Introduction
Leadership is one of the most important concepts to take into account as effective leadership means successful development of the organization. DeRue and Wellman (2009) note that around 45% of the funds used for training and learning are spent on leadership skills development. There are various approaches to leadership. For instance, some think that leaders are born and it is impossible to become an effective leader, but recent research shows that leadership skills can be developed (Prewitt, Weil & McClure, 2011). Of course, people who have certain traits are more likely to be leaders than others. However, it is necessary to note that these traits can be found in many people. More so, there are certain skills (which can be developed) that help an individual to be an efficient leader.
To develop efficient leadership skills, it is first necessary to define what leadership is. Thus, Prewitt et al. (2011) argue that leaders have to be able to influence other people and inspire them. They should also have a vision and be able to communicate it to others. Bisland (2004) notes that leaders are those who lead and are eager to contribute. Schoemaker, Krupp and Howland (2013) state that an effective leader should be adaptive. I can state that I possess the traits of a leader though I may lack some skills to be an effective leader. Researchers identify a number of leadership skills that are crucial for efficient leadership.
Literature Review
It is possible to define major skills that make an effective leader. Prewitt et al. (2011, p. 15) notes that leaders should have the following ‘competencies’: creativity and a focus on innovation, proper change management skills, communication skills as well as “a holistic understanding of the organization and its internal and external environments”. There are various tools to develop these competencies.
Schoemaker et al. (2013) identify six major skills that make an efficient leader. These are a skill to anticipate, challenge, interpret, decide, align and learn. The researchers provide particular strategies that can help people develop these skills. To be able to anticipate, the leader should implement numerous researches, attend various conferences, training sessions and communicate with employees, partners and so on. To challenge means to try to see the cause of the problem, to facilitate debate and to have “naysayers” around (Schoemaker et al., 2013, p. 3). To develop ability to interpret, the leader has to implement research to find missing information, to look at the issue from different angles and it is also beneficial to distract oneself for a while. To decide, the leader should consider long- and short-term outcomes, divide the decision into smaller bits, to make “staged commitments” (Schoemaker et al., 2013, p. 4).
Being able to align is closely associated with being able to communicate effectively. To develop this skill, the leader should be able to identify all stakeholders involved, listen to all effectively, identify reasons for resistance and respond to them, reward those who are committed to work in teams. Finally, the ability to learn involves documentation of all learning sessions, rewarding those who excel, conducting audits of employees’ knowledge and skills, creating the corresponding culture.
DeRue and Wellman (2009) focus on development of leadership skills and state that it is possible to develop a leader through experience. The researchers carry out an empirical survey that shows that experience alone is not enough and such concepts as characteristic features and environment are also important.
Bisland (2004) provides a set of interesting and effective activities aimed at development of leadership skills. It is noteworthy that some of them are similar to ones mentioned above. For instance, reading biographies of great leaders as well as leadership booklets can be seen as certain type of material that extends knowledge. In other words, this is a kind of research on ways other leaders inspired people. Brainstorming is another activity mentioned.
It enables people to understand what qualities are necessary, what qualities they possess and what qualities they need to develop. Bisland (2004) argues that the use of partner decision-making scenarios is also beneficial. This activity is similar to the strategies use to develop the ability to align. People should work in teams and discuss issues. At that, each of them should think of and take into account other people’s viewpoints and perspectives. Group dynamics is another activity associated with the development of communication skills as members of the team should collaborate and come to certain decisions.
Summary and Conclusions
I would like to note that all these activities can be used to develop leadership skills and become an effective, inspirational leader. Of course, I have already used some of them and I can identify which activities can be the most efficient. As has been mentioned above, research is one of the most important ways to develop the necessary skills (Bisland, 2004; Schoemaker et al., 2013). I agree with that statement as I have learnt a lot when reading various articles on leadership.
I would like to add that Bisland (2004) focuses on development of leadership skills in children. However, I find the activities the researcher mentions very effective and applicable in adult training. Thus, reading about exceptional leaders inspired me and I have learnt about many strategies that those leaders used to react to some situations. I understand that people can follow those who know where to move in different situations. Hence, I try to gain knowledge in different areas of our life.
I also understand that research can hardly be enough as it is important to apply knowledge in the real-life settings. Again, activities used for children can also be effective for training adults. I have tried discussion and collaboration as strategies to improve my leadership skills. For instance, I have always tried to take into account views of all people involved in the discussion. I have seen benefits of this approach. First, we always managed to make an effective decision and I have always felt that my teammates appreciate my attention to their opinion.
I still have doubts as to my ability to decide. I find strategies mentioned above very effective and I am committed to try them. When making decisions I focused on pros and cons. However, now I will focus on long- and short-term outcomes. I will also try to consider bits of the decision. Importantly, I believe the knowledge I have gained will make me more confident and I will be able to decide effectively in the future. In conclusion, it is possible to state that researchers provide various strategies that can help people develop leadership skills and become effective and inspiring leaders.
Reference List
Bisland, A. (2009). Developing leadership skills in young gifted students. Gifted Child Today, 27(1), 24-27. Web.
DeRue, D.S., & Wellman, N. (2009). Developing leaders via experience: The role of developmental challenge, learning orientation, and feedback availability. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(4), 859-875. Web.
Prewitt, J., Weil, R., McClure, A. (2011). Developing leadership in global and multi-cultural organizations. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(13), 13-20. Web.
Schoemaker, P.J.H., Krupp, S., Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills. Harvard Business Review, 2-5. Web.