A Look at the Different Types of Leadership Styles
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:
Leadership style is an approach of giving direction, motivating people and implementing plans. As there are many leaders, there are different leadership styles. A good leader uses the right leadership style according to the situation. Whatever may be the situation, bad leaders tend to use only one style. Following are the different relationship styles
Authoritarian Leadership Style; Here the leader informs the employees that what they should do and how should they accomplish the task. Here the leader does not take the advice of the employees while giving orders. You can use this strategy when you know exactly how to solve the problem. You can also use this strategy when you have less time to complete the tasks and the employees are motivated. Some leaders think that shouting at employees, using abusive and threatening language is authoritarian style. This is totally wrong. Yelling at the employees is an unprofessional and abusive style and is often referred to as bossing people around. This kind of style has no place in a friendly working environment. Authoritarian style should not be used frequently. It should be used on exceptional or uncommon occasions.
Participative Leadership Style; Here leader and one or two employees are involved in decision-making process.
Decision making process includes how to accomplish a given task. People think if a company is using this style then it is an indication of weakness. On the contrary using this style is an indication of strength. This style is used when you (leader) have incomplete information and the employees have accurate and complete information. That is why companies using this style employ highly skilled and knowledgeable employees. If you as a leader use this style then you will be able to make faster and better decision.
Delegative Leadership Style; Here the employees are free to their own decisions. That is the leader gives permission to the employees to take their own decisions. Leader is held responsible if the employee makes any wrong decisions. This style is used in companies where employees are highly knowledgeable and have the confidence to take correct decisions. The employees should also know how to handle a particular task, what strategies should be used to accomplish a particular task. You should not use this style to blame others when the employees take wrong decision or analyze a situation incorrectly. This style should be used when you have full confidence and trust in your employees. You (leader) should use this style wisely. Do not be scared to use it.
Bureaucratic Leadership Style; Here the leaders work by taking the help of a book. The book contains all the rules and regulations that must be followed by an employee working in a company. This style is appropriate and you (leader) should use this style if the employee work involves serious safety risks. If the employee is working with toxic substances or with machinery then are rules that must be followed by the employee.
Charismatic Leadership Style; Here the leader tries to inject doses of enthusiasm into the employees in order to increase their performance level. The leader using charismatic style should be energetic and enthusiastic.
Term Life Insurance Quotes
Leadership style is an approach of giving direction, motivating people and implementing plans. As there are many leaders, there are different leadership styles. A good leader uses the right leadership style according to the situation. Whatever may be the situation, bad leaders tend to use only one style. Following are the different relationship styles
Authoritarian Leadership Style; Here the leader informs the employees that what they should do and how should they accomplish the task. Here the leader does not take the advice of the employees while giving orders. You can use this strategy when you know exactly how to solve the problem. You can also use this strategy when you have less time to complete the tasks and the employees are motivated. Some leaders think that shouting at employees, using abusive and threatening language is authoritarian style. This is totally wrong. Yelling at the employees is an unprofessional and abusive style and is often referred to as bossing people around. This kind of style has no place in a friendly working environment. Authoritarian style should not be used frequently. It should be used on exceptional or uncommon occasions.
Participative Leadership Style; Here leader and one or two employees are involved in decision-making process.
Decision making process includes how to accomplish a given task. People think if a company is using this style then it is an indication of weakness. On the contrary using this style is an indication of strength. This style is used when you (leader) have incomplete information and the employees have accurate and complete information. That is why companies using this style employ highly skilled and knowledgeable employees. If you as a leader use this style then you will be able to make faster and better decision.
Delegative Leadership Style; Here the employees are free to their own decisions. That is the leader gives permission to the employees to take their own decisions. Leader is held responsible if the employee makes any wrong decisions. This style is used in companies where employees are highly knowledgeable and have the confidence to take correct decisions. The employees should also know how to handle a particular task, what strategies should be used to accomplish a particular task. You should not use this style to blame others when the employees take wrong decision or analyze a situation incorrectly. This style should be used when you have full confidence and trust in your employees. You (leader) should use this style wisely. Do not be scared to use it.
Bureaucratic Leadership Style; Here the leaders work by taking the help of a book. The book contains all the rules and regulations that must be followed by an employee working in a company. This style is appropriate and you (leader) should use this style if the employee work involves serious safety risks. If the employee is working with toxic substances or with machinery then are rules that must be followed by the employee.
Charismatic Leadership Style; Here the leader tries to inject doses of enthusiasm into the employees in order to increase their performance level. The leader using charismatic style should be energetic and enthusiastic.
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Quotes On Leadership Can Make You Be A Real Leader
Gregory Frost asked:
Quotes can be pretty influential on our life. Little did we know that just a few strings of words could really make a difference in our life. There are quotes on friendship, relationship, leadership, success and many others that can be pretty inspiring and impactful on us. But is it true that quotes on leadership can make you be a real leader?
Some people are still skeptical regarding the hidden potential of the leadership quotes. You are definitely not to be blamed if you are one of them.
Quotes actually serves more than just the purpose of inspiring someone. These quotes are actually very useful tool in offices and schools. Good quotes on leadership are the ones that are able to move you. Not all quotes can be inspiring as such it is important that you choose one that is able to leave an impact on you after you finish reading it.
Quotes comes in all length and personally, I would prefer the ones that are short and to the point. Succinct and to the point - that should be your ideal quote.
But why use quotes? Well, quotes are actually great sources of inspiration when you are down in the dumps. Quotes on leadership can give back the life in you and spur up all determination to lead again.
Being a leader is not an easy task and that is why you will definitely got to have all it takes to be one. Quotes of leadership are just like your back up support that reminds you of who you are and what exactly do you do in life.
“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” -Dwight David Eisenhower
Quotes such as this helps to remind you of certain traits or qualities that might have brushed past you while you were leading. Humor, decisiveness, care and concern towards fellow co-workers are just some of the attributes that these quotes posses to keep you reminded of your role and responsibility as the leader.
But the question is, does these quotes really works as well as it should be? As aforementioned, not all quotes are worth remembering. Some quotes are just too long winded such that you lost the meaning halfway through reading it. Just choose one of your favorites and know it like it’s the back of your hand.
These quotes are just like positive affirmations that get registered into your brain if you keep on repeating it to yourself. This is a good thing of course as over time, you will realize that you will soon base your leadership on the set of qualities that are said within the quote. As such, it will definitely be handy to know a few quotes.
You do not need to memorize the thick book of quotes just because you think that with more quotes you memorize, the better you will be. Unfortunately it does not work that way. Quotes are meant to the left as it is, and not as a bible that you should read and remember by hard. Quotes on leadership can make you be a real leader indeed.
Go grab a quote and make it yours today!
