When asked to think about leadership as a cost item, you might think about the cost of hiring effective leadership for your company.  When I think of leadership, I think of the cost for NOT having effective leadership.  An airplane that varies from its course by a half degree in a 480 mile trip between San Diego and Sacramento will be off the mark by 4.2 miles.  In a life-or-death situation, I would want to be certain that my bearings were correct, lest I miss the mark.