Category Archives: Leadership

Leadership

Learning Leadership From History – The Gettysburg Leadership Experience

We are standing among a group of twenty-five or so business executives on a windy, chilly ridgeline in south central Pennsylvania, facing west. To our right is a road, the Chambersburg Pike. Behind us about a mile is another higher ridge-Seminary Ridge and on top of that a building with a cupola. In front and directly behind is a gently rolling field and across the field in front is woodland that extends around to our left. We imagine that it is an early morning, July 1, 1863. We also imagine that we see the dust rising from a line of soldiers in gray uniforms coming up the road.

“You are Brigadier General John Buford,” says our group leader. “You are in command of a scouting element of the Army of the Potomac. You have 2,000 cavalry and two small artillery batteries. Your orders are to find the location of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia of 75,000 men that invaded Pennsylvania about a week ago. Now you’ve found them. Behind the ridge is a crossroads town named Gettysburg. Ten miles to the south, I Corps with 20,000 Union troops are marching north under Major General John Reynolds. That’s a good half-day march or more. There are 80,000 additional Union troops coming in from other directions, within a day’s march. In front of you are the leading elements of A. P. Hill’s corps from North Carolina under General Henry Heth. You and your cavalry are the only Union forces between the rebels and the high ground behind you. Take a look around at the terrain, what do you see? What are your choices? What are your assets and liabilities? What would you do? How do you know your choice will succeed?”

The members of the group look around, sensing the urgency that John Buford must have felt, and they begin to answer. Soon, the discussion becomes lively, with different options being weighed and debated. The facilitator turns the questioning into a dialogue about finding and recognizing opportunities in the corporate world. Each member of the group talks about how opportunities and risk are evaluated in his or her work unit or corporation and how the leader is sometimes the first the individual to see an opening for doing something new or different. The facilitator sums up the discussion by threading together the comments and refers back to Buford’s decision to hold off the Confederates until Reynolds’ divisions came up. “He was a leader who knew how to calculate a risk; he knew holding the ground was worth it.” Heads nod and reflect on the concept of calculated risk. The group breaks up briefly as different members wander across the ground, deep in thought. Then, the group gathers and heads to the next stop on their way around the battlefield at Gettysburg where another incident and another leader’s actions will be analyzed and discussed.

Continue reading →

Leadership

10 Appeals to Your Leadership Potential

Everyone is a leader. What differs is the number of people you are leading. By virtue of your existence you are leading someone every day. That person is you. Others choose to increase in leadership when they start leading a family, leading in a company department or at the very top (CEO) or a government ministry, to presidents. At each level of leadership there is a need for situational sensitivity. By this I mean that you need to adjust and be flexible to realize that the way you lead yourself or your family differs to the way you may want to lead a project team.

The situations are different, the setting, the expectations and time-lines are totally different. It is important to note that it is how much of the leader in you that you would like to expose and maximize that determines the extent to which your leadership grows. The greater the team in terms of size and responsibility, the bigger the decisions and risks you would have to make for the organization. Personally, I have experienced leadership at various levels in my life. In my school days I was class monitor for a season and then became a prefect. In College I was Chairman of Technology Club, in Church I have been head of ushers, sound, music etc. At each of the positions or roles, different leadership styles came in handy. I am making an appeal to the leader in you to awaken and rise to the occasion. The world is not in need of more money but more leaders with wisdom and integrity. You could be the one hiding when your chair awaits you in the decision making meeting already underway.

My appeals to you

– Stop Complaining – Start Leading – Have you ever stopped to ponder on why you are always quick to point what is going wrong and yet you drag your feet when asked to set things right? The leader in you is quick to find faults and even knows what should be done but chooses not to do it. You were created with enough ability to identify, point out and comprehend any diversion from the ideal. I am challenging you to move from being an problem identifier to being part of the solution (problem eliminator). The next time you are tempted to complain about the leader, ask yourself what you are doing about helping the leader to lead better or offering yourself as the alternative. Start leading from where you are. Provide solutions from where you operate from and people follow where issues are solved not where choruses of murmuring are sung in harmony. Shouting from the terraces usually has no impact on the game’s outcome. You can have all the solutions as to how the game can tilt in your favor but if you do not make your hands dirty by getting involved in the birthing of a solution then keep your frustrations to yourself. You actually deserve them.

– Master your own fears and insecurities associated with leadership responsibility – Fear and insecurity sometimes freezes every potential that generations could have benefited from. One would rather create numerous excuses to ensure they are not the one in the fore-front. “I am not fluent, I am too young, I don’t have a degree, and I am not rich enough to lead”. All these are flimsy excuses. All the excuses above can actually be true but they do not qualify as reasons for not taking responsibility. I am so determined to make a difference in my generation hence I don’t deny that I have shortfalls or limitations but I choose to step on them for the sake of leading others. Put me in any situation, “intimidating” as it can
be, I am drawn towards either taking a leading role or actively support the one at the top. If it goes well at the top; the rest of the body prospers. I will always do all I can to support the head to the best of my ability for that reason. Once the head masters his/her insecurities, fears and feeling of inadequacy only then will the leadership potential in them be maximized.

