When you were recruited or appointed into your current ‘Leadership’ position – were you armed with your Leadership Licence? Did you have to present it at the interview or copy and attach to your C.V.?

It’s a very practical license and, fortunately, the Leadership Licence is transferrable- you can take it across organisations, state boundaries and even country borders; particularly useful for those of you who are mobile.

However, on the odd occasion some folk acquire a team leadership role due to their technical expertise or accept the challenge to ‘fill’ a spot (out of pure generosity) without realising the unfamiliar ‘people’ aspect of the role. They don’t have their own Leadership Licence!

To obtain a ‘Driver’s Licence’, there are generally numerous supervised practise hours, (here in Victoria, Australia; 100 hours), technique/skill lessons, rules, policies and governing bodies to adhere to and abide by. Then there is a need to remember and follow through with this acquired information and finally there is a legal requirement to ‘pass’ a test.

Hopefully, some organisations get it right and provide the opportunity for people to acquire their Leadership Licence: offering access to coaching, mentoring, learning programs, feedback sessions and a shared network of other ‘new’ leaders.

The Question is: Would you pass your 'Leadership License Test'?