Introduction
Leadership embraces a process that involves direction of behaviors of other people geared towards achievement of some preset goals and objectives. According to Spence (1983), Leadership is “influencing others to get things done to standard and quality above their norm” (p.105). A leader must play his/ her roles in the most willing and pragmatic manner. Leadership is complex process involving social interaction.
It entails influencing others, deployment of personalities who not only take proactive roles in acting but also participate as followers. A leader expects “a range of outcomes- the achievement of goals but also the commitment of individuals to such goals, the enhancement of group cohesion and the reinforcement of change of organizational culture” (Spence, 1993, p.95). More often than not leaders are normally role models, mentors or even industrial leaders among other personalities who guide masses into the right course of actions.
The leaders must involve themselves in practices of effective leadership and accountability that contribute to documented success. This paper seeks to evaluate the characteristics of an effective leader, the role of individual accountability, personal strengths further showing how one can apply them in success, and critical thinking, leadership and accountability as critical elements in a personal plan of success.
Effective Leadership
Leaders, whether mentors, role models or industrial leaders should be free from self-obsession and egocentricity. They need to have enthusiasm to be truly humble and dedicated to serve leave alone their leading noble role. For the better part of the leaders’ daily job, it entangles making observations on themselves and their subjects.
It is therefore requisite for them to be non-judgmental observers. A wealthy leader solves problems in the most amicable way using minimal data. Such a person demands to have the requisite capacity to face problems head on driven by substantial urge to adjust ruthlessly to the market dynamics to find alternative competitive ways of training his/her collaborates, workers and or customers.
A leader in the business arena chooses how to embrace the 4W rule to determine when, where, why, and who to invest with while considering the most optimal fiscal conservativeness. “Effective leaders communicate precisely, consistently, concisely and clearly without sending mixed up signals” (Zhivago, 2010, para.5).
The communication should be timed to create the anticipated effect in most significant manner. The direction given ought to be clear and precise while not negating the fact that an outstanding leader enormously need to be sufficiently armed with the power to make aggressive evaluations of his or her projects. Important to note, an effective leader deserve to have an exceptional sense of humor.
A leader who exhibits positive leadership skills deserves to be in possession of a number of traits. Skilled positive leadership enables the leaders to know and understand themselves. Leadership skills as opposed to bossy responsibilities do not focus on helping people use the powers endowed to them to carry on the responsibilities at their disposal aimed at achieving realizations of the organizational objectives.
Zhivago (1993) cautions that “leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals called emergent leadership, rather than simply bossing people around” (p.161).
People with positive leadership skills do not wait for others to allocate responsibilities to them. They seize them in an attempt to seek different ways of leading their organizations through deployment of their technical expertise. Proficient leadership skills stand out via campaigns for good character traits such as honesty, competence, commitment, courage, integrity, imagination, integrity, candor and straightforwardness.
Positive leaders have the capacity to plan, direct, monitor and evaluate policies implemented. In nutshell, peoples with positive leadership skills have recognition of the four factors of leadership coupled with ability to recognize the human nature, his or her job, organization and capacity and the role he/she has to enhance workers motivation.
For success to be evident, individual accountability must remain deeply ingrained into the leadership work. Individual accountability both in contributing towards attainment of organization goals and the leader’s share in the organizational work structure must surface.
Johnson (1993) provide an insight that “Individual accountability exist when the performance of each individual is assessed and the results given back to the organization and the individual in order to ascertain who needs more assistance, support, and encouragement” (p.45).
Personal strengths based on assessment are both philosophical, practice and tools so designed to permit people set meaningless and crucial goals in life. The approach capacitates individuals to “draw upon both personal and environmental strengths to achieve the goals” (Zhivago, 2010, par.8). To support success, the strength assessment aid in developing strategies focusing on goal achievement and establishment of niches in which one can deploy individual strengths to demonstrate confidence shrouded by competence.
Planning of an individual’s cause of actions is vital in any leadership responsibility. In its simplest form, planning is determination of strategies and steps to be taken to solve a certain leadership stalemates. It entails looking into the future.
Critical analysis of the plans accompanied by possession of requisite leadership skills that facilitates realization of the plans are crucial and should be part of the planning process. Accountability on the other hand, creates a sense of responsibility and willingness to take charge of the consequences of the outcomes of plans implementation and thus vital for personal plans success.
Conclusion
Leadership practice demands to be undertaken by individual embracing effective leadership skills and strong will to take up individual responsibility of the decisions made. Before contemplating to seek incumbency in a leadership office the perceived candidate need evaluate whether he/she has what it takes to be a leader. To enhance success of personal plans, critical thinking skills engulfed with leadership and accountability are uncompromised traits for a sound planner, decision maker, director and hence the leader.
References
Johnson, D. (1993). Reaching Out: Interpersonal Effectiveness and Self-actualization Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Spence, J. (1983). Achievement-related Motives and Behavior: Achievement and Achievement Motives. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.
Zhivago, K. (2010). Revenue Increasing Insights, Strategies and Techniques for CEOs and Entrepreneurs Web.