3 Focus on the essence of being a leader
Being a leader is not a position you gain; it’s not about having a special title or a specific role within an organisation. Being a leader is about behaviour and actions. You can be a leader even if you aren’t at a senior level at an organisation and you can find examples of people who call themselves leaders because of their position of power, but who in fact act more like bosses. Whatever you do, always remember the essence of being a leader: sharing your vision with people and inspiring them to follow your cause.
Examine different leaders, listen to them sharing their wisdom and discover the characteristics, skills and traits that make them successful at what they do. You can find many resources on leadership and being a leader. One great way is to watch interviews. For example, the YouTube clip below has Richard Branson sharing his views on the essential quality of a leader:
Use the information and experience to develop your own leadership style and strategy. Identify your strengths and weaknesses as a leader, utilising them as part of your chosen style. By understanding your own behaviour and how it influences your abilities as a leader, you can continue developing your skills. But more important is how it can help you realise how its your behaviour that defines your success as a leader, not your place within an organisation’s hierarchy.
You can’t be complacent and expect people the look up to you as a leader when you gain a
To be a good leader you need the desire, willpower and then go through the never ending process of training, education and learning from experience.
I used to believe a leader was the person who was in the front of the room or the crowd, the one in the news, on the billboard and the one who is the most popular. A leader to me had to be the person with the most authority that was above everybody else like a teacher to a classroom or a chief is to cops. Being put into leadership positions taught me how wrong I had been. A leader can’t get nervous? I was nervous. A leader is always prepared and won’t wing anything. I have learned with my mistakes how important preparation is for social force. A leader is an authoritative role? Nope. Not at all. I don’t believe I’m any better than any of my peers or club member so I don’t see a reason to behave as though I am. Being a leader is being innovative, futuristic, individualistic, open and humble. Through these acquired taste, I have
Leadership has nothing to do with titles. Similar to the point above, just because you have a C-level title, doesn’t automatically make you a “leader.” We often stress the fact that you don’t need a title to lead. You can be a leader in your workplace, your neighborhood, or your family, all without having a title.
To begin with, People that are inclined to look for a leader should look for these characteristics in their leader. Your leader should be trustworthy, passionate, supportive, and hopeful. You need to know that your leader will be there for you, is sure about what they are doing, and supports you. For leaders to lead, they need not only exceptional talent, but also the ability to attract followers. Make sure they will and are making a change in whatever it is because most people want a leader that can make a
There are many different leadership styles and different ways to learn about becoming a good and effective leader. Clark (2016) states in his article The Art of Science and Leadership “Becoming a good leader is not easy, but by learning the correct leadership skills and knowledge, putting them into practice through quality learning activities, and then adapting them to different situations, will put you well on your way to becoming a leader.” Ada Sue Hinshaw was one of the above said successful leaders of her industry.
A leader needs to know how to think practical and not always brawns over brains. Have a sensible way of thinking and intuitive process of controlling a lot of people and that conflicts that arises between them. The most important and crucial part in a productive leader and can really make a big difference on how the person leads is an open mind and perceptiveness. For a leader to be able to listen others concerns and ideas will make them want to listen to the leader’s orders in the future and not create conflict with the leader and its people.
The final section is a summary of learning acquired from the assignment that is useful to the author’s own
Becoming an effective leader is a lot like being in the stock market. You don’t make your fortune in a day; you make it daily, a little bit at a time. What matters most is what you do day after day, over the long haul. The secret to leadership success is investing in your leadership development, much like letting your assets compound. The final result is “Leadership Growth” over time. Leaders aren’t born; their made. The process of leadership is long, complicated and has made elements. Respect, dignity, discipline, people skills, vision, emotional strength, opportunity, preparedness and experience are just some of
You must be inspiring. If you put all of the attributes you can think of together, what you come up with is a truly inspiring leader: one who communicates with others clearly, tells them nothing but the truth, and inspires them to be the best that they can be. Inspiration means that you can lead by example. If a leader shows that they are committed to their work, then their followers will do the same. CNN.com says that a good leader must, “Live, beathe, eat and sleep your mission” (23 Traits of Good Leaders). This quote shows that a leader must set a goal and don’t stop until you reach it. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a perfect example. Jonathan practiced his flying every day. He never took breaks. He never ceased. The other gulls that he taught saw this commitment and drive that their leader possessed, especially Fletch. Jon inspired Fletch to be the best form of himself. That is true
“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all for himself or get all the credit for doing it.” - Andrew Carnegie. This particular quote is very meaningful to this topic because it explains that a leader should be selfless and think about the people he is representing. In this quote it shows that a leader that maintains a positive outlook and stays motivated will be successful. A leader should display confidence over his/her peers, should have the people’s benefits be first on his/her priorities, and also be determined to overcome every challenge that comes his/her way. There are many qualities that a person should have in order to be named a “good leader” and/or example for others.
To be an effective leader there are certain things you need to master and understand very well. A few of them were discussed in the book The Leader’s Code by Donovan Campbell and those are the ones I am discussing today. The topics are mission, humility, excellence, kindness, discipline, courage, wisdom, and virtue and the servant leader. These are all key to successful leadership.
What I have learned about leadership is it does not require a title to be a leader. Being a leader is being the person who people turn to when they need help or the person they go to when they need reassurance. Being a leader is being a person who can encounter a challenge and not let obstacles stop them. As a leader, I need to be a role model for others and show others that I can be a person they can turn to. Most importantly, being a leader means you never give up, even when everyone is telling you to; never give up and always push
Becoming an effective leader is a lot like being in the stock market. You don 't make your fortune in a day; you make it daily, a little bit at a time. What matters most is what you do day after day, over the long haul. The secret to leadership success is investing in your leadership development, much like letting your assets compound. The final result is "Leadership Growth" over time.
A leader needs to “believe” in oneself and have the confidence that whatever you say will excite and what you do can motivate others. You must be optimistic about what you do, do have some relevance for being in existence. Believe it or not, “leadership begins with you”.
When people think of leadership, they often envision people in positions of power. While many impactful leaders have held major positions, leadership is also attainable for those who take charge.