Mike Fiszer: Scotland's future will depend on new leaders with vision

How do we develop and enact leadership in a post-recessionary and possibly pre-independent Scotland? Our "big" society has changing aims and objectives; moving towards a broader stakeholder rather than narrow shareholder set of interests. Is the way we develop leaders currently appropriate for our future? Perhaps not.

We know that leaders fail predominantly because they do not want to hear anything that does not fit with their current mindset and because they have no alternative vision or strategy. Too often they lack practical experience of "thinking and doing" leadership differently.

Consequently, leader development programmes tend to have a problem analysis focus – examining bad habits, the avoidance of derailing behaviours and some coaching into behaviour change. That's if you are lucky. All too often you only get taught and assessed on the theory of leading but not the practice.

The last great enlightenment in Scotland saw our thinkers and practitioners collaborate to benefit the nation faster than in any of our other European neighbours. Therefore, we need to get the mix right now to grow and develop Scotland's future leaders in the same way.

As in the first enlightenment, Scotland has an opportunity to lead the way in the discovery and development of leaders who can promote and enhance a distributive philosophy in future knowledge and wealth generation.

As with our learning from the exploitation of renewable energy, it will be the enactment that's important. Acting together Scotland can lead the way not only for our Scottish community but in export markets with like-minded cultures such as Scandinavia, Ireland and Germany.

Have we the courage and leadership in Scotland to think differently about how we finance and structure our society and develop the next generation of leaders with the ability to realise that vision?

• Mike Fiszer is director of leadership development at Edinburgh Institute of Leadership and Management Practice at Edinburgh Napier University