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Quotes can be pretty influential on our life. Little did we know that just a few strings of words could really make a difference in our life. There are quotes on friendship, relationship, leadership, success and many others that can be pretty inspiring and impactful on us. But is it true that quotes on leadership can make you be a real leader?
Some people are still skeptical regarding the hidden potential of the leadership quotes. You are definitely not to be blamed if you are one of them.
Quotes actually serves more than just the purpose of inspiring someone. These quotes are actually very useful tool in offices and schools. Good quotes on leadership are the ones that are able to move you. Not all quotes can be inspiring as such it is important that you choose one that is able to leave an impact on you after you finish reading it.
Quotes comes in all length and personally, I would prefer the ones that are short and to the point. Succinct and to the point - that should be your ideal quote.
But why use quotes? Well, quotes are actually great sources of inspiration when you are down in the dumps. Quotes on leadership can give back the life in you and spur up all determination to lead again.
Being a leader is not an easy task and that is why you will definitely got to have all it takes to be one. Quotes of leadership are just like your back up support that reminds you of who you are and what exactly do you do in life.
“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.” -Dwight David Eisenhower
Quotes such as this helps to remind you of certain traits or qualities that might have brushed past you while you were leading. Humor, decisiveness, care and concern towards fellow co-workers are just some of the attributes that these quotes posses to keep you reminded of your role and responsibility as the leader.
But the question is, does these quotes really works as well as it should be? As aforementioned, not all quotes are worth remembering. Some quotes are just too long winded such that you lost the meaning halfway through reading it. Just choose one of your favorites and know it like it’s the back of your hand.
These quotes are just like positive affirmations that get registered into your brain if you keep on repeating it to yourself. This is a good thing of course as over time, you will realize that you will soon base your leadership on the set of qualities that are said within the quote. As such, it will definitely be handy to know a few quotes.
You do not need to memorize the thick book of quotes just because you think that with more quotes you memorize, the better you will be. Unfortunately it does not work that way. Quotes are meant to the left as it is, and not as a bible that you should read and remember by hard. Quotes on leadership can make you be a real leader indeed.
Go grab a quote and make it yours today!
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Business Leadership - What it Takes to Differentiate Yourself in the 21st Century
Cecile Peterkin asked:
Business leadership is not about any single quality so much as it is about a number of qualities that come together to create something much stronger than any of those qualities alone. Business leadership is not so much about managing others and “taking charge” as it is about motivating by example.
So if business leadership is something that is difficult to pin down, what steps can you take so that you will find yourself recognized as a leader in this, the 21st century? What can you do to incorporate the principles of leadership into your life so that you will be able to achieve your goals and rise to the top in your organization or your career field?
One step is to look at those leaders who you admire. Whether you’re inspiration comes from political leaders - those who have been able to unite the people of their country during difficult times - or from leaders within your own field, when you are looking for information that will help you to take on a business leadership role, it’s important to understand what makes someone a leader.
In other words, when you are thinking about business leadership, it’s important to take the time to understand courage, determination, and to learn more about the ways in which leaders speak to those who follow them. Ultimately, what you will find is that by embracing those qualities within yourself, you will be able to persevere and to reach the goals that you have set for yourself and for those who you are working with.
Ultimately, what you are likely to discover is that, in order to differentiate yourself in the 21st century and to take on a business leadership role, you will need to:
* Learn to set aside excuses. The majority of people who are in business find a way to come up with a number of excuses when something that they have been asked to do isn’t done. Leaders, on the other hand, focus on getting the job done.
* Learn the value of making mistakes. When we make mistakes, it’s important to take advantage of the lessons that come out of them so that we can use that knowledge to move forward.
* Learn to lead from within. When you are looking at business leadership characteristics, you’ll see that those who are in a supervisory role are not just watching others and telling them what they do wrong; instead, when they see a problem they jump into the trenches and work with their staff, helping them to solve problems and to find creative solutions.
Business leadership is about working with others and motivating them to do more - to be more. When you’re looking for a way to differentiate yourself from others, one of the best things that you can do is to work well with others, put forth your best effort at all times and to make sure that - at all times - you’re making an effort to bring a team of people together.
Finally, remember this: business leadership is about having a willingness to try something new. To set yourself apart from the crowd, you need to look at the big picture - and then to get everyone else to see it too.
Copyright 2008, Cecile Peterkin.
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Business leadership is not about any single quality so much as it is about a number of qualities that come together to create something much stronger than any of those qualities alone. Business leadership is not so much about managing others and “taking charge” as it is about motivating by example.
So if business leadership is something that is difficult to pin down, what steps can you take so that you will find yourself recognized as a leader in this, the 21st century? What can you do to incorporate the principles of leadership into your life so that you will be able to achieve your goals and rise to the top in your organization or your career field?
One step is to look at those leaders who you admire. Whether you’re inspiration comes from political leaders - those who have been able to unite the people of their country during difficult times - or from leaders within your own field, when you are looking for information that will help you to take on a business leadership role, it’s important to understand what makes someone a leader.
In other words, when you are thinking about business leadership, it’s important to take the time to understand courage, determination, and to learn more about the ways in which leaders speak to those who follow them. Ultimately, what you will find is that by embracing those qualities within yourself, you will be able to persevere and to reach the goals that you have set for yourself and for those who you are working with.
Ultimately, what you are likely to discover is that, in order to differentiate yourself in the 21st century and to take on a business leadership role, you will need to:
* Learn to set aside excuses. The majority of people who are in business find a way to come up with a number of excuses when something that they have been asked to do isn’t done. Leaders, on the other hand, focus on getting the job done.
* Learn the value of making mistakes. When we make mistakes, it’s important to take advantage of the lessons that come out of them so that we can use that knowledge to move forward.
* Learn to lead from within. When you are looking at business leadership characteristics, you’ll see that those who are in a supervisory role are not just watching others and telling them what they do wrong; instead, when they see a problem they jump into the trenches and work with their staff, helping them to solve problems and to find creative solutions.
Business leadership is about working with others and motivating them to do more - to be more. When you’re looking for a way to differentiate yourself from others, one of the best things that you can do is to work well with others, put forth your best effort at all times and to make sure that - at all times - you’re making an effort to bring a team of people together.
Finally, remember this: business leadership is about having a willingness to try something new. To set yourself apart from the crowd, you need to look at the big picture - and then to get everyone else to see it too.
Copyright 2008, Cecile Peterkin.
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Change Your Life Through Spiritual Life Coaching and Coaching for Leadership
coach prakash asked:
Coaching for Leadership is an effective way to develop leadership skills in you and your team. The ripple effect of strong leadership will promote efficiency, build morale, improve customer service and, ultimately, lead to better performance.
There are various options of tailored coaching programs like Leadership Coaching, Coaching Leadership & Training, Executive Business Coaching, Business Life Coaching, Growth Coaching, and Leadership and Communication Training that will polish up your or your team’s leadership capabilities, lend credence to your professional endeavors and result in long-term success.
