Leadership is a powerful social role in which an individual or group of individuals inspire others to reach a common goal. The qualities that define effective leadership will vary depending on the role the leader plays, such as in business or politics. Some leaders will work behind the scenes in a more laissez-faire manner and that approach will work for the specific situation and for reaching those situational goals. Other leaders need to play a more active role in guiding other people by providing them with verbal inspiration or serving as a role model. Some leaders are authoritarian in nature, and do not share their power with others; some leaders are democratic in nature, and distribute their power with other members of the team.
Regardless of the type of leadership required in any given scenario, there are some core traits that help to define all leaders. With few exceptions leaders will need to remain committed to their goals. The leader is successful specifically because they get jobs done, and help reach goals they have set. Usually, a leader will have the ability to inspire others. The leader might not inspire all members of his or her organization, but inspiring some people is necessary in order to establish credibility and maintain trust within the group. After all, there is no such thing as a leader who has no power and therefore no followers. Leaders are, by definition, empowered individuals who are respected by a group of followers. Sometimes, leaders empower their followers as well, and other times, the leader relies on delegating tasks more than by distributing power. A leader is eventually distinguished from a manager in that whereas managers only delegate tasks, the leader always keeps in mind the big picture and has great control over the overall vision.
Ancillary traits that make up a good leader depend on the...
Leadership Can Be Taught The importance of effective leadership to organizational success is well documented, but the process by which people become leaders remains far less understood. For instance, Brandt (2002) asks, "Can those who wish to lead learn from others, or is the capacity for leadership -- or lack thereof -- hard-wired into our DNA at birth?" (p. 12). Despite the ongoing debate over nature vs. nurture continues, it is
Gender Differences in Our Society The study published by Eurekalert! The Global Source for Science News entitled "Women most effective leaders for today's world" (2003) states that according to the findings of a study in Psychological Bulletin, 129(3), a meta-analysis indicates that "on average, women in management positions are somewhat better leaders than men in equivalent positions." In my own personal experience, I have found that I can agree with this
Leader An important part of the job of a public school principal is to set a tone for others -- teachers, administrators, counselors and staff -- not just by producing memos and holding meetings, but also through his or her leadership and on-the-job performance. Leadership at this level of school administration is vital in terms of providing motivation and by setting an example. Leadership also entails the basic fundamentals of
Qualities of an Effective Leader What are the qualities that go into a strong, effective leader in today's business world? This paper explores and critiques those qualities through the available literature. How Centered Leaders Archive Extraordinary Results An "extraordinary" amount of stress is being placed on leaders in the business community due to today's "complex, volatile, and fast-paced business environment," according to an article in the peer-reviewed journal McKinsey Quarterly (Barsh, et al.,
Level Three Leadership An effective leader takes into consideration the thoughts and values of those directly answerable to him. He is capable of influencing the basic values, assumptions, beliefs, and expectations that his/her subjects subscribe to with regard to how the world should be. He seeks to engage with the workers or the subjects at personal level. Such a leader recognizes that workers are not only concerned with better remuneration but
perception about how managers become effective leaders affects how we evaluate individuals' leadership potential. Believing that a manager was born a leader is expected to result in a concentration more on selecting the right person rather than developing the employee. On the other hand, the belief that managers can be made leaders through experiences will be more expected to result in a concentration on ensuring that managers have the
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