The Fifth And Final Leadership Challenge

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.

Lack of leadership has proven to be one of the leading causes of companies not meeting their targets, and that's where Welch's four principles of establishing Mission and Values, applying Candor, implementing Differentiation, hearing the Voice of the team and rewarding accordingly have become very useful in building a strong leadership foundation. In my recent work assignment, I didn't feel I had many good examples to follow. Therefore, to delve into options of how to affect my teams' culture and support, my company's goal has led me to understand the difference between managing and leading. In this paper, I will review my leadership attributes, including any weaknesses, and study the opportunities for improvements to building a platform for effective leadership.

Leadership is the elaboration of group inspiration. One person entrusted as leader can implore the aid, and support of supporters in the accomplishment of a common mission. According to Gurdjian, Halbeisen, and Lane “Becoming a more effective leader often requires changing behavior. But although most companies recognize that this also means adjusting underlying mind-sets, too often these organizations are reluctant to address the root causes of why leaders act the way they do” (Gurdjian, Halbeisen, and Lane, 2014) However, today abundant businesses engross importance on the improvement of leaders. Some of the ultimate leaders were formerly followers, such as in instructive businesses. One aspect as leaders many have to contemplate in striving

Every group, team, or organization has a leader. That leader has to have certain qualities to be well respected and followed by his or her following. Not only does the leader have qualities and responsibilities to maintain but also the group’s members. Both the leader and individuals in the group must have respect, fear, and honesty among each other to be a productive group.

Abstract: There are numerous definitions of leadership, all of which contain elements related to people (the leader and the follower(s)), communicating in person or by the written word, actions (organizing, directing, coaching, and/or motivating), and for a purpose (meeting a goal(s) or accomplishing a task(s)) (ADP 6-22) (Fisher 2015) (Bolden 2013) (Hogan 2005). Additionally, everything done occurs within a given context. Effective leaders are poised, proficient, pertinent, and practical in the application of the art of leadership. This means leaders are ready to engage the group with effective methods and

Addressing organizational needs, problems and strengths begins with leadership. Ensuring needs, problems and strengths are appropriately measured, analyzed and, where appropriate diverted, begins with great leaders. Great leadership is about “ferocious resolve, an almost stoic determination to do whatever needs to be done to make the company great.” (Collins, 2001). Success for the leadership capstone project can be defined many ways; implementing a solution to resolve the problem as well as acknowledging the limitations of the study and identifying areas of focus for future research. Success for this leadership project is due in part to the results and findings of the study; however, the fundamental key to its success centers around leadership.

In the Leadership Challenge, 4th edition, it is Kouzes & Posner (2007) intention to present a road map for individuals to follow on their leadership journey. The authors stress that “leadership is not a gene and it’s not an inheritance.” Leadership they assert is “an identifiable set of skills and abilities that are available to all of us” (p. 23). They make clear that the “great person” theory of leadership is “plain wrong.” Leaders are our everyday heroes who do extraordinary things on a regular basis (p. 23).

Leaders foster collaboration and build trust by empowering others to take initiative and responsibility (Kouzes & Posner, 2012). Within this practice, leaders focus on building a bond with their constituents, sharing information, and enabling their team to make independent decisions to meet goals. The primary goal of this practice is building trust with constituents. In addition, communicating interdependence and fostering collaboration are critical to this practice. The role of an exemplary leader is to create a connected environment where people feel supported, competent and

“Leadership next” is an excellent book which has summarized most of the common challenges that we face in today’s ministry. I enjoy this book very much when I was reading it. Though there are many information and data in the book, yet I can relate very well to most of the issues that he has discussed, and I wish that my church elders and intern have the opportunity to read this book as well. One of the challenges we face in our church is the generation and culture diversity. I find it encouraging as Gibbs also sees that the coexistence of the multiple generations as a blessing not a curse.

The book “Wooden on Leadership” is a revelation of the wisdom of the author in matters of leadership. Through the book, readers are able to acquire the essential facets of practical and theoretical leadership, as the author depicts a chronological method that he applied in ensuring that every person within his circle of influence obtained their goals. It presents the core methods, beliefs, concepts, and essentials that could guide leaders in teaching their teams on how to attain and maintain their competitive advantages (Wooden & Jamison, 2007). Besides, it focuses on heightening the personal success through giving audience to all members within the organizational or team work force.

Last Wednesday, a client, who was running late decided to leave through the emergency exit and stairwell, falling and breaking her wrist.

Employees will stay with the organization and do their job because they need a paycheck, but that’s all. If I set up myself as an example, and I am able to show confidence and control of my actions, I can set up trust. Kouzes & Posner (2002) states that self-disclosure is one way to go (p.2/5). Letting your team know what you stand for, what you value and what you want and hope will certainly help to win that trust back.

It is my belief that that the five fundamental practices of the Leadership challenge will enable me to accomplish extraordinary endeavors. The five practices: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encouraging the heart, spoke to me on a foundational level. The leadership challenges that Kouzes & Posner (2012) propose, are closely reflective of my personal belief system and philosophy of leadership. According to Northouse (2016) “Transformational leaders set out to empower followers and nurture them in change. They attempt to raise the consciousness in individuals and to get them to transcend their own self-interests for the sake of others” (p. 175).

The “information age” has inundated leaders with new information that must be processed as rapidly as possible.

A leadership challenge identified in the story was communication challenges between team members. Nurse leaders may be frightened to stop practice which is not effective and may not know a way to drive forward that which is effective. As nurses who have worked in care for very long are often reluctant to change what they have always done (Andrews,2017).