There comes a point in every business person’s professional life, when one feels overwhelmed and ill-equipped to move forward confidently. It becomes difficult to manage all the facets of a growing business like building infrastructure, coordinating teams and communication, managing financials and increasing sales. So, how does one manage and grow a successful business? By taking advantage of an effective, result-oriented Business Coaching and Leadership Coaching program that can help overcome challenges and confidently lead the company to success.
Leadership Coaching and Business Training will help you achieve your business objectives by minimizing the hurdles. Business Coaching Training will teach you to look at things with a fresh perspective and take better decisions.
Fulfillment in personal and professional lives is interdependent. If you are not happy in one, you can’t add value to other parts of your life. If you are not where you want to be, unfulfilled, stressed out, tired of the lack of results, or simply frustrated by trying to do it all by yourself, it is the right time to reach out for a helping hand to revamp your life. Personal Life Coaching or Life Skills Coaching is all about assisting you to bridge the gap between where the person is and where he/she desires to be.
Inspirational sessions in Spiritual Life Coaching and Coaching for Balance encourage you to set spiritual goals and transform your life into a truly meaningful one. Coaching programs like Diversity Coaching and Growth Coaching can help the employees increase their cultural awareness, knowledge and skills, so that they can better integrate with the workforce.
Term Life Insurance Quotes
Coaching for Leadership is an effective way to develop leadership skills in you and your team. The ripple effect of strong leadership will promote efficiency, build morale, improve customer service and, ultimately, lead to better performance.
There are various options of tailored coaching programs like Leadership Coaching, Coaching Leadership & Training, Executive Business Coaching, Business Life Coaching, Growth Coaching, and Leadership and Communication Training that will polish up your or your team’s leadership capabilities, lend credence to your professional endeavors and result in long-term success.
There comes a point in every business person’s professional life, when one feels overwhelmed and ill-equipped to move forward confidently. It becomes difficult to manage all the facets of a growing business like building infrastructure, coordinating teams and communication, managing financials and increasing sales. So, how does one manage and grow a successful business? By taking advantage of an effective, result-oriented Business Coaching and Leadership Coaching program that can help overcome challenges and confidently lead the company to success.
Leadership Coaching and Business Training will help you achieve your business objectives by minimizing the hurdles. Business Coaching Training will teach you to look at things with a fresh perspective and take better decisions.
Fulfillment in personal and professional lives is interdependent. If you are not happy in one, you can’t add value to other parts of your life. If you are not where you want to be, unfulfilled, stressed out, tired of the lack of results, or simply frustrated by trying to do it all by yourself, it is the right time to reach out for a helping hand to revamp your life. Personal Life Coaching or Life Skills Coaching is all about assisting you to bridge the gap between where the person is and where he/she desires to be.
Inspirational sessions in Spiritual Life Coaching and Coaching for Balance encourage you to set spiritual goals and transform your life into a truly meaningful one. Coaching programs like Diversity Coaching and Growth Coaching can help the employees increase their cultural awareness, knowledge and skills, so that they can better integrate with the workforce.
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Insights on Effective Leadership
Daegan Smith asked:
An organization no matter how small or big it is calls for a leader. The leader on the other hand cannot just be someone. He has to be an effective leader, so to speak. Anyone can become a leader but only a few can exhibit effective leadership.
Now there is a big gap of difference between these two terms. An organization cannot be suited to survive if no effective leadership is exuded by the head. In order for things to work out smoothly and effectively, there must be someone who can lead the group and the members towards the betterment of things.
As is the practice, leaders are usually elected or chosen by the organization members. He cannot be chosen to handle a complicated task if the members have no faith in him. It is therefore the responsibility of the chosen leader to prove to everyone how effective he can be in leading everyone to success.
As the very famous words of the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, states it, “a leader is the one whose followers are impelled to follow him because of what he is and what he does”. It then follows that the leader must be able to influence the members. However, the influence must be rooted from good things.
Groups have specific goals and objectives. Therefore, an effective leader must be able to direct his group mates to the materialization of those goals. Furthermore, effective leadership involves the integration of the four Cs. They are Communication skills, Character, Creativity, and Consistency.
The Common Kinds of Leadership Styles
There are various organizations and among are the religious groups, political organizations, technical parties, and many others. There are also varying formats which become applicable to these types of leadership because not the same technique will work out for all of them.
The autocratic leadership. In here, the leader is the one who creates all of the policies and dictates on all the actions and tasks of the members. The leader in this group is known to be a disciplinarian and the result of such is for the members to oftentimes feel tensed, uncertain, and insecure.
The compassionate autocratic management. The leader is again the main source of the policies and he dominates over the members. In this group, the members likely show dependency and the inability to handle responsibilities.
The democratic leadership. The leader in here provokes mass participation in all of the activities that will trigger change in the system. The members tend to be more showy, enthusiastic, and confident.
The Traits of an Effective Leader
To become effective leaders, the person who leads a group must showcase enough but not too much self confidence. It matters that his fellowmen likes and respects him. He has to be flexible by nature, sensitive with the needs of others, compassionate, humane, creative, and is motivated to strive for the better.
An effective leader never leaves a member hanging in the air. His intellectual and technical skills must be blended with emotional and spiritual factors. It is always best for a group to have a leader who listens, considers, and supports the rest of the members of the gang.
They say that leaders are born instead of made. However, it can be a case to case basis. Effective leadership comes out of sensitivity and deep concern for the environment and for the people around. Furthermore, effective leadership is all about knowing your real duties as a leader and as a person.
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An organization no matter how small or big it is calls for a leader. The leader on the other hand cannot just be someone. He has to be an effective leader, so to speak. Anyone can become a leader but only a few can exhibit effective leadership.
Now there is a big gap of difference between these two terms. An organization cannot be suited to survive if no effective leadership is exuded by the head. In order for things to work out smoothly and effectively, there must be someone who can lead the group and the members towards the betterment of things.
As is the practice, leaders are usually elected or chosen by the organization members. He cannot be chosen to handle a complicated task if the members have no faith in him. It is therefore the responsibility of the chosen leader to prove to everyone how effective he can be in leading everyone to success.
As the very famous words of the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, states it, “a leader is the one whose followers are impelled to follow him because of what he is and what he does”. It then follows that the leader must be able to influence the members. However, the influence must be rooted from good things.
Groups have specific goals and objectives. Therefore, an effective leader must be able to direct his group mates to the materialization of those goals. Furthermore, effective leadership involves the integration of the four Cs. They are Communication skills, Character, Creativity, and Consistency.
The Common Kinds of Leadership Styles
There are various organizations and among are the religious groups, political organizations, technical parties, and many others. There are also varying formats which become applicable to these types of leadership because not the same technique will work out for all of them.
