We live in a world where we are told
everyday that “we are all leaders” – we are
capable of leading and so we grow up with huge ambitions of wanting to be like
the great “leaders” like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King
Jr.
Leadership is "organizing a group of people
to achieve a common goal". The leader may or may not have any formal
authority. Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational interaction, function,
behavior, power, vision and values, and intelligence, among others. Somebody
whom people follow: somebody who guides or directs others.
A leader steps up in times of crisis, and is able to think and act creatively in difficult situations. Unlike management, leadership cannot be taught, although it may be learned and
enhanced through coaching or
mentoring.
Philosophers believe that there are various
styles of leadership. An authoritarian
leadership style is being used
when a leader who dictates policies and procedures, decides what goals are to
be achieved, and directs and controls all activities without any meaningful
participation by the subordinates.A Participative Leader, rather than taking
autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly
including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often,
however, as it is within the managers' whim to give or deny control to his or
her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team.
The delegative leadership style is also known as
the laissez-fair style of leadership. It is not among the most effective types
of leadership styles.Delegative leadership is a somewhat hands off approach in
which the leader places great responsibility on lower level managers and
employees. Thus the term laissez faire (or laisser faire), which is French for
the non-interference in the affairs of others.
A leader has qualities like integrity,
dedication, magnanimity, humility and openness. With these qualities, a person
becomes a innovator, creator, dreamer, risk taker, ponder, enthusiast, seeker,
decision maker visionary and spectacular in each way.
Using the skills, a leader grabs each and every
opportunity and moves the group of people involved closer to their common goal.
With a good knowledge and skills leader is able to overcome any problem in his
way making things easier for all. Leadership is not a quality developed
overnight but a leader develops over time. It has been well quoted that “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into
reality.”
Comments
Post a Comment