Leadership Qualifications in the LeBLANC Group

First published in 1987, The Leadership Challenge is a guide for becoming leader. The book received many awards and its above two million copies are internationally sold. The book teaches principles of leadership that apply whether the leader is running a sports team or a fortune 500 organization. The book includes stories and examples of many leaders from micro to macro level (Founders and Authors, 2013). The basic leadership principles can be adopted by anyone to challenge status quo and increase leader productivity multifold. The book tells about the flow and hierarchy of values too (Machedo, 2013). One can use the guide without an instructor to develop leadership traits.

In recognition on how to be an effective leader, past researches in leadership has discovered that leadership is a critical aspect to an organization and it will continue to evolve, in line with the development of human-to-human relationships (Daft & Pirola-Merlo 2009, p. 4, Rast et al. 2012 p. 646). Yet, to be a leader, there are at least six key factors that must be met by a person, namely: followers, influence, intention, personal responsibility and integrity, shared purpose and change (Daft & Pirola-Merlo 2009, p. 5). However, even if someone has

Leadership is, and always has been, a vital aspect of social and economic constructs. It is essential to the survival of societies, industries, organizations, and virtually any group of individuals that come together for a common purpose. However, leadership is difficult to define in a single, definitive sense. As such, theories of leadership, what constitutes a great leader, and how leaders are made have evolved constantly throughout history, and still continue to change today in hopes of improving upon our understanding of leadership, its importance, and how it can be most effective in modern organizational cultures.

Effective leadership, commonly regarded as both a learned skill and innate ability, is an essential characteristic of successful organizations (Northouse, 2016). Great leaders are said to define purpose, create a vision for the future, set high ethical standards, and guide their organizations through many circumstances and into new directions (Morrill, 2007; Parris & Peachey, 2012). Leadership is also described as complex – it can mean different things to different people. Given there is no standard approach to leadership, scholars focus on the process of leadership as opposed to the definition (Northouse, 2016). As a process, leadership is not simply possessing formal authority or characteristic traits and personal attributes. Quite the reverse, leadership is mostly a relationship – engagement and interactive exchange – between leaders and followers (Morrill, 2007; Northouse, 2016). According to Parris and Peachey (2012), the impact of effective leadership on economic, political, and organization success makes leadership one of the most comprehensively researched processes of human behavior. Therefore, understanding the behaviors of leaders is critical to understanding individual and organizational success.

Leadership, eluded to by Daft (2011) as one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth, is an evolving discipline that is an influence relationship among subordinates and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purpose (pp. 4-5). But with the study of leadership comes along the different aspects and theories as to which is more appropriate for an organization. Initial traditional theories recognized that leaders are born with

Leadership is a very broad topic; I never knew just how many different traits and skills that it takes to become an effective leader. Some of which I was familiar with, and others that I was not aware of, but now from taking this course, they all seem to be necessary for the role of leadership. The attached paper, will explain of some of the important theories and concepts that I thought were most important to be able to become and effective leader.

The way leadership is defined and how it is practiced within the workplace often determines the amount of impact it will have on enhancing an organization’s bottom line. This can be observed in certain organizations where supervisors who lack the ability to define and apply their type of leadership are unable to solve organizational problems. This lack of understanding has also contributed to an emphasis on the importance of leadership skills and their influence on organizational performance within both the academic and business communities. For that reason, three areas will be discussed within this paper that includes the following: 1) This writer’s “definition of leadership” and its corresponding “philosophy,” 2) its related “weaknesses and strengths,” and 3) its application to a former place of employment (WBU, 2016a). Engaging in this type of examination should enhance the knowledge of both the academic and business communities.

The categorical noun “leadership” carries a very powerful meaning; moreover, its’ connotation is synonymous with: tenacity, authoritativeness, influence, effectiveness, hegemony, command, and in today’s society of organizational model jargon, clout. Throughout this paper two models of leadership will be epitomized: The Motivational and Groupthink models. The major theorists and their beliefs will help to solidify pertinent and philosophical characteristics related to each theorist’s justification and or groundwork. True Case Studies based on the work in which I am presently involved will also strengthen the model perspective in which I find works the best for me and my clientele. Out of respect for confidentiality, fictitious names will be used. Finally, expressions of personal development will be conveyed as a means to help define a perspective of professional self-worth and integrity for the betterment of the model or models of impact on my clients.

