I'm delighted to feature a guest post from a very special leader and author, Mark Miller.

Leadership is the cornerstone of all great organizations.

Yes, before you think it, I do understand more is required than outstanding leadership to build an enduring organization. After a five-year research effort, our team found High Performance Organizations actually have four things in common. They all Bet on Leadership, Act as One, Win the Heart and Excel at Execution. I wrote about these “moves” in my previous book, Chess Not Checkers.

However, the journey to high performance always begins with leadership. That’s why I am so excited about my new book, Leaders Made Here. Today, too many organizations face an inadequate supply of leaders. The question they are grappling with is…

How do you ensure you’ll have the needed leaders to fuel your future success?

The answer, in short: build a leadership culture.

Let’s be clear on terms from the beginning. A leadership culture exists when leaders are routinely and systematically developed, and you have a surplus of leaders ready for the next opportunity or challenge.

What would happen if organizations were proactive and strategic and built their own leadership pipeline and filled their bench with capable, ready-now leaders? What if companies and non-profits created a culture in which exceptional leadership at all levels was the norm?
Even as I write this, I am well aware of the resistance to this idea of building a leadership culture. There are many objections. Today, we’ll take a quick look at the first.

“We don’t need a leadership culture; we’re doing fine.”

 You may be right; you are doing fine – for now. However, even in organizations currently enjoying success, this is often due to the efforts of a few good women and men who shoulder the burden for their entire organization. Their heroic acts are required again and again to win the day. Not only does this approach fail to leverage the full capacity of your people, sustained greatness is unlikely.

Ultimately, your future success depends on the quantity and quality of leaders on your team. Leaders Made Here provides a path to position your organization among the elite. You can create a place where leadership excellence is not a dream but rather a by-product of a sound strategy executed with diligence.

About the Author
Mark Miller is the best-selling author of 6 books, an in-demand speaker and the Vice President of High-Performance Leadership at Chick-fil-A. His latest book, Leaders Made Here, describes how to nurture leaders throughout the organization, from the front lines to the executive ranks and outlines a clear and replicable approach to creating the leadership bench every organization needs. 
(This article was originally published at www.greatleadersserve.com.)