The autocratic leadership. In here, the leader is the one who creates all of the policies and dictates on all the actions and tasks of the members. The leader in this group is known to be a disciplinarian and the result of such is for the members to oftentimes feel tensed, uncertain, and insecure.
The compassionate autocratic management. The leader is again the main source of the policies and he dominates over the members. In this group, the members likely show dependency and the inability to handle responsibilities.
The democratic leadership. The leader in here provokes mass participation in all of the activities that will trigger change in the system. The members tend to be more showy, enthusiastic, and confident.
The Traits of an Effective Leader
To become effective leaders, the person who leads a group must showcase enough but not too much self confidence. It matters that his fellowmen likes and respects him. He has to be flexible by nature, sensitive with the needs of others, compassionate, humane, creative, and is motivated to strive for the better.
An effective leader never leaves a member hanging in the air. His intellectual and technical skills must be blended with emotional and spiritual factors. It is always best for a group to have a leader who listens, considers, and supports the rest of the members of the gang.
They say that leaders are born instead of made. However, it can be a case to case basis. Effective leadership comes out of sensitivity and deep concern for the environment and for the people around. Furthermore, effective leadership is all about knowing your real duties as a leader and as a person.
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A Look at the Several Ways You Can Define Leadership
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:
There are several ways to define leadership. Experts have tried to define leadership using several aspects. A process that influences other people to achieve an objective and guides the company in a way to make it more coherent and cohesive is called leadership. You can also define leadership as a process of leading people in the right direction in order to achieve goals. Leaders apply leadership attributes such as values, knowledge and skills to implement this process in any organization. Leadership ensures that that the organization works successfully and accomplishes the desired goals. Leadership is also defined as a process that can have a positive impact on others. It motivates people to excel in the field they are working.
Leadership does not mean yelling at your followers to accomplish certain tasks. If you are the boss of a company that does not mean you will have leadership qualities. Leadership makes its followers want to accomplish high goals. Thus, leadership will be aptly defined as a process that encourages the followers to achieve their objectives. You can also define leadership as an action that directs the followers to lead a respectable and honorable life. Leadership qualities are not inborn but can be developed gradually through education and self-study. Leadership can also be defined as lernership as it is a continuous learning process. Some scholars have defined leadership as an ability to inspire other people with a dream.
Behavioral theory of leadership defines leadership in terms of relation and behavior of leaders towards their followers. Some leaders are people oriented while some are task oriented. Accordingly, there is participative leadership and directive relationship. Leadership can also be defined as a process that cultivates and nurtures later generation of leaders. Leadership is about awakening the persistence and passion among its followers to get the desired result. Some experts have defined leadership as an ability to transform dream into reality. Leadership does not mean just imparting instructions to its followers but also striving hard to implement and achieve the desired goals. Leadership is a process that persuades people to do the right thing for a better future. Leadership is a process in which one person encourages, inspires and motivates others to work for the betterment of society.
Your actions should motivate people to do more and then become more. It can also be defined as the ability of a senior to persuade his or her subordinates action to implement a course of action. Leadership directs people to inculcate qualities that will make them good citizens of the country. Leadership defines a clear vision for the company and capacity to translate it to reality. Leadership is like a 2 way street. You should have respect for seniors as well as your juniors. Leadership persuades people to go where they do not want to go necessarily but they ought to go. Leadership is a process that makes sure that his followers accomplish the task Leadership is also defined as a set of actions that are implemented in order to create a friendly work environment
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There are several ways to define leadership. Experts have tried to define leadership using several aspects. A process that influences other people to achieve an objective and guides the company in a way to make it more coherent and cohesive is called leadership. You can also define leadership as a process of leading people in the right direction in order to achieve goals. Leaders apply leadership attributes such as values, knowledge and skills to implement this process in any organization. Leadership ensures that that the organization works successfully and accomplishes the desired goals. Leadership is also defined as a process that can have a positive impact on others. It motivates people to excel in the field they are working.
Leadership does not mean yelling at your followers to accomplish certain tasks. If you are the boss of a company that does not mean you will have leadership qualities. Leadership makes its followers want to accomplish high goals. Thus, leadership will be aptly defined as a process that encourages the followers to achieve their objectives. You can also define leadership as an action that directs the followers to lead a respectable and honorable life. Leadership qualities are not inborn but can be developed gradually through education and self-study. Leadership can also be defined as lernership as it is a continuous learning process. Some scholars have defined leadership as an ability to inspire other people with a dream.
Behavioral theory of leadership defines leadership in terms of relation and behavior of leaders towards their followers. Some leaders are people oriented while some are task oriented. Accordingly, there is participative leadership and directive relationship. Leadership can also be defined as a process that cultivates and nurtures later generation of leaders. Leadership is about awakening the persistence and passion among its followers to get the desired result. Some experts have defined leadership as an ability to transform dream into reality. Leadership does not mean just imparting instructions to its followers but also striving hard to implement and achieve the desired goals. Leadership is a process that persuades people to do the right thing for a better future. Leadership is a process in which one person encourages, inspires and motivates others to work for the betterment of society.
Your actions should motivate people to do more and then become more. It can also be defined as the ability of a senior to persuade his or her subordinates action to implement a course of action. Leadership directs people to inculcate qualities that will make them good citizens of the country. Leadership defines a clear vision for the company and capacity to translate it to reality. Leadership is like a 2 way street. You should have respect for seniors as well as your juniors. Leadership persuades people to go where they do not want to go necessarily but they ought to go. Leadership is a process that makes sure that his followers accomplish the task Leadership is also defined as a set of actions that are implemented in order to create a friendly work environment
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Leadership for the 18 Year Old
Joel Chue asked:
How many 18 year old young adults out there are truly leaders today? Not many and this is a fact! Why do I say this? Well, first of all, I am the product of this education system and from the experience I had in the army, all I met was mostly failed leadership. How many 18 year old young adults out there are truly leaders today? Not many and this is a fact! Why do I say this? Well, first of all, I am the product of this education system and from the experience I had in the army, all I met was mostly failed leadership. Luckily, the government has taken steps and actions to remedy the situation through new integrated programs to foster leadership in schools and away from rote-learning. With time, perhaps we will be learning such skills more effectively. However, it’s because of my negative experiences with bad leaders that make me wonder:” How can an 18 year old young adult really learn about leadership?” and “What are some of the fundamentals of good leadership an 18 year old must have?”
The purpose of my title as well as the opening statement serves to capture your attention and to get you to read on since a typical 18 year old young adult do get turn off with such topics. I hope that you continue to read this article and take at least one idea to implement in your life.
What is meant by leadership? American Management Consultant, Peter F. Drucker has this to say,” Leadership is not magnetic personality-that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not making friends and influencing people-that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher
sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” This is the true picture of leadership and now let’s takes a look at some of the details.
