When I was 27, I was privileged to undertake a company-sponsored, full-time MBA. My then boss thought it was a complete and utter waste of time, likely to be a year spent indulged in discussing ‘management speak’ with little or no practical benefit. His view was that good management (I don’t think he would have distinguished this from leadership) comes naturally, and that in essence you should ‘get on with it’.

He said this as the most brilliant natural leader I have ever met – he did indeed just get on with it, but the rarity of seeing someone with natural leadership skills only goes to emphasise how unusual it is.

I do not subscribe to the view that great leaders are born with leadership skills, and that they somehow belong to an exclusive group closed to any aspirants. Yes it is true that, for some, leadership of the kind I am describing in this book does come naturally and they are blessed with the instinctive skills needed to get the most out of their colleagues. But these leaders are few and far between, and they are the lucky ones. For the rest of us leadership is a matter of experience and confidence – increasing our deftness as we learn what works and what doesn’t, as we become honed to the sometimes very challenging role of leading teams of individuals.

Improving leadership is not only a matter of time. It is also about some specific strategies which reflect the importance both of general leadership skills and the specific knowledge you will need to lead a business in your industry. The two go together – leadership skills are transferable, but they are always more credible and effective when tied with insights into the world in which you work.

As a leader, you need to ensure that you create a culture of learning, a culture which demonstrates that you as an individual are always prepared to learn – and in which you create an environment where your colleagues’ knowledge is respected and their opportunities to learn and grow are supported and nurtured.