LIDERSHIP

PLAN:
1. Introduction to Leadership

2. What Is a Leader?
3. Why Is Leadership Important?
 Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of individuals to
influence and guide followers or other members of an organization.
Leadership involves making sound -- and sometimes difficult -- decisions, creating
and articulating a clear vision, establishing achievable goals and providing
followers with the knowledge and tools necessary to achieve those goals.
Leaders are found and required in most aspects of society, from business to politics
to region to community-based organizations.
An effective leader possess the following characteristics: self-confidence, strong
communication and management skills, creative and innovative thinking,
perseverance in the face of failure, willingness to take risks, openness to change,
and levelheadedness and reactiveness in times of crisis.
In business, individuals who exhibit these leadership qualities can ascend to
executive management or C-level positions, such as CEO, CIO or president.
Noteworthy individuals who have exhibited strong leadership in the technology
industry include Apple founder Steve Jobs, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
What makes a great leader?
Multiple definitions of leadership exist, although the different definitions generally
converge in the theory that great leaders have the ability to make strategic and
visionary decisions and convince others to follow those decisions. The consensus
is leaders create a vision and can successfully get others to work toward achieving
that goal. They do this by setting direction and inspiring others to want to succeed
in achieving the end result. Moreover, they are capable of getting people excited
and motivated to work toward the vision.
In other words, great leaders know how to both inspire people and get followers to
complete the tasks that achieve the leader's goal.
Former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower articulated this idea when he said,
"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done
because he wants to do it."
The importance of delegation
Although the terms leadership and management are sometimes used
interchangeably, they are not the same concept.
As previously stated, leadership involves creating and articulating a vision and
inspiring others to want to work toward that vision. But leaders may not be skilled
at or involved with the day-to-day management of the work needed to turn that
vision into a reality.
Management, on the other hand, is the oversight of the tactical steps required to
complete the work needed to actually achieve the objective.
Leadership often requires leaders to take on some management tasks, but good
leaders understand that their strengths are different than those exhibited by good
managers who excel in articulating the steps required to complete tasks and
holding people accountable for achieving their share of assigned work.
Training/leadership development programs
Leadership requires individuals to possess certain key traits, such as strong
communication skills, charisma, assertiveness and empathy.
Many individuals inherently possess some leadership traits, but most individuals
have to develop many, if not all, of the characteristics associated with leadership.
There are numerous guidelines, books, classes and consultants aimed at helping
individuals develop these traits and, perhaps more importantly, understand which
traits are most effective under which circumstances and with which teams.
Some people can develop leadership skills through their everyday experiences.
Moreover, some people do not hold any positions of authority or business titles,
yet still demonstrate leadership through their actions and abilities to rally people to
act on their visions for something better than the status quo.
Leadership theory
Just as there are multiple definitions of leadership, many different leadership
theories exist. These theories are often grouped into buckets based on the ideas
each theory professes.
For example, one group is the Great Man Theory, a category that originated in the
19th century and stresses that great leaders were men born to the task. Another
group is the Trait Theory, which dates to the mid-20 th century and also centers on
the idea that some people are born with the traits that make them great leaders,
such as integrity and self-confidence.
The second half of the 20th century saw the arrival of several more categories.
Those include situational leadership, where the leadership style is adjusted based
on the readiness or skill level of followers in a given situation, and contingency
theories, in which effective leadership depends on having the right leader for the
right situation; transactional leadership theories, in which leaders reward or punish
followers to achieve results; and transformational leadership theories, where
leaders help transform followers through example.
Leadership styles
Similarly, leadership experts believe there are different types of leadership styles
and that some leaders have a dominant single style, while other leaders use
different styles in different situations or with different followers.
Commonly identified leadership styles include affiliative, authoritative, coaching,
coercive, charismatic, democratic, innovative, command and control (or
bureaucratic), laissez-faire, pacesetter (or transactional), servant, situational and
transformational.Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act
toward achieving a common goal. In a business setting, this can mean directing
workers and colleagues with a strategy to meet the company's needs.
Here's what you need to know about leadership, and some examples of how it can
benefit businesses.
In business, leadership is linked to performance, and any leadership definition has
to take that into account. Therefore, while leadership isn't intrinsically linked to
profit, those who are viewed as effective leaders in corporate contexts are the ones
who increase their company's bottom line. While there are people who seem to be
naturally endowed with more leadership abilities than others, anyone can learn to
become a leader by improving particular skills. History is full of people who, while
having no previous leadership experience, have stepped to the fore in crises and
persuaded others to follow their suggested course of action. They possessed traits
and qualities that helped them to step into roles of leadership. Another difference
between leaders and managers is that leaders emphasize innovation above all else.
Whereas a manager seeks to inspire their team to meet goals while following
company rules, a leader may be more concerned with setting and achieving lofty
goals—even at the expense of existing corporate structures. When a worker has a
radical new idea for how to tackle an issue, a leader is likely to encourage that
person to pursue the idea.
Managers may be more likely to preserve existing structures because they
themselves operate within that structure. They may have bosses above them, so
they have less freedom to break rules in the pursuit of lofty goals. Leaders, on the
other hand, often operate fairly independently. That allows them to tolerate a
greater amount of chaos, so long as they believe it will be worth it in the end.
However, the leader's devotion to innovation can sometimes come at a cost. Chaos
and high-pressure work environments can create interpersonal issues. When such
issues arise, a manager is more likely to see it as their duty to smooth over
problems between employees. Leaders can sometimes be so singularly focused on
achieving lofty goals that they let interpersonal issues and employee welfare fall to
the wayside.
Leaders and managers apply different approaches to achieve their goals. For
example, managers seek compliance to rules and procedures, whereas leaders
thrive on breaking the norm and challenging the status quo. Here’s how leadership
and management are different from each other. Leaders and managers have
different visions. Leaders are visionaries, whereas managers are implementers.
Leaders set goals for their team. Managers ensure that the goal set by their
superiors is achieved. Managers achieve their goals by delegating responsibilities
among the team. They tactically distribute work among subordinates and organise
available resources required to reach the goal.
Meanwhile, leaders motivate people. They concentrate on the personal
development of their team besides working towards achieving organizational
goals. They envision their team’s future growth and work towards achieving that.
A leader analyses and assesses every situation to achieve new and better results.
Whereas a manager does not analyse or evaluate, they emphasise on questions like
how and when, which assists them in achieving the goals. They accept and strive to
achieve the status quo. All leaders have a unique style that sets them apart from
others. Hence, these different types of leadership styles will help you decide
which type of leader you want to be. Accordingly, you would be able to hone your
skills with the best leadership training programme. Read on.
Autocratic leadership
A leader who has complete control over his team is called an autocratic leader.
They never bend their beliefs and rules for anyone. Additionally, their team has no
say in the business decisions. Moreover, the team is expected to follow the path
directed by the leader.