A leader has to have a team. Not any team with members he randomly picks. This only happens in school where the teacher assigns you your team members. A true leader learns to make his own decisions in choosing the members he required in his team. By learning to do so, he forms a
mastermind team, a team whose vision and values aligned with the leader. It requires courage, skill, experience, good EQ as well as intelligence to assemble and maintain such a team. From selecting the right members to planning to execution of the plans, it requires hard work and effort. In this team …
A leader is foremost a servant. He has to first give then receive. The notion of giving solely is so foreign to many of us that we are constantly into the W.I.T.F.M (What’s in it for me ) and R.O.I ( Return of Investment ) that we fail to give a little at all. Why are we so afraid to give that little bit?
Don’t we realize that there is a universal law - “The Law of Compensation” like the law of gravity which governs us 24/7? This law states that you will always be compensated for your efforts and for your contributions, whatever it is, however much or however little. Don’t always ask for
something in return. Have faith in the law and do give more than you receive.
So what does the leader actually give? He gives encouragement; he is motivated by the wish to empower his members, to bring out the best of his mastermind team. He is supportive to every team member and never ridicules, condemns or ignores ideas contributed. How else can he
encourage, he does so by delegating, and this empowers them for the role of the leader is to nurture his followers into leaders. Why is this consider empowerment? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe explains, “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become
what they are capable of being.” The greatest ability of the leader is recognizing the ability in others and encourages it.”
To lead is also to show the way by going in advance. A leader has to lead by example. He has to take the first step. This inspires great confidence, courage and strength in the team. A team performs best with such a leader. So where does the leader lead his followers to? To places where they wish to go, but wouldn’t go alone. This is what a true leader does, to inspire his team not only with words but with action, meaningful action that requires courage.
There are many qualities of a good leader which I cannot write about in such a short article. If you truly desire to be a good leader, take action to become one, start by reading a book on leadership, any small step helps. To conclude, heed the timeless principle of leadership by American business philosopher Jim Rohn, “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
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How many 18 year old young adults out there are truly leaders today? Not many and this is a fact! Why do I say this? Well, first of all, I am the product of this education system and from the experience I had in the army, all I met was mostly failed leadership. How many 18 year old young adults out there are truly leaders today? Not many and this is a fact! Why do I say this? Well, first of all, I am the product of this education system and from the experience I had in the army, all I met was mostly failed leadership. Luckily, the government has taken steps and actions to remedy the situation through new integrated programs to foster leadership in schools and away from rote-learning. With time, perhaps we will be learning such skills more effectively. However, it’s because of my negative experiences with bad leaders that make me wonder:” How can an 18 year old young adult really learn about leadership?” and “What are some of the fundamentals of good leadership an 18 year old must have?”
The purpose of my title as well as the opening statement serves to capture your attention and to get you to read on since a typical 18 year old young adult do get turn off with such topics. I hope that you continue to read this article and take at least one idea to implement in your life.
What is meant by leadership? American Management Consultant, Peter F. Drucker has this to say,” Leadership is not magnetic personality-that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not making friends and influencing people-that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher
sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” This is the true picture of leadership and now let’s takes a look at some of the details.
A leader has to have a team. Not any team with members he randomly picks. This only happens in school where the teacher assigns you your team members. A true leader learns to make his own decisions in choosing the members he required in his team. By learning to do so, he forms a
mastermind team, a team whose vision and values aligned with the leader. It requires courage, skill, experience, good EQ as well as intelligence to assemble and maintain such a team. From selecting the right members to planning to execution of the plans, it requires hard work and effort. In this team …
A leader is foremost a servant. He has to first give then receive. The notion of giving solely is so foreign to many of us that we are constantly into the W.I.T.F.M (What’s in it for me ) and R.O.I ( Return of Investment ) that we fail to give a little at all. Why are we so afraid to give that little bit?
Don’t we realize that there is a universal law - “The Law of Compensation” like the law of gravity which governs us 24/7? This law states that you will always be compensated for your efforts and for your contributions, whatever it is, however much or however little. Don’t always ask for
something in return. Have faith in the law and do give more than you receive.
So what does the leader actually give? He gives encouragement; he is motivated by the wish to empower his members, to bring out the best of his mastermind team. He is supportive to every team member and never ridicules, condemns or ignores ideas contributed. How else can he
encourage, he does so by delegating, and this empowers them for the role of the leader is to nurture his followers into leaders. Why is this consider empowerment? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe explains, “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become
what they are capable of being.” The greatest ability of the leader is recognizing the ability in others and encourages it.”
To lead is also to show the way by going in advance. A leader has to lead by example. He has to take the first step. This inspires great confidence, courage and strength in the team. A team performs best with such a leader. So where does the leader lead his followers to? To places where they wish to go, but wouldn’t go alone. This is what a true leader does, to inspire his team not only with words but with action, meaningful action that requires courage.
There are many qualities of a good leader which I cannot write about in such a short article. If you truly desire to be a good leader, take action to become one, start by reading a book on leadership, any small step helps. To conclude, heed the timeless principle of leadership by American business philosopher Jim Rohn, “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
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A Look at the Benefits of Transactional Leadership Style
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:
Leadership style plays a crucial role in the development of an organization. Transactional leadership is of the leadership style that is often used by many companies. Transactional leadership believes that punishment and reward motivate people. This leadership also assumes that when people agree to do a particular assignment, a part of that agreement is that they give up all authority to their boss. The leader holds control and power over the subordinates. The main goal of the employee is to obey the orders of their managers. The idea is that when a subordinate takes up a job, he or she agrees to obey their manager totally. The ‘transaction’ is the money or any other award that the company pays to its subordinates for their compliance and effort. The relationship between the subordinate and the leader becomes transactional. In transactional leadership the leader has the right to punish his or her subordinates if their performance is not according to the predetermined standard.
Transactional leadership makes clear that what is required and expected from their subordinates. It also mentions that subordinates will get award if they follow the orders seriously. Sometimes punishments are not mentioned but they are understood. In the early stages of transactional leadership, subordinate is in the process of negotiating the contract. The contract specifies fixed salary and the benefits that will be given to the subordinate. Rewards are given to subordinates for applied effort. Some organization use incentives to encourage their subordinates for greater productivity. Transactional leadership is a way of increasing the performance of its subordinates by giving them rewards. Transactional leadership is also called as ‘true leadership style as it focuses on short term goals instead of long term goals.
In Transactional leadership, when the leader assigns work to its subordinates, then it is the responsibility of the subordinate to see that the assigned task is finished on time. If the assigned task is not completed on time or if something then punishment is given for their failure. But if they accomplish the task in time then the subordinates are given reward for successfully completing the task. Subordinates are also given award and praised for exceeding expectations. A subordinate whose performance is below expectation is punished and some action is taken to increase his or her performance.
