Information competence is one of the main life-long skills and competencies in a modern world that is crucial for a leader. A leader is required to be informed about all issues pertaining leadership (Turusheva, 2009). With regard to information literacy, information can only be acquired if a leader is studious and reads many scholarly works to gain knowledge that would be of great significance to him or her, and the people he or she would be influencing. A leader who does not have academic background could appear unfit to be a boss (Turusheva, 2009).
He or she would not be equipped with information that would be vital in solving issues that could arise in the workplace. A leader without scholarly background would appear disobedient. This would be for the reason that he or she would not be aware of the existing laws and ethical aspects. Lack of ethics implies that he or she would encounter challenges in relating to his or her juniors in the workplace (Turusheva, 2009). A person in charge would find it easy to utilize new technologies that would be essential in promoting efficiency and improving performance outcomes.
Thus, a practitioner who lacks a scholarly background would appear to be unconscious of time and not keen on efficiency in an organization. Scholarly leaders find it easy to obtain, examine, and use information in his or her department (Turusheva, 2009). Evaluation of data leads to solving of problems before they develop into challenges. A director may experience difficulties in presenting quality information in a meeting if he or she would not be academic. He or she would find it hard to organize ideas during presentations, making him or her appear confused and not focused. Thus, he or she would not be helpful in relation to guiding organizations to realize excellent performance outcomes.
To produce the best goods and services in a firm, workers should be treated with respect and care. Leadership refers to social influence that a person has over others. A study conducted by Jones and colleagues (2012) to investigate how leadership skills are demonstrated found that they are experienced through tangible and intangible support from both seniors and juniors in the workplace. Leadership skills are significant in any organization (Jones et al., 2012).
In relation to information literacy, a practitioner without leadership abilities would appear incapacitated with regard to organizing, coordinating, and planning activities in a firm (Russell, 2009). Incapacitation would be demonstrated in the way he or she would be failing to relate well with his or her juniors and seniors. A practitioner would appear arrogant, inconsiderate, and unsupportive. He or she would appear demotivating.
In addition, such a practitioner would dish out orders, rules, and policies, which would force employees to work the way the management believes should be done (Russell, 2009). An ineffective practitioner would be afraid to guide and discipline employees, even when they are on the wrong. Lack of leadership skills would make him or her withhold information, treat personnel as if they are lucky to have jobs, and would not listen to their ideas because he or she would believe that he or she knows everything (Russell, 2009).
Less access to literacy materials by a scholar indicates that he or she would have little information, which would make it hard to handle different issues in an organization. It would be difficult to acquire knowledge that would be important in life if literacy materials would be inadequate. It would be advisable for a scholar to utilize the internet for various types of information (Badke, 2009). A scholar should put efforts to obtain literacy materials from various libraries. Specific general education courses should be introduced where information literacy would be incorporated for it to be accessible to scholars (Badke, 2009).
I work in Graduate Medical Education in the department of pediatrics as a clerkship program manager, where I help undergraduate medical students to select a specialty for clinical rotation in other departments. I also assist them with research funding information and community outreach services. The work requires knowledge that is vital in dealing with the students and my colleagues within the institution. With regard to SPL model, I am required to study various academic materials to acquire information about dealing with customers and colleagues in my department.
Through scholarship, I will understand the needs of the students I would be dealing with in the department. It will give me insights, which would be important in guiding the learners as they choose their specialties for clinical rotations (Badke, 2009). Leadership is significant in the sense that it will assist me to coordinate the activities in my department (Badke, 2009). It would also be important in relating with every stakeholder in the institution. Practice would be essential when guiding the learners in selecting medical causes. This is for the reason that the experience is crucial when directing students (Badke, 2009).
References
Badke, W. (2009). How we failed the net generation. Online, 33(4), 47-49.
Jones, S., Lefoe, G., Harvey, M., & Ryland, K. (2012). Distributed leadership: a collaborative framework for academics, executives and professionals in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 34(1), 67-78.
Russell, P. (2009). Why Universities Need Information Literacy Now More than Ever. Canadian Library Association, 55(3), 92-94.
Turusheva, L. (2009). Students information competence and its importance for life-long education. Problems of Education in the 21 st Century, 12(4), 126-132.