The word "leader" can evoke a variety of images. For example:

 A political leader, pursuing a passionate, personal cause.

 An explorer, striking out into the wilderness.
 An executive, developing strategy to achieve organizational goals.

This article focuses on leaders and leadership in the workplace.

Opinions differ on who can and should lead. Management professor Michael
Useem argued that rather than taking a traditional "top-down approach,"
leadership is most effective when it also comes from below. [1] And in
today's complex, globalized workplaces, leadership often comes from many
directions.

Indeed, in some organizations, it may be the leaders in supervisory positions

who can have the biggest influence. After all, supervisors are closest to the
work of team members and to the needs of the customer. Sometimes,
individuals are expected to fulfill leadership roles among their peers .

Leadership is no longer regarded as a solitary activity. Distributed leadership,

a model which originated in education, is an increasingly popular leadership
approach, not least because many organizations today are simply too large
and complex for any one leader to direct alone. See the section on
"Hierarchy," below, for more on this.
Why Is Leadership Important?
All organizations need good leadership. Well-led organizations tend to be
more productive, competitive and responsive to change. Their employees
have a clearer vision of where they are headed and why, and are therefore
more engaged and motivated. Organizations that excel at developing leaders
tend to achieve higher long-term profitability.
What Makes a Good Leader?
An effective leader is a person who does the following:

1. Creates a vision of the future.

2. Works well with a team.
3. Enables their team's success.
4. Demonstrates flexibility.

Leadership brings together the skills needed to do these things. We'll look at
each element in more detail.

1. Leaders Create a Vision

A vision is a realistic, convincing and attractive depiction of where you want

to be in the future. Vision provides direction, makes priorities clear, and
provides markers for success.

Leaders hold in mind their vision while understanding the reality of the
present. They then embody that vision in everything they do and find ways of
connecting it to employee performance to make it a reality.