– Leadership is about risks – and so is life in general – Get used to making risky decisions. Don’t focus on “what if it doesn’t turn out well?”, but in the same vein consider “What if it turns out well?” The pessimist is always subject to the optimist. Rather be optimistic and hopeful and miss than shy away totally. The beauty lies in the fact that you tried your best. Risks form the daily diet of those who desire and aspire to lead at higher levels. There is a risk of being rejected and risk of failure and so on. As a leader in my family (first born), I made a number of risks that someone in their “right state of mind” would not have done. At a time when private sector was considered the worst place to hedge your future on, I took a dive into it. That risk has taken me to places where I have never been, meeting people I have never thought I would meet. As a result, those that are after me have also looked outside the box of “Government is the best employer” to studying such areas as Electronics, Computer Engineering, and Social Studies etc.

– Identify your dominant leadership styles and appropriate each style accordingly– I will do a separate article on various styles of leadership as it is a wide and important subject. Know that as a leader you need to know yourself, Are you autocratic (it’s what you say that goes, no suggestions or objections), are you transactional (focus on getting things done), are you transformational (focus on change in self, others, groups and organization) or are you a servant leader (serving others). It is important to note that there is no style considered the best over others. Different styles apply to different scenarios or situations. They have different results depending on where they are applied. I have noticed that within me I am
more of a people person. I tend to focus more on the comfort of those I lead sometimes at the expense of getting the job done. I am a servant leader to a large degree and I exercise situational sensitivity. You must know your predominant style. Are you drawn towards people or towards the task? I appeal to the leader in you to awaken and self-identify.

– Go ahead of those you lead – You cannot take your team to areas you have never encountered with confidence. If you have to grope in the misty cloud of uncertainty at the same time with your team, they lose confidence in what they are trying to achieve. If you are ahead of them you are able to paint a picture of what lies ahead and it keeps them wanting to push more. As a leader you cannot afford to be well read, researched, articulate of modern and current issues. You cannot be rigid when it comes to change and development. The moment you stop progressing as a leader, you are setting limits for those behind
you. They will have a false sense of arrival. I am amazed at my mentors who after achieving their first Doctoral degrees went on to study for another one. Now I am stretched to think deeper. One of my mentors, Dr. Makoni (author, chairman of Rapha Trust, convener of the Champions Turf Dinners) does not only have a Doctor of Dentistry Degree but an MBA and Doctoral in Business Administration. The other significant mentor is Dr. John Stanko (author and Chairman of PurposeQuest) who completes his second Doctorate Degree in 2010. The two are both interested in creating and nurturing champions to live lives of
purpose.

– Leadership is about influence not how many you beat into submission – Leadership is about making an impact in others, making the best out of those you lead. As leader you need to provide an avenue for those below to give their advice and suggestions. It is not a sign of weakness but it brings a sense of belonging to those you lead. It does not mean every suggestion is what you will run with but you give people room to contribute even though you and other leaders have a final say on what suggestions are in line with the organization’s vision and goals. When you encourage, teach, coach and counsel those in your team, you are increasing your reach. When you provide psycho-social support to those you come into contact with you are building a stronger network and enlarging your sphere.

– Leadership hinges on your credibility and integrity – Those following you rely on your word. Is your “Yes” actually a Yes and your “No”, no? As soon as leadership loses integrity, it loses grip on its own followers. Followers have capacity to exercise some level of grace as they know leaders are also humane enough. However, they can only stretch so far. The more signs of lack of integrity they see in you as leader, the less they want to hear you speak to them. This is where you as a leader have to work hard not only to preserve your reputation and how you are perceived (your name) but also on your actual character. A leader has enough power to lead multitudes astray on the basis of his/her character. I am always watchful on what character traits I am duplicating or imparting in others due to the influence I have. Your character can be seen in those you lead. The people below you usually do what they see their leader doing. Be careful not to set the wrong example. Your credibility is far more important that money and fame.

– You can never realize your full leadership potential until you step up and step out – Leadership is active not passive. It calls for you to look past your limitations. I am not guaranteeing that leadership will be easy, as that would constitute a lie. It will certainly build you to become stronger, more resolute in decision making and more responsible (over those you lead). As the old adage goes “The taste of the pudding is in the eating”. Why should you wait for the next person to lead when you too can do it? Why should you look outside you for leadership when you can step up and step out to do it? Start somewhere, whether taking up leadership in your family, community, church etc. Every president has a track record, they did not wake up to realize they had been elected to office; they stepped out to lead in other areas and gained leadership muscle and experience. You need a leadership resume (CV) too. The small victories and achievements you make in life will certainly count for something when you now contest at higher levels. Do not take for granted the humble beginnings. For as long as you sit on potential, you are wasting it. I noticed one thing about me, even when I lose a loved one; I step up and organize everything and mourn later. My first reaction is to bring order, in the midst of pain. When I lost my dad, while everyone was crippled, I rose to the occasion and led my family. I usually let my leadership stand taller than my emotions. I grieve when I have put order in the camp.

