Leaders have to inspire the confidence in others so that everyone can make their proper contribution to the collective endeavour. However, today’s burning issue is that leaders are as unclear as their followers as to what to do.

Successful leaders recognise that they don’t have all the answers – particularly in difficult times – and need to involve others in conversations around issues of uncertainty. This is often a problem, because our model of leadership is based on the assumptions that the leader knows everything.

Linda Holbeche, director of Research and Policy at the CIPD wrote in May 2008 about Developing leaders for uncertain times , arguing the case that “ maintaining and growing the investment in developing leaders will produce significant payback and enable organizations to build differentiation and competitive advantage”.

I agree with Linda that we also need to review the content, focus and method of leadership development to ensure that their development enables them to deliver the job they have to do. Leadership development needs to ensure that as well as engaging and developing the leader’s capabilities to be decisive and to keep their followers focused, motivated and able to handle uncertainty, it also enables the leaders to confront and handle their own uncertainties, their own anxieties and vulnerabilities. “Quis custodiat ipsos custodies” (who guards the guards). Leaders need their coaches and mentors more than ever today.

At least with Bush – love him or loathe him – there was a sense of a strong presence. He made decisions. (OK we’re not here debating the quality of those decisions).

Barack Obama is a bit like a shadow. He appears as someone who has been in office for only a week or two. He is a thoroughly nice man but nothing seems to happen. Is he vascillating on decision making – is he spending too much time asking for other people’s opinions, and wanting to lead by consensus?

Is this another example of the failure of leadership, where the politician has been all about the journey to become president, and not about his presence and actions when doing the job?

Hmmm – what does this say about leadership in the western world? Do we get the leaders we deserve (Alistair Mant)?