Leaders consider how their industry is likely to evolve, and how their
competitors are likely to behave. They look at how they can innovate
successfully and shape their businesses and their strategies to succeed in
future marketplaces. And they test their visions with stakeholders, and by
assessing key risks using techniques such as Scenario Analysis .

Therefore, leaders are proactive – solving problems, looking ahead, and not
being satisfied with things as they are.

A compelling vision is one that people can see, feel, understand, and
embrace. Inspirational leaders provide a rich picture of what the future will
look like when their visions have been realized. They tell inspiring stories
and explain their visions in ways that everyone can relate to.

Here, leadership combines the analytical side of vision creation with the
passion for shared values, creating something that's meaningful to the people
they lead.

2. Leaders Work Well With a Team

Leaders cannot achieve their vision without other people's contributions. It's
a leader's ability to motivate and collaborate with people that helps them to
deliver that vision. As such, much of effective leadership relies on people
skills.

Leaders need to understand and respect the people on their team as

individuals, and to know how to bring out the best in them as they work
together. Awareness of team dynamics will help here.

Effective leaders recognize and consider the needs and views of their
followers at all levels. Those leaders who pay close attention to how people
feel about their work, and what motivates them personally, can take
proactive, appropriate steps to aid engagement and retention.

The degree to which people feel valued is a primary source of motivation.

Effective leaders recognize their team members' achievements and find ways
of expressing their appreciation.

The ability to delegate to others and to empower them is another essential

leadership quality. Done successfully, it can free leaders from day-to-day
operations to focus on wider strategy, inform the vision with fresh ideas, and
motivate team members. But this relies on an organizational climate of trust
and confidence.

Effective leaders also look for leadership potential in others. By developing

leadership skills within your team, you create an environment where you can
ensure long-term success. Holding back your people out of fear of losing
power is a form of self-sabotage .

3. Leaders Enable Success

Enthusiasm can run high at the start of a new project. But it's down to leaders
to guide their team toward the finish line and equip them with the right tools
to get there.
People need goals and measures that are directly linked to the vision. Our
article on Performance Management and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
explains one way of doing this, and those on Objectives and Key Results
(OKRs) and OGSM Frameworks present others.

Restating the vision in terms of its impact, and taking frequent opportunities
to communicate this and its relevant objectives in an attractive and engaging
way, can embed things further.

Leaders need to ensure that the work required to deliver results is properly
managed – either by themselves, or by delegating to a dedicated manager or
team of managers.

They'll also equip team members with the necessary skills and abilities to do
their jobs and achieve the vision. They do this by giving and receiving
feedback regularly, by training and coaching people, and by encouraging
collaboration and skill sharing across the organization.

Change management is another essential discipline for leaders, as introducing

and delivering the vision will likely require new attitudes, processes and roles
for many, as well as time for adjustment.

4. Leaders Are Flexible

Leaders need to be adaptable – learning how and when to adjust focus, and
embracing change themselves.

For example, the globalization of business is one of the most influential

factors in how leadership is executed in organizations today, alongside the
movement toward virtual and hybrid environments.

Back in 2003, executive coach and author Marshall Goldsmith identified five
emerging characteristics that he believed would be increasingly important to
future leaders. [2] And they remain true today. They are the ability to:
1. Think globally.
2. Appreciate cultural diversity.
3. Develop technological know-how.
4. Forge partnerships and alliances.
5. Share leadership.

Leaders benefit from applying different models of leadership depending on

context. For example, when working with new starters or in situations where
quick decisions are required, a directive style is often best; an experienced
team, on the other hand, benefits from a more hands-off approach. Similarly,
some situations require more focus on the task at hand while others need
more attention on relationship building.
Employees increasingly prefer to work for leaders who offer the best
developmental challenges and opportunities and a culture that makes staying
worthwhile beyond the basic security of a paycheck. [3] A less authoritarian
and more consultative approach to leadership is likely to be more effective in
this scenario; Transformational Leadership is a particularly useful model.
Three Things Leaders Don't Do
What we need from leaders has changed over time. The following have been
associated with leadership in the past but are no longer always seen, or
desirable, for leadership today:

1. Separating leadership and management.

2. Demonstrating big and bold personality traits.
3. Standing at the front and top of a hierarchy.

We'll look at each of these aspects below.

1. Leadership Vs. Management

Leadership and management are not the same thing. They are distinctive, yet
complementary, processes. And, while leaders set the direction for the work
being done, they also need to use management skills to guide their people to
the right destination, in a smooth and efficient way.