Transactional leadership has more of a ‘telling style’. Transactional leadership is based on the fact that reward or punishment is dependent on the performance. Even though researchers have highlighted its limitations, transactional leadership is still used by many employers. More and more companies are adopting transactional leadership to increase the performance of its employees. This approach is prevalent in real workplace.
The main limitation of this leadership is that it assumes that people are largely motivated by simple rewards. Under transactional leadership, employees can’t do much to improve job satisfaction. Transaction leadership has been ineffective in providing skilled employees to their organization. This style of leadership is least interested in changing
the work environment. Experts do not recommend this approach. Transactional leadership focuses more on management of punishments and rewards.
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Leadership style plays a crucial role in the development of an organization. Transactional leadership is of the leadership style that is often used by many companies. Transactional leadership believes that punishment and reward motivate people. This leadership also assumes that when people agree to do a particular assignment, a part of that agreement is that they give up all authority to their boss. The leader holds control and power over the subordinates. The main goal of the employee is to obey the orders of their managers. The idea is that when a subordinate takes up a job, he or she agrees to obey their manager totally. The ‘transaction’ is the money or any other award that the company pays to its subordinates for their compliance and effort. The relationship between the subordinate and the leader becomes transactional. In transactional leadership the leader has the right to punish his or her subordinates if their performance is not according to the predetermined standard.
Transactional leadership makes clear that what is required and expected from their subordinates. It also mentions that subordinates will get award if they follow the orders seriously. Sometimes punishments are not mentioned but they are understood. In the early stages of transactional leadership, subordinate is in the process of negotiating the contract. The contract specifies fixed salary and the benefits that will be given to the subordinate. Rewards are given to subordinates for applied effort. Some organization use incentives to encourage their subordinates for greater productivity. Transactional leadership is a way of increasing the performance of its subordinates by giving them rewards. Transactional leadership is also called as ‘true leadership style as it focuses on short term goals instead of long term goals.
In Transactional leadership, when the leader assigns work to its subordinates, then it is the responsibility of the subordinate to see that the assigned task is finished on time. If the assigned task is not completed on time or if something then punishment is given for their failure. But if they accomplish the task in time then the subordinates are given reward for successfully completing the task. Subordinates are also given award and praised for exceeding expectations. A subordinate whose performance is below expectation is punished and some action is taken to increase his or her performance.
Transactional leadership has more of a ‘telling style’. Transactional leadership is based on the fact that reward or punishment is dependent on the performance. Even though researchers have highlighted its limitations, transactional leadership is still used by many employers. More and more companies are adopting transactional leadership to increase the performance of its employees. This approach is prevalent in real workplace.
The main limitation of this leadership is that it assumes that people are largely motivated by simple rewards. Under transactional leadership, employees can’t do much to improve job satisfaction. Transaction leadership has been ineffective in providing skilled employees to their organization. This style of leadership is least interested in changing
the work environment. Experts do not recommend this approach. Transactional leadership focuses more on management of punishments and rewards.
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A Look at Some Theories of Leadership Referred to Today
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:
In the early stage of the 20th century, there was a great enhancement in the interest of the people about the term like leadership. Mainly the leadership theories categorize the qualities of the leader and his subordinates or followers. Also there is more emphasis on the variables like situational aspects, competent level, skills. These emerging leadership theories are classified into eight categories like theories of Great man, trait theories, contingency theories, situational theories, behaviorial theories, participative theories, management theories and relationship theories.
In the first type of leadership theories, i.e. theories of great man; it is firmed opinion that the legendary leaders have to born they are not made or mould. This theory is the portrait of the legend leaders as gallant, mythic, and they were born to explore there leadership qualities whenever they requires. The reason behind the use of word like Great Man for the leadership theory is that in such time the leadership quality is considered as the mainly a male quality which is specially referred to armed leadership.
The ideology of the second type of the leadership theory is identical to its first type. According to trait theories, trait theory it is a firm belief that the person possessing the leadership excellence is the impact of its skills and qualities, which are from genetic inheritance and traits that compose these qualities well matched to leadership. Therefore, by using such theory, it is very easy to analysis the several features of behaviors which is shared by such leader. But sometime such trait theory creates confusion, when somebody holds the special traits like skills, qualities but do not become the leader.
The Contingency Theory is one of the types of the leadership theories. This theory illustrates and gives emphasis to the positive approach of the leader towards the unforeseen incident, which makes him the real leader. Therefore, this last-minute decision making requires several variables like leading style, competence of his followers or subordinates and their approach to such situation. In abbreviation, the leadership quality varies according to requirement of the situation.
In the situational theory, the more weight-age on the need of the critical situation while making the decision by the leaders. So sometimes, he takes aggressive decision and sometimes he gives importance to the negotiations. In such situational theories, the real leaders always take all his colleagues and subordinates while taking any major, critical decision.
The leadership theory like behavioral theory is mainly relies on the belief like the legendary leaders are made and not born. So in this theory, it is opined that leaders enhance their leading quality through their daily observations and teaching aids of life. So according to such theory, the leading approach does not rely on the physical and mental traits.
In the participative leadership theory, the leaders give emphasis towards the involvement and assistance of their teammates while achieving any target. They facilitate their group members with feeling that is more significant and convinced them to the decision-making process.
In remaining type like Management theories and relationship theories of leadership, more emphasis is laid on the administration, union, and team performance of any organization. While in Relationship theories, more emphasis is laid on the relationship between leaders and followers.
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In the early stage of the 20th century, there was a great enhancement in the interest of the people about the term like leadership. Mainly the leadership theories categorize the qualities of the leader and his subordinates or followers. Also there is more emphasis on the variables like situational aspects, competent level, skills. These emerging leadership theories are classified into eight categories like theories of Great man, trait theories, contingency theories, situational theories, behaviorial theories, participative theories, management theories and relationship theories.
In the first type of leadership theories, i.e. theories of great man; it is firmed opinion that the legendary leaders have to born they are not made or mould. This theory is the portrait of the legend leaders as gallant, mythic, and they were born to explore there leadership qualities whenever they requires. The reason behind the use of word like Great Man for the leadership theory is that in such time the leadership quality is considered as the mainly a male quality which is specially referred to armed leadership.
The ideology of the second type of the leadership theory is identical to its first type. According to trait theories, trait theory it is a firm belief that the person possessing the leadership excellence is the impact of its skills and qualities, which are from genetic inheritance and traits that compose these qualities well matched to leadership. Therefore, by using such theory, it is very easy to analysis the several features of behaviors which is shared by such leader. But sometime such trait theory creates confusion, when somebody holds the special traits like skills, qualities but do not become the leader.
The Contingency Theory is one of the types of the leadership theories. This theory illustrates and gives emphasis to the positive approach of the leader towards the unforeseen incident, which makes him the real leader. Therefore, this last-minute decision making requires several variables like leading style, competence of his followers or subordinates and their approach to such situation. In abbreviation, the leadership quality varies according to requirement of the situation.
