Effective leadership can mean the difference between success and failure.  By Gerhard van Wyk While many theories and definitions as to the nature of leadership exist, for leaders to be successful they must be able to exert influence and also motivate and inspire a productive working environment. In the context of the franchise environment, leadership refers to the influence a franchisor exerts over franchisees and the franchisor’s ability to persuade franchisees to willingly work towards achieving the franchisor’s organizational objectives. To successfully manage the individuals and groups that comprise a franchise network, effective communication is essential. Effective communication requires that the franchisor communicates the company’s vision, mission, goals, strategies and expectations to the franchisees, but also that the franchisor will listen to the franchisees’ problems and expectations. Closing the gap between goals and planning requires that the franchisor takes ...