Lesson 1 LEADER AND LEADERSHIP

Is leadership a position of office or authority? Or, is leadership an ability in the sense that he is a leader
because he leads?

WHO IS A LEADER?

A leader by its meaning is one who goes first and leads by example, so that others are motivated to
follow him. To be a leader, a person must have a deep-rooted commitment to the goal that he will strive
to achieve it even if nobody follows him!

Leader is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal.

Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the
organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.

The 7 Secrets of Inspiring Leaders

1. IGNITE YOUR ENTHUSIASM

2. NAVIGATE A COURSE OF ACTION
3. SELL THE BENEFITS
4. PAINT A PICTURE
5. INVITE PARTICIPATION
6. RENIFORCE OPTIMISM
7. ENCOURAGE POTENTIAL

Lesson 2 VIRTUE AS FOUNDATION OF LEADERSHIP

“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no
matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” - Dwight D.
Eisenhower

The leadership virtues describe a leader's way of reasoning, his or her most basic beliefs, and the
emotions associated with those beliefs.

1. Continuous Self Improvement

∙ Acknowledge that you do not know everything and endeavor to learn more
∙ Get input from co-workers and team members
∙ Reflect on your actions and assess what you could have done better
∙ Commit to making changes in the name of self-improvement
2. Dedication
∙ Fulfill your promises, no matter what
∙ Commit to completing tasks on time
∙ Always be dependable
∙ Keep the end in mind
∙ Strive to achieve the best result
3. Sincerity
∙ Never utter a false statement
∙ Speak from your heart
∙ Smile
∙ Make other people feel important
∙ Try to see things from the other person’s point of view
 4. Generosity
∙ Be lavish in sincere praise
∙ Be generous with your time
∙ Be supportive of other people’s ideas
∙ Show appreciation of others daily
5. Humility
∙ Give credit to others & allow them to shine
∙ Decide you do not always have to be right

LEADERSHIP
∙ Allow others to suggest improvements and act on them
∙ Speak about your own mistakes rather than the mistakes of others
6. Integrity
∙ Never do anything you need to be ashamed of
∙ Act according to what is best for others rather than what is best for you
∙ Be consistent in doing “the right thing”
7. Wisdom
∙ Learn from mistakes (yours & other’s)
∙ Consider the big picture (i.e., the long term effect of a decision)
∙ Act quickly, but do not make hasty decisions
∙ Get the facts
∙ Consider all points of view
∙ Be objective

Lesson 3 TRAITS OF LEADERSHIP

The basic principle of leadership is to lead by example. The principles of leadership, which are more
fundamental than goals or policies, specify that in order to be a good leader a person must be honest,
competent, forward looking, inspiring, intelligent, fair-minded, broad-minded, courageous, straightforward
and imaginative. The more of these traits a leader possesses, the more likely people will be to follow.

TRAITS OF EFFECTIVE LEADER

 Emotional stability
Good leaders must be able to tolerate frustration and stress. Overall, they must be well-
adjusted and have the psychological maturity to deal with anything they are required to face.
 Dominance
Leaders are often times competitive and decisive and usually enjoy overcoming obstacles.
Overall, they are assertive in their thinking style as well as their attitude in dealing with others.
 Enthusiasm
Leaders are usually seen as active, expressive, and energetic. They are often very optimistic and
open to change. Overall, they are generally quick and alert and tend to be uninhibited.
 Conscientiousness.
Leaders are often dominated by a sense of duty and tend to be very exacting in character. They
usually have a very high standard of excellence and an inward desire to do one's best. They also
have a need for order and tend to be very self-disciplined
 Social boldness.
Leaders tend to be spontaneous risk takers. They are usually socially aggressive and generally
thick-skinned. Overall, they are responsive to others and tend to be high in emotional stamina.
•Tough mindedness. Good leaders are practical, logical, and to-the-point. They tend to be low in
sentimental attachments and comfortable with criticism. They are usually insensitive to hardship
and overall, are very poised.
  Self-assurance.
Self-confidence and resiliency are common traits among leaders. They tend to be free of guilt
and have little or no need for approval. They are generally secure and free from guilt and are
usually unaffected by prior mistakes or failures.
 Compulsiveness.
Leaders were found to be controlled and very precise in their social interactions. Overall, they
were very protective of their integrity and reputation and consequently tended to be socially
aware and careful, abundant in foresight, and very careful when making decisions or determining
specific actions