In the situational theory, the more weight-age on the need of the critical situation while making the decision by the leaders. So sometimes, he takes aggressive decision and sometimes he gives importance to the negotiations. In such situational theories, the real leaders always take all his colleagues and subordinates while taking any major, critical decision.
The leadership theory like behavioral theory is mainly relies on the belief like the legendary leaders are made and not born. So in this theory, it is opined that leaders enhance their leading quality through their daily observations and teaching aids of life. So according to such theory, the leading approach does not rely on the physical and mental traits.
In the participative leadership theory, the leaders give emphasis towards the involvement and assistance of their teammates while achieving any target. They facilitate their group members with feeling that is more significant and convinced them to the decision-making process.
In remaining type like Management theories and relationship theories of leadership, more emphasis is laid on the administration, union, and team performance of any organization. While in Relationship theories, more emphasis is laid on the relationship between leaders and followers.
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Leadership and Chaos
Gary Crow asked:
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you will help them to become what they are capable of being.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There are many theories that attempt to account for leadership excellence. The opening quote is, perhaps, the most widely accepted foundation of leadership excellence. If one expands beyond excellence to leadership more generally, a close examination of the various theoretical constructs discloses that they are consistently developed either from the perspective of the leader or from that of those who follow.
If developed from the perspective of the leader, the theory emphasizes the traits and characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the leader. Leadership excellence is primarily a product of leaders who exhibit more of the desired traits and characteristics and avoid the less desirable traits and characteristics.
If developed from the perspective of those who follow, the theory emphasizes leadership strategies and techniques that encourage and maximize the strengths and individual talents of those who follow. Leadership excellence is primarily a product of leaders who are able to fully actualize the excellence potentials and capacities of those who follow.
Careful attention to these apparently opposing perspectives quickly reveals that they are not separate perspectives. Rather, the second is merely an extension of the first. Excellence leaders are leaders who exhibit traits and characteristics that motivate those who follow to fully participate in and contribute to the shared enterprise.
Leadership behavior then combines with associated thought processes that support and focus the desired perspective. For leaders who believe that leadership excellence primarily depends on personal traits and characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, thinking focuses on how to personally and more specifically manifest those traits and characteristics thought to be associated with leadership excellence.
How do leaders behave in various situations? How do they interact with those who follow? How do they approach and handle problems and challenges? What traits and actions differentiate leaders from non-leaders?
A commitment to leadership excellence is, then, a commitment to thinking about and answering these and similar questions. Excellence leaders ask, successfully answer, and in turn, implement the resulting directives implicit in the answers.
For leaders who believe that leadership excellence primarily depends on strategies and techniques that encourage and maximize the strengths and individual talents of those who follow, thinking focuses on how to encourage those who follow to personally and more specifically manifest the behavior thought to be most clearly associated with the success of the enterprise.
How does a leader motivate those who follow to accept and actively pursue the articulated mission of the enterprise? What needs to happen in order to assure that those who follow commit their full energy and capacity to the success of the enterprise? What techniques and strategies are necessary to maximize the contribution of each follower in relation to his (or her) individual skills and talents? What environmental and situational factors need to be manipulated to minimize avoidable loss of energy, skill, and follower focus and to maximize the actualization of the productive potential of those who follow?
Again, a commitment to leadership excellence is a commitment to thinking about and answering these and similar questions. Excellence leaders ask, successfully answer, and in turn, implement the resulting directives implicit in the answers.
On the one hand, the answers and associated directives are in terms of definable traits and characteristics of the leader. On the other hand, the answers and directives are in terms of factors and conditions related to the performance of the followers and associated strategies and techniques needed to optimize those factors and conditions.
Increasing leadership excellence is, thus, thought to depend either on improving the performance of the leader or on increasing the participation and commitment of the followers. Although both approaches are separately productive, leadership theory has moved to combine the approaches. Current theory posits that leadership excellence is best achieved when the leader concentrates on maximizing personal leadership traits and characteristics while concurrently implementing strategies and techniques to increase the participation and commitment of followers.
Considering this dichotomous understanding of leadership excellence as it applies to decision-making is instructive. How are decisions made and who makes them? At one extreme, decision-making is autocratic. The leader has absolute authority and makes all decisions. He (or she) may ask others for advice, information, and suggestions, giving the impression of participation. Nonetheless, the leader decides. The quality of decisions thus depends exclusively on the judgment of the leader.
The opposite extreme is not consensus or some other type of group decision-making, as one might at first think. Rather, the opposite extreme is chaos. All participants in the enterprise act on their individual judgment and initiative. Even if each participant makes all decisions from the perspective of the perceived best interest of the enterprise, and they likely will not, the resulting chaos is, at a minimum, counterproductive.
If one looks at decision-making with autocracy at one extreme and chaos at the other, leadership excellence falls within a fairly narrow range between the extremes. If the leader moves too far toward autocracy, psychological theory suggests that the followers will become alienated and functionally constricted. Their performance will be less productive than it might otherwise be. Alternatively, if the leader moves too far toward chaos, sociological theory suggests that the enterprise will become fragmented and increasingly dysfunctional.
Defining the excellence limits within the decision-making range is certainly open to debate and disagreement. Even so, the reality of the range is obvious and the importance of leaders thoughtfully functioning within the range is clear. Excellence leaders do not move outside the range toward either extreme.
One could debate the relative benefits of intentionally shifting leadership behavior toward one end of the excellence range or the other. For example, is it better for the leader to be more autocratic or less autocratic? Is it better for the leader to defer more to the judgment of the followers or for him (or her) to defer less to the followers? Should the leader delegate more decision-making responsibility to the followers or less?
The debatable aspects here not withstanding, excellence leaders maintain their leadership behavior within a relatively narrow range of actions and approaches. Exactly where they function within the acceptable range likely depends on the individual leader’s personality, individual strengths and skills, personal preferences, specific circumstances and conditions, and on a mix of other factors. The reality is that the effectiveness of the leader is unrelated to where his (or her) functioning falls on the excellence range so long as the leader does not move outside that narrow range.
Just as there is a fairly narrow excellence range with respect to decision-making, there are acceptable excellence ranges for other aspects of leadership functioning.
For example, strategic planning for the enterprise needs to proceed within fairly narrow limits. At one extreme, planning can be so conservative that there is no real change or growth over time. Alternatively, planning can be so unconstrained that change becomes non-sustainable and chaotic. The success of the enterprise depends on the capacity of the leader to pursue strategic planning within those excellence limits, although that success likely does not depend on the leader’s position within the excellence range.
Competent leaders understand and function within the multiple excellence ranges related to the success of the enterprise. Their competence level is not related to where they function on any specific excellence range. Rather, it is derived from their demonstrated ability to continuously maintain their behavior and functioning within acceptable limits on all of the relevant excellence ranges concurrently.