Management has been described as the:

"… attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner

through planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling
organizational resource." [4]

Today, we'd also include the responsibilities of people-development and

exercising a duty of care.

Increasingly, individuals in management positions are required to exercise

what might be more often termed leadership behaviors, such as creating a
compelling vision, inspiring and motivating their people, behaving
strategically, and leading change.

Managers can be highly skilled, good at their jobs, and valuable to their
organizations without exhibiting leadership qualities. But a particular danger
in these situations is that people or organizations that are being managed by
such an individual or group may believe they're being led, but they're not.
There may be no leadership at all, with no one setting a vision and no one
being inspired. This can cause serious problems in the long term.

So, leadership and management are not mutually exclusive activities but are
much more likely to be selected and exercised situationally, depending on
what the circumstances dictate.

Learn more about the differences between leaders and managers in our
infographic, Leadership Vs. Management .
2. Personality or Trait Theory

Trait theories are among the earliest attempts to explain why leaders are
successful. Significantly, trait theories generally focus on the importance of
selecting the right leaders rather than on developing them.

Charisma and confidence have long been synonymous with leadership and
considered essential for a leader's success. Despite the attraction of this
theory, these traits can, in fact, be detrimental in a leader, as the leader and
their followers may believe that they have more skill than they actually do.
You can hear our Expert Interview with Tomas Chamarro-Premuzic to find
out more.

The command-and-control leadership methods of the last century are less

appropriate in today's climate of rapid technological change, flatter
organizational structures, and empowered employees.

Similarly, a willingness to take risks and be assertive in decision making can

reap dramatic rewards. But when unbalanced by the shared expertise of a
team, they can lead to resentment, distrust, fear, and even business failure.

Knowledge sharing, creativity, and taking the initiative to anticipate and

resolve stakeholders' needs are all highly prized competencies in today's
organizations. The "leader as hero" model has therefore been largely
abandoned in favor of a more people-centered leadership approach, where
leaders show a willingness to work in the best interests of staff, customers
and other stakeholders.

Leadership consultants Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood urge organizations

not to be preoccupied with leadership styles. [5] But they assert that unless a
leader's personal beliefs match the organization's leadership brand, it will be
difficult for a leader to come across as authentic and credible.
3. Hierarchy

While concepts of leadership were once hierarchical, this may no longer be

the case. Leadership is adapting to encompass distributed activity.
Distributed leadership has its roots in the education sector [6], and…

1. is the product of an interacting network of individuals, not the act of a

single person.
2. opens leadership to those who would have previously been excluded.
3. embodies the belief that expertise and influence exist across the
organization, rather than being concentrated in the hands of a few people.

For example, outdoor clothing specialist WL Gore opted for a distributed

leadership structure with a "lattice" formation. [7]
The development of sophisticated web technology allowed the emergence of
new types of organizations based on mass collaboration. Such self-organizing
bodies do have founders and leaders, but their leadership approach differs
from that of more traditional companies. They are the guardians of the ethos,
values and guidelines for the communities they serve.

Another more recent non-hierarchical leadership model is Holacracy . An

organization using this model organizes its departments into circles and sub-
circles based on roles and purpose. Sub-circles meet regularly and make their
own decisions, considering the needs of the organization (the largest, all-
inclusive circle). Designated members of sub-circles represent them, act as
go-betweens, and make sure that their sub-circles' responsibilities stay on
track. In this model, everyone has power and responsibility, and uses
leadership skills to self-manage.
How to Become a Better Leader
There has been an enormous shift in attitudes toward leadership, both at
academic and organizational levels. It is now widely recognized that top-
down autocratic leadership has far less relevance to today's organizations,
which face rapid change and have to fight to survive in an extremely
competitive and increasingly global marketplace.

French and Raven describe six forms of power that leaders can use, which
encompass both older and newer views of leadership. Of these, it's
particularly helpful when leaders have expert power. People admire and
believe in these leaders because they're experts in what they do. They have
credibility, and they've earned the right to be heard and followed. This makes
it much easier for these leaders to motivate and inspire their teams.

Good leaders are flexible, adaptable, ethical, and culturally aware, in order to
be credible in the eyes of their employees and stakeholders. The effective
leaders of today and tomorrow will consult, collaborate and distribute their
power in order to get the best from themselves, their people, and the
organization as a whole.

In our expert interview with him, U.S. Navy Captain Mark Brouker claims
that leaders benefit from knowing that their role can make them intimidating
to the people they lead, and taking steps to mitigate that.