Albeit some Boomers may be reevaluating their time line based on the economic changes, but there is no question that a high percentage of the 77.5 million Boomers will be vacating corporate America in the next five years. (Study conducted by AARP-2008)

56% of business and industries’ Boomer population hold leadership positions. Conversely, there are only 46 Million Gen X and Gen Y’s to take the place of those vacating Boomers. These numbers reflect why business and industry need to be so concerned about brain drain and develop a strategy to combat it.

A recent report conducted by OI Partners state that 54% of companies surveyed said they did not have enough qualified candidates working for them to succeed their executives and managers and 14% weren’t sure if they have enough leadership successors in place. The survey included responses from 212 primarily large and mid-sized employers throughout North America.

The luxury of time is gone. Organizations must get prepared and begin implementing a leadership succession plan. Having prepared leaders at all levels of an organization is a management strategy and a competitive business advantage. Organizations achieve sustainability and growth through their leadership and the quality of that leadership. The important skills necessary to lead a company to succeed in the upcoming years will be different. In addition to being able to lead people, new leaders will need to plan strategically, inspire commitment, and manage unyielding change. However, to be an effective leader takes much more than skill. It also requires the appropriate attitudes and behaviors. There are many tactical skills of leadership, but without the appropriate attitudes and behaviors, the skills are almost meaningless. We talked in a previous post about how actions speak louder than words. It is difficult to inspire commitment in a team when the leader’s body language, tone of voice, and behaviors reflect something entirely different. Managing change becomes very difficult if a leader’s attitude is “this too shall pass.” In order to manage unyielding change a leader needs to be aggressive, innovative, and responsive. And yes, it takes certain skills to be aggressive, innovative, and creative, but success in these areas requires the right attitude equally as much as the right skills.

In working with clients to develop their leadership bench strength we have found the following formula works extremely well:

In order for your business to achieve Improved Results (IR) there needs to be Positive Behavior Change (PBC). We have found a successful way to achieve Positive Behavior Change (PBC) by customizing a process unique to the client that addresses the needed Attitudes, Behaviors, and Skills (ASK) combined with a Goal Accomplishment (Goals) model that drives Positive Behavior Change (PBC) which leads to measurable and improved results.

As your organization develops future leaders for your organization, you need to ensure there is a solid base of leadership skills is important. What attitudes and behaviors do you want people in leadership roles to exhibit? What messages do you want them to send when they are not talking? What example do you want them to set when no one is officially watching? To identify a true leader, observe his/her behavior and attitude as it will tell you a great deal more than an evaluation of their skills.

Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in helping businesses achieve sustainable results through management consulting, strategic planning, leadership development, and executive coaching, and youth leadership. For information on creating a leadership succession plan visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.

“Press on” is a powerful and necessary mental attitude. It is the attitude that is found permeating through every successful person and organization.

As a country the U.S. pressed on after 9/11. As a world leader we knew it was necessary, and it did not change the intensity of the horror, the sadness, or the trauma the events caused.

Martin Luther King, like many historical heroes, continued to do what was necessary in order to share the power of his vision—no matter what amount of ignorance or violence stood in his way.

The NASA program exists today because the Kennedy administration had a vision and a goal to put a man on the moon. Many thought that vision was insane; however, in 1969 the vision became a reality. The space program has dealt with a great deal of set backs and has needed to press on after significant tragedy like the loss of the space shuttle Challenger and the space shuttle Endeavor.

Lance Armstrong, seven-time consecutive winner of the Tour De France, accomplished those victories by pressing through a traumatic diagnosis of testicular cancer that masticated to his brain. Lance, like so many other cancer patients, have after diagnosis adapted a press on attitude because they know it is required to deal with the required treatment and victory over their disease.

All of these examples are of exceptional people with a press on attitude who achieved amazing results in extreme situations. However, I submit to you that the press on attitude is required in everyday life and business. I believe that every person involved in the above examples always had a press on attitude. However, we saw their real capability because they were faced with adverse, challenging, life, or vision threatening situations.

The business community as a whole is currently faced with unprecedented changes of which many are out of our direct control. Recovery and regaining success in the business world will come because of the conscious decision to press on.

Make the commitment now to do what is necessary to make your business successful. Look at each business issue with which you are challenged as an opportunity for success. Use your talent, experience, and education to your advantage. Develop a plan that leverages your background and experience. Review your marketing plan and your marketing mix of activities and make sure they are the right activities. Reach out for assistance as often as needed.

Make the commitment to press on … the results are and will be worth it!

Tammy A.S. Kohl is President of Resource Associates Corporation. For over 30 years, RAC has specialized in business and management consulting, leadership development, executive coaching and youth leadership. For more information visit www.resourceassociatescorp.com or contact RAC directly at 800.799.6227.