Leadership is defined as the management of certain resources or aspects of an organization. Management is about organizing and directing resources so that they work in harmony for efficiency. As a leader, there are a few important aspects that I should portray to achieve the goals of my organization.
This involves directing resources using the powers I have in my leadership position. This aspect is meant to ensure that my interaction with other members of the organization helps to boost performance and efficiency in the organization. As I have learned, every organization needs leaders who can motivate and change the way people think to achieve the general goals and objectives of the organization.
As a leader, I am supposed to pursue a good organizational image not only to the internal stakeholders of the organization but also to the external environment; which comprise of customers, suppliers, and even competitors of the organization. Though some leadership skills are learned from academic institutions, every leader has some aspects and character traits that enable him to perform his or her duties effectively.
These personal traits cannot be learned like other skills. They can only be developed and improved after self-awareness and experience in the relevant fields. I believe every experience I undergo will serve to boost my skills and create self-awareness, thereby making me a good leader.
As I have come to learn, leadership is not always about leading others; it is also about accepting to be a follower. It is important that as a leader, I will be always ready to be led and listen to my juniors. This motivates me, and I can encourage my followers to learn to lead and be willing to be led.
If a leader lacks personal goals and targets, he or she will not be motivated to develop skills. Instead, he will be working towards the organization’s goals, and this might cause him to ignore other vital aspects. This involves ignoring the significance of his relationship with internal stakeholders in the organization.
In leadership, credibility builds over time. As a good leader, I will be able to build on credibility through trustworthiness. It is important to state that trust does not come overnight; it takes time to build.
Moreover, just like experience in management is acquired over time, credibility requires time to build. However, it can take a single event for an organization or for a manager to lose credibility. Once credibility is lost, it takes time, effort, and resources to build again. This is why leaders are supposed to work extra hard to be trustworthy and honest.
The ethics in the management must be of high standards in terms of personal and professional conduct. Without credibility, a leader cannot sustain professional ethics. Therefore, in building my leadership skills and experience, I will ensure I maintain high ethical standards to build on my credibility. Credibility is not only about trustworthiness; it is also about efficiency and ability to meet targets.
The leadership journey starts with self-awareness. This is whereby; a person realizes that he or she is different from the environment. This difference, sometimes, comes from the skills learned over some time or traits that form the character of an individual. To gauge my level in leadership, I will need to shift my focus from myself to the outside world. This way, I will be aware of my strengths, weaknesses, and motivators. The three are significant in building and developing my leadership skills.
To be able to lead people efficiently, one must have a vision. A vision could be in the form of what the organization’s strategic statement puts forward, or it can be an ideology brought forward by a leader to ensure certain objectives are achieved. As a leader, my leadership strategy will be based on a vision.
This will help me direct my followers and paint a clear picture of what is expected of them. A vision helps a leader in planning the course of action and reviewing the strategy as time passes by and as new factors are absorbed in the course of operation. The capability of a leader to work towards a vision allows him not only to set goals and make decisions that are best suited for the interest of the organization but also to add to his skills and experiences.
In setting these goals and objectives, I will be required to think critically on the long-term and short-term effects of the decisions I make. In this aspect, I should be able to see the effects before they occur, analyze them, and use the knowledge I have to make scientific simulation in-order to make the most suitable decision. Critical thinking should not be used only in complex or emergencies; it should be used when analyzing every aspect that requires leadership decision.
In some cases, the ability to take risks draws the line between bringing creative change and letting a competitor take up part of the organization’s market share. A leader should be able to analyze the risks associated with every change in the organization; whether it is changed in management or change in the line of production.
The higher the risk, in some cases, the higher the returns. Due to the quickly changing business world, concerning technology, I will be a leader willing to take risks. This will place my organization at a competitive positioning in the market.
Leadership is not always about making decisions on your own. As a manager, I will delegate authority to employees. This way, they will share in the decision making of some organizational issues. This will also ensure that I do not impose my views on the organization, whereas there could be other better and efficient methods of attaining the same objectives.
I will also bear in mind that while delegating powers to employees, I can mentor certain individuals with qualities of leadership. I will also be able to coach my followers so that they perform their duties in an efficient way. In choosing who to mentor or accept as a mentor, I will ensure that I am aware of the character of the person. This will ensure I avoid getting into an unfavorable relationship with them.
In conclusion, I cannot forget that every line of work has its stress situations. Management and leadership is no exception. Stress may be work-related or home related. The ability of a leader to control his emotions, and conduct their duties effectively, is what enables leaders to be in the middle of decision making; without having communication breakdown when things fail to work as expected.
Finally, I will lead as a servant leader; a leader who listens and is willing to help employees in performing their tasks. This will always bring the feeling that I want to serve the employees before they serve me in attaining my organization’s goals.