Most organizations have procedures to assess the cost of inadequate internal controls or weak governance, but few attempt to assess the cost of non-leadership. Yet lack of leadership will cost the entire organization by creating a fat-cat culture of nonchalance, fostering widespread insecurity and confusion and encouraging improper allocation of resources. The problem is that the people authorizing compensation packages do not fully understand what they should be demanding from the executive, let alone what they arc paying for. Often, too, decision makers pay lip service to leadership, but don't actually want any superstars putting undue pressure on the organization. True leadership can only be had when boards understand the need for it, have the commitment to go out and get it and show enough courage to back executives when tough choices are made.