By 
Quality leadership often seems like a lost art. We see fewer and fewer leaders who seem to emphasize the essential fundamentals of being an effective and productive leader, preferring simply to be caretakers of some leadership position. It often becomes apparent to professional leadership consultants and trainers when they observe how difficult it seems to be to find someone willing to commit to making the necessary decisions in a timely manner. Those who simply rise to leadership positions, without the qualifications, skills, abilities, and / or commitment necessary to excel, never become true and effective leaders. Marabel Morgan succinctly explained this phenomenon when she wrote: “Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality, the other a matter of time.”
1. Not only is it necessary for a leader to act in a timely manner, it is imperative that they persist, even when tasks can become challenging or difficult. A true leader cannot afford to simply avoid doing what may be difficult or even unpleasant. They must commit to expanding their comfort zone to do things beyond what makes them personally comfortable, sometimes even sacrificing their preferred way of doing something to achieve a necessary accomplishment. Leaders must continue their pursuit of excellence in all that they do, refusing to settle for less than their best behavior and / or optimal actions. Leaders deliver value and quality, and without an organized and persistent approach, they rarely achieve all that is needed. In my more than three decades of working closely with leaders and potential leaders, I have found that simply having intelligence and / or talent is not enough; it is the effort and persistence to continue when others give up that often makes the difference.
2. Procrastination is almost always the enemy of effective leadership. You can never do what is best for your organization if you refuse to act and, more often, in a timely and informed manner. Those in leadership who do not act in a timely manner do not perform as genuine leaders, because one can never be considered a leader if he does not act when necessary. I often refer to this procrastination and avoidance syndrome as custodial leadership, because the individual simply holds a position, but does not look forward to what it takes for the organization to prosper in the future.
Quality and punctuality must go hand in hand to ensure optimal and effective leadership. You are not a leader if you are afraid, not confident, or simply unwilling and / or unable to act in a timely manner for the benefit of your organization!