Joan Marques, author of the book “The Awakened Leader: One Simple Leadership Style That Works, Every time, Everywhere,” says “leadership is a sacred calling to make a life-enriching difference in the world” (Marques 11).There have been many studies about what makes a great leader. Scholars have looked at the traits and characteristics of some of the best leaders and managers in the world to see what makes them so successful. In the book “Management,” authors Richard Kreitchner and Carlene Cassidy say that, “managers become inspiring leaders by serving as role models and adapting their management style to the demands of the situation” (16).

Leadership is a state of being a leader/head of a group of people, organization, and/or country. Ken Blanchard state that "As leader, we hold the lives of others in our hands, and these need to be gentle, caring and always available to provide support" (pg.2). Every leader has different styles or different ways of leading his people to achieve their common goal. This paper will talk about leadership theory and will compare and contract each theory from the each other.

Leadership is fundamentally important to human society, Van Vugt, Hogan and Kaiser (2008) suggest it may even act as an evolutionary purpose to survival. Studies have shown effective leadership can have a vast impact on performance, examples include the likes of Steve Jobs, CEO of electronic communications and computing company ‘Apple’, who played a vital role in the organisations rise to domination of the modern world of technology. (Isaacson, 2011). In a political sense leadership governs our day to day life, leadership can be seen in all contexts, from sports, to education and work and corporate environments. Not only do encounter leadership we also, to some degree, we inhabit leadership roles ourselves. Since leadership is such a crucial part of our being, psychologists have become fascinated with ‘what makes a leader?’ and which specific qualities they exert which provides such influence over followers. This essay aims to understand and define the term leadership, exploring the many conflicting theories surrounding this province. In addition it will investigate what creates effective leadership, recognising the concepts which attempt to identify the classic characteristics of successful leaders. Further it will provide an evaluation of these theories including valuable examples of some of the most renowned leaders of world.

Foundational theories are the backbone of today’s application of leadership in all aspects of business in a global society. Understanding the characteristics that define successful leadership is not feasible due to application of leadership principles in diverse circumstances. This does not defray the premise that effective leadership cannot be learned. In fact, learning and understanding the many approaches to leadership allows an individual to internalize and effectively develop a leader’s mentality (Derecskei, 2016). In this section the four core theories on leadership and the tools used under each will be discussed.

Leadership is a complex social phenomenon that appears to be simplistic regarding the theoretical application in defining the term. However, the idea and concept of leadership are deeply rooted in the psychology and social setting and its construction within these areas. It goes beyond the discovery factors of traits, behaviors, power, influence, and abilities that social scientists have been studied and adapted for the attachment of expounding this paradox (Yukl, 2010). Due to the nature of its imprecise conceptualized framework, leadership has been the most discussed and talked about topic for the last century or so and it does not appear to end soon; over 6,300 books on the subject and 1,400 hardcover books relegated to the topic available for sales (Krohe, 2000); 16,000 published articles since 1990 (Galinsky, Jordan & Sivanathan, 2008). The concept has become romanticized in the context of imagery and perception of what makes a great leader as being a heroic figure (Meindl, 1998). Presentation of this thought process has caused such ambiguity in defining what leadership is regarding: (a) the definition itself and its measurement, (b) leader’s effects on performance, and (c) the selection process of a “good” leader (Pleffer, 1977). This discernment is caused mainly by the academicians and practitioners; academicians prefer the in-depth of research and studies for further understanding and discovery, whereas practitioners want immediate remedies in the application of

The term leader is defined as an individual who can lead and influence a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Grint, 2010). Being an effective leader takes time, experience, and lots of maturity. What traits do effective leaders possess? How is the vision of the organization implemented by the leader into the team? How can a leader build and manage a team? This paper will talk about all these points in detail.

Research on management and leadership in organizations over the past century shows there are still no clear definitions or answers about what counts as effective and successful leadership; the field remains varied and argued. Actual studies of leadership began in the early twentieth century. The research and studies on leadership have resulted in defining what characters, traits and attitudes are considered to be significant for leaders to possess. The early studies of leadership theories focused on the person and their behaviors, currently known as leadership trait theories and behavioral theories. It is important for organizational leaders and managers to understand what characteristics, traits and actions of an individual mark a great leader when forming a strong diverse workforce.