Lesson 4 Quality and Characteristics of a Good Leader

QUALITIES TO BE A GOOD LEADER

1. Honesty
Your business and its employees are a reflection of yourself, and if you make honest and ethical
behavior a key value, your team will follow suit.
2. Delegate
It’s important to remember that trusting your team with your idea is a sign of strength,
not weakness. Delegating tasks to the appropriate departments is one of the most important
skills you can develop as your business grows.
3. Communication
Being able to clearly and succinctly describe what you want done is extremely important. If you
can’t relate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal.
4. Confidence
Part of your job as a leader is to put out fires and maintain the team morale. Keep up your
confidence level and assure everyone. As the leader, by staying calm and confident, you will
help keep the team feeling the same.
5. Commitment
Proving your commitment to the brand and your role, you will not only earn the respect of your
team but will also instill that same hardworking energy among your staff. It’s important to show
your commitment not only to the work at hand, but also to your promises.
6. Positive attitude
You want to keep your team motivated towards the continued success of the company and keep
the energy levels up. Keep the office mood a fine balance between productivity and playfulness.
7. Creativity
As a leader, it’s important to learn to think outside the box and to choose which of two bad
choices is the best option. Don’t immediately choose the first or easiest possibility; sometimes it’s
best to give these issues some thought, and even turn to your team for guidance. By utilizing all
possible options before making a rash decision, you can typically reach the end conclusion you
were aiming for
8. Inspire
Being able to inspire your team is great for focusing on the future goals, but it is also important
for the current issues. Acknowledge the work that everyone has dedicated and commend the
team on each of their efforts. It is your job to keep spirits up, and that begins with an appreciation
for the hard work.
9. Intuition
When something unexpected occurs, or you are thrown into a new scenario, your team will look
to you for guidance. the tough decisions will be up to you to decide and you will need to depend
on your gut instinct for answers. Learning to trust yourself is as important as your team learning
to trust you.
10. Approach
In order to optimize your effectiveness as a leader, you must have the ability to customize your
approach on a person by person basis, based on the situation at hand. Your capacity to execute
 this concept will play a huge role in your ability to get the best work out of your team and other
partners along the journey.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A LEADER

Some say that leaders are born, but if you look at the 16 characteristics of a leader you will see that
these characteristics are skill based and therefore can be learnt.

1. A Clear Vision
As a leader you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and why. This vision
needs to be grand enough to encompass the visions of the people or group you wish to lead.
2. Communication skills
Leaders need to be able to communicate their vision powerfully and persuasively. Think of Martin
Luther King, or Gandi.
3. Competency
You have to be competent in the task, so the berry picker leader would be the person who knows
where the best berries are.
4. Empathetic
Leaders are able to empathize with people, so that they feel and know that their leader
understands their feelings and thoughts.
5. Decisive
A leader will usually make a decision quickly once having accessed the situation and then stick
with that decision. The root meaning of a decision is to cut oneself off from any other option.
6. Courage
If you don’t have courage this is a skill that can take a bit of learning. But with time and
application can be enhanced or learnt. Courage doesn’t mean foolhardy but means standing up
for and doing what you believe is right.
7. Sense of Humor
A great sense of humor Is a prerequisite for a leader. Patton famously said ‘We’re not retreating;
we’re advancing in a different direction’
8. Confidence
Be confident and have confidence in your team and organization. If you’re newly appointed to a
leadership position and are a little unsure. Then have confidence in the people who promoted
you, that you are the best person to do a job.
9. Self-Discipline
Good self-discipline is another hallmark of a leader.
10. Can do
Leaders have a can do attitude. After all, if the person in charge doesn’t think it can be done,
then there is little hope.
11. Inspiration
Inspiration will keep us going long after motivation has faded away. As this blog Do you want to
be inspired or Motivated looks at.
12. Ambition
Maybe all of us have an ambition to be more and or have more, in leaders this is pronounced.
13. Attitude
Maybe you’ve heard of the phrase, ‘have an attitude of gratitude’ being grateful for all that we
already have. But how about being grateful for the times things didn’t work out. We learn more
from our failures, and we can fail our way to success.
14. Goal
A leader will set a clear objective that is achievable for the group/organization to attain.
15. Flexibility
Success comes with an ability to change and adapt as situations arise and alter.
16. Persistence
Only air is softer and more malleable than water. Yet over time with persistence water will carve
great canyons out of hard bedrock.
Lesson 5 LEADERSHIP STYLES

7 Most Common Leadership Styles (and How to Find Your Own)

At first glance, we may think that some leadership styles are better than others. The truth is that each
leadership style has its place in a leader's toolkit. The wise leader knows to flex from one style to another
as the situation demands.