If leaders are judged in terms of current theoretical constructs, most people in positions of leadership are very successful. The reality is that, for the most part, leaders do stay within the excellence ranges associated with the enterprises they lead. Their styles and approaches vary significantly but nonetheless only vary within fairly narrow ranges. The apparent variety is mostly a product of the multiple excellence ranges, individual variations within and among the ranges, and the personalities and individuality of the leaders.
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“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you will help them to become what they are capable of being.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There are many theories that attempt to account for leadership excellence. The opening quote is, perhaps, the most widely accepted foundation of leadership excellence. If one expands beyond excellence to leadership more generally, a close examination of the various theoretical constructs discloses that they are consistently developed either from the perspective of the leader or from that of those who follow.
If developed from the perspective of the leader, the theory emphasizes the traits and characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of the leader. Leadership excellence is primarily a product of leaders who exhibit more of the desired traits and characteristics and avoid the less desirable traits and characteristics.
If developed from the perspective of those who follow, the theory emphasizes leadership strategies and techniques that encourage and maximize the strengths and individual talents of those who follow. Leadership excellence is primarily a product of leaders who are able to fully actualize the excellence potentials and capacities of those who follow.
Careful attention to these apparently opposing perspectives quickly reveals that they are not separate perspectives. Rather, the second is merely an extension of the first. Excellence leaders are leaders who exhibit traits and characteristics that motivate those who follow to fully participate in and contribute to the shared enterprise.
Leadership behavior then combines with associated thought processes that support and focus the desired perspective. For leaders who believe that leadership excellence primarily depends on personal traits and characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, thinking focuses on how to personally and more specifically manifest those traits and characteristics thought to be associated with leadership excellence.
How do leaders behave in various situations? How do they interact with those who follow? How do they approach and handle problems and challenges? What traits and actions differentiate leaders from non-leaders?
A commitment to leadership excellence is, then, a commitment to thinking about and answering these and similar questions. Excellence leaders ask, successfully answer, and in turn, implement the resulting directives implicit in the answers.
For leaders who believe that leadership excellence primarily depends on strategies and techniques that encourage and maximize the strengths and individual talents of those who follow, thinking focuses on how to encourage those who follow to personally and more specifically manifest the behavior thought to be most clearly associated with the success of the enterprise.
How does a leader motivate those who follow to accept and actively pursue the articulated mission of the enterprise? What needs to happen in order to assure that those who follow commit their full energy and capacity to the success of the enterprise? What techniques and strategies are necessary to maximize the contribution of each follower in relation to his (or her) individual skills and talents? What environmental and situational factors need to be manipulated to minimize avoidable loss of energy, skill, and follower focus and to maximize the actualization of the productive potential of those who follow?
Again, a commitment to leadership excellence is a commitment to thinking about and answering these and similar questions. Excellence leaders ask, successfully answer, and in turn, implement the resulting directives implicit in the answers.
On the one hand, the answers and associated directives are in terms of definable traits and characteristics of the leader. On the other hand, the answers and directives are in terms of factors and conditions related to the performance of the followers and associated strategies and techniques needed to optimize those factors and conditions.
Increasing leadership excellence is, thus, thought to depend either on improving the performance of the leader or on increasing the participation and commitment of the followers. Although both approaches are separately productive, leadership theory has moved to combine the approaches. Current theory posits that leadership excellence is best achieved when the leader concentrates on maximizing personal leadership traits and characteristics while concurrently implementing strategies and techniques to increase the participation and commitment of followers.
Considering this dichotomous understanding of leadership excellence as it applies to decision-making is instructive. How are decisions made and who makes them? At one extreme, decision-making is autocratic. The leader has absolute authority and makes all decisions. He (or she) may ask others for advice, information, and suggestions, giving the impression of participation. Nonetheless, the leader decides. The quality of decisions thus depends exclusively on the judgment of the leader.
The opposite extreme is not consensus or some other type of group decision-making, as one might at first think. Rather, the opposite extreme is chaos. All participants in the enterprise act on their individual judgment and initiative. Even if each participant makes all decisions from the perspective of the perceived best interest of the enterprise, and they likely will not, the resulting chaos is, at a minimum, counterproductive.
If one looks at decision-making with autocracy at one extreme and chaos at the other, leadership excellence falls within a fairly narrow range between the extremes. If the leader moves too far toward autocracy, psychological theory suggests that the followers will become alienated and functionally constricted. Their performance will be less productive than it might otherwise be. Alternatively, if the leader moves too far toward chaos, sociological theory suggests that the enterprise will become fragmented and increasingly dysfunctional.
Defining the excellence limits within the decision-making range is certainly open to debate and disagreement. Even so, the reality of the range is obvious and the importance of leaders thoughtfully functioning within the range is clear. Excellence leaders do not move outside the range toward either extreme.
One could debate the relative benefits of intentionally shifting leadership behavior toward one end of the excellence range or the other. For example, is it better for the leader to be more autocratic or less autocratic? Is it better for the leader to defer more to the judgment of the followers or for him (or her) to defer less to the followers? Should the leader delegate more decision-making responsibility to the followers or less?
The debatable aspects here not withstanding, excellence leaders maintain their leadership behavior within a relatively narrow range of actions and approaches. Exactly where they function within the acceptable range likely depends on the individual leader’s personality, individual strengths and skills, personal preferences, specific circumstances and conditions, and on a mix of other factors. The reality is that the effectiveness of the leader is unrelated to where his (or her) functioning falls on the excellence range so long as the leader does not move outside that narrow range.
Just as there is a fairly narrow excellence range with respect to decision-making, there are acceptable excellence ranges for other aspects of leadership functioning.
For example, strategic planning for the enterprise needs to proceed within fairly narrow limits. At one extreme, planning can be so conservative that there is no real change or growth over time. Alternatively, planning can be so unconstrained that change becomes non-sustainable and chaotic. The success of the enterprise depends on the capacity of the leader to pursue strategic planning within those excellence limits, although that success likely does not depend on the leader’s position within the excellence range.
Competent leaders understand and function within the multiple excellence ranges related to the success of the enterprise. Their competence level is not related to where they function on any specific excellence range. Rather, it is derived from their demonstrated ability to continuously maintain their behavior and functioning within acceptable limits on all of the relevant excellence ranges concurrently.
If leaders are judged in terms of current theoretical constructs, most people in positions of leadership are very successful. The reality is that, for the most part, leaders do stay within the excellence ranges associated with the enterprises they lead. Their styles and approaches vary significantly but nonetheless only vary within fairly narrow ranges. The apparent variety is mostly a product of the multiple excellence ranges, individual variations within and among the ranges, and the personalities and individuality of the leaders.
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