There's something about quick fixes that really bothers me. If you look at the titles of many self-help books, they offer solutions in record time. For instance, there's a whole series of books and tapes built around "The One Minute Manager." Then there are the offshoots of that brand: "The One Minute Sales Person," "The One Minute Entrepreneur," "The One Minute Apology," "The One Minute Golfer," and even "The One Minute Mother." Clearly, the concept has legs and sells books, but can useful advice be boiled down that easily?

At a recent meeting I attended of women IT professionals, one woman noted that when she was promoted, the only management guidance she was offered was a three-hour course on "The One Minute Manager." Somehow that just doesn't seem like enough support. As people move up the corporate ladder the skills that got them noticed in the first place are not sufficient to help them succeed at higher levels. Being a good manager is not the same as being a good leader. Some people are born leaders, but many others need training to get there. And for individuals that aspire to the C-suite, there are a host of capabilities they need that have to be developed, such as growing and developing talent, setting direction and thinking strategically.