Leadership styles are on a continuum, ranging from autocratic at one end, to laissez-faire at the other,
with a variety of styles in between.

1. Autocratic Style
The phrase most illustrative of an autocratic leadership style is "Do as I say." Generally, an
autocratic leader believes that he or she is the smartest person at the table and knows more than
others. They make all the decisions with little input from team members.
2. Authoritative Style
The phrase most indicative of this style of leadership (also known as "visionary") is "Follow me."
The authoritative leadership style is the mark of confident leaders who map the way and set
expectations, while engaging and energizing followers along the way.
In a climate of uncertainty, these leaders lift the fog for people. They help them see where the
company is going and what's going to happen when they get there.
Unlike autocratic leaders, authoritative leaders take the time to explain their thinking: They don't
just issue orders. Most of all, they allow people choice and latitude on how to achieve common
goals.
3. Pacesetting Style
"Do as I do!" is the phrase most indicative of leaders who utilize the pacesetting style. This style
describes a very driven leader who sets the pace as in racing. Pacesetters set the bar high and
push their team members to run hard and fast to the finish line.
While the pacesetter style of leadership is effective in getting things done and driving for results,
it's a style that can hurt team members. For one thing, even the most driven employees may
become stressed working under this style of leadership in the long run.
4. Democratic Style
Democratic leaders are more likely to ask "What do you think?" They share information with
employees about anything that affects their work responsibilities. They also seek employees'
opinions before approving a final decision.
5. Coaching Style
When you having a coaching leadership style, you tend to have a "Consider this" approach. A
leader who coaches views people as a reservoir of talent to be developed. The leader who uses
a coach approach seeks to unlock people's potential.
6. Affiliative Style
A phrase often used to describe this type of leadership is "People come first." Of all the
leadership styles, the affiliative leadership approach is one where the leader gets up close and
personal with people. A leader practicing this style pays attention to and supports the emotional
needs of team members. The leader strives to open up a pipeline that connects him or her to the
team.
Ultimately, this style is all about encouraging harmony and forming collaborative relationships
within teams. It's particularly useful, for example, in smoothing conflicts among team members or
reassuring people during times of stress.
7. Laissez-Faire Style
The laissez-faire leadership style is at the opposite end of the autocratic style. Of all the
leadership styles, this one involves the least amount of oversight. You could say that the
autocratic style leader stands as firm as a rock on issues, while the laissez-faire leader lets
people swim with the current.
On the surface, a laissez-faire leader may appear to trust people to know what to do, but taken to
the extreme, an uninvolved leader may end up appearing aloof. While it's beneficial to give
 people opportunities to spread their wings, with a total lack of direction, people may unwittingly
drift in the wrong direction—away from the critical goals of the organization.
This style can work if you're leading highly skilled, experienced employees who are self-starters
and motivated. To be most effective with this style, monitor team performance and provide
regular feedback.

CHOOSING LEADERSHIP STYLES

Knowing which of the leadership styles works best for you is part of being a good leader. Developing a
signature style with the ability to stretch into other styles as the situation warrants may help enhance your
leadership effectiveness.

1. Know yourself.
Start by raising your awareness of your dominant leadership style. You can do this by asking
trusted colleagues to describe the strengths of your leadership style. You can also take a
leadership style assessment.
2. Understand the different styles.
Get familiar with the repertoire of leadership styles that can work best for a given situation. What
new skills do you need to develop?
3. Practice makes a leader.
Be genuine with any approach you use. Moving from a dominant leadership style to a different
one may be challenging at first. Practice the new behaviors until they become natural. In other
words,
don't use a different leadership style as a "point-and-click" approach. People can smell a fake
leadership style a mile away—authenticity rules.
4. Develop your leadership agility.
Traditional leadership styles are still relevant in today's workplace, but they may need to be
combined with new approaches in line with how leadership is defined for the 21st century.
Today's business environments are fraught with challenges due to the changing demographics
and the employee expectations of a diverse workforce. This may call for a new breed of leader
who is an amalgam of most of the leadership styles discussed here.