says: "There is no one definition of good leadership, as there is no one definition of what makes a good leader. The best one can do is determine ... behaviours and traits that achieve results." Business leaders are considered good if they ensure a healthy bottom line, even if they pay little attention to people. People leaders, on the other hand, have empathy for staff - but "this does not mean that they are neglectful of the bottom line", Valente says. She has the following advice: lNot all leaders have a title. "There are people with leadership designations who are weak, and there are people at large in the organisation who are leaders."; lCompanies need to discover the leaders and potential leaders, then human resources must find relevant training; and lGood manage...
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