ABSTRACT
It is not easy to be a manager, and even more difficult the higher you climb. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) is a global non-profit organisation
founded by H. Smith Richardson in 1970, the then owner of the conglomerate known for its cold remedy Vicks VapoRub, in order to promote the exploration, promotion and spreading of good and creative leadership. In the late 1960s, Richardson wanted to understand how leadership worked and, above all, whether it can be learned. To this end, a dozen students were initially recruited who had stood out because of their leadership skills. Richardson supported them with internships and scholarships. In return for this, they agreed to undergo various personality tests, interviews and psychological trials. These studies produced some of the first scientific findings on the topic of leadership and formed part of the foundation on which the CCL’s work was later based. Since it was founded, the CCL has worked with hundreds of thousands of managers on various levels worldwide, always with the aim of making managers into authentic and strong leaders. Every year, around 30,000 managers complete the CCL’s diverse programmes. Handling the pressure to perform, difficulties and setbacks is an inherent part of the programme.