Continue reading →

Leadership

Leadership Exposed – Things You Thought You Knew About Leadership

The literature written on leadership is absolutely phenomenal. The guide lines, tips, styles and profiles of exceptional leaders during the course of history are everywhere… and worth reading! As we read and research, we learn to recognize specific leadership ideas and qualities we previously failed to see before. Following is a list of things we thought we knew and understood about leadership.

1) Leaders come in different styles.

History points us toward Albert Einstein, well known for his Theoretical Physics; Leonardo da Vinci, for his Art. These are leaders we use as mentors for their wisdom and experience or by their virtue and expertise, as well as what they contributed to society. Elders of a tribe or grandparents could be included in this category of informal leadership. Then you come up against the ‘formal’ leaders or those appointed or elected to the position of leadership. Senators, congressmen, presidents or judges fall into this category; those who are elected to the position of eldership within a government or club.

Literature written by Lewis outlines the three basic styles of leadership which are authoritative, participative and delegative.

Then there is literature written by Likerts which outlines the four styles: authority that is exploited, authority that is charitable, deliberative and participative.

Also, included in the list of literature written by Goleman, who researches six styles of leadership; visionary, instructive, networking, democratic, commanding and pace making.

2) Leadership is a process of ‘coming into’.

Some people seem to be born with leadership qualities, while others learn the art of leadership. However you come into these qualities, you need to develop and sharpen these leadership abilities. You can obtain knowledge by attending seminars, workshops and conferences on leadership. Another way to increase your abilities is to interact with people who already project and practice these leadership qualities.

Expanding your knowledge and exposure will enable you to obtain and exercise leadership attitudes, insights, and integrate the cycle of learning. Being a leader is a full time, lifelong learning process; not something you accomplish over night. A good leader puts his or her knowledge, skills and attitudes to the test daily; plus, sets a goal to have a new experience each day.

3) Leadership begins with YOU.

First, applying the knowledge you accumulated to your own life is the best way to develop leadership abilities. Leaders enjoy the limelight. Remember, your actions affect your credibility; as in ‘action speaks louder then words’. How you interact with family, friends, co-workers or the public; connect with your actions and development you as a leader. Time management in both your personal and professional responsibilities will affect your leadership qualities, too.

Repetition develops habits; habits form character. ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Steven Covey, a must read for insight on achieving personal leadership.

4) Leadership is shared.

Leadership is designed to be a shared responsibility between members of a group or team. Each individual must fulfill his or her responsibilities. Elected or ‘formal’ leadership positions are merely additional responsibilities from their usual team or group responsibilities. Being and effective leader means sharing the work. Putting a group of individuals together, forming members and leaders to work toward one mutual goal; is the formation of a great team. While learning to work together; there must be trust within the full group to be effective. Through actions the foundation of mutual respect and trust are built, which in turn builds confidence.

This was one of the strongest abilities of Ronald Regan when he was president. He had a tremendous ability to delegate tasks throughout his staff because he felt he had put the right people in the right positions. Which created trust between him and staff, but more importantly… throughout the staff. Creating a collaborative effort between everyone and leaders in the process.

5) Leadership styles connected to situations.

Where dictatorship works in Singapore; it does not work in the United States of America. Leadership styles used in ‘formal’ leadership depends greatly on culture, beliefs, values and the form of government in that nation. There are no restrictions on the number of leadership styles used for any given situation. Most of the time, a combination of styles are used as the situation dictates.

In instances of war and calamity, decision-making is a matter of life and death; a nation’s leader cannot afford to consult with all departments to arrive at crucial decisions. Leadership is different in times of peace and order, each sector and branch of government can freely work together and positively affect each other while working toward the mutual goal set before them.

Another situation would be leadership within an organization. When there is a high motivation and competent level; a combination of delegative and participative styles of leadership is in order. However, if the competence and commitment is low, a combination of high coaching, supporting and directing style of leadership is required.

The ideas we may already know or concepts we take for granted are actually the most useful insights we can have on leadership. How we apply these insights to our life is the difference between a good leader or a great leader. Either way, there is a leader within all of us. It’s just whether or not you choose to accept it.
Please share any of your ideas about this post below, or any thoughts you had while reading it below. I do appreciate you coming by and look forward to hearing from you!

To your continued success!

Mike Clark

 

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_J_Clark/604724

 

Leadership

Business Leadership Development For Managers

Business leadership development plays an integral part in the metamorphosis of a good manager into a great one. Many believe the terms leadership and management to be synonymous, though nothing could be farther from the truth. They are as different as night from day, and a good leader might not make a good manager and vice versa.

However, business leadership development planning can be used to improve the capability of managers to lead and become competent in dealing with people and persuasion rather than position and power. A good leader will have followers as distinct from the subordinates of managers, yet the two need not be mutually exclusive: A good manager can become a good leader, and the development of leadership will not only enhance your ability to lead people and organizations, but also to lead yourself.

Leading oneself is a concept that many find difficult to visualize, but to lead others you must first be able to successfully lead your own life. You must be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, possess self-confidence, but also display humility and not only accept criticism but learn from your successes and failures. You need people to follow you, and not only motivate teams to get things done that need to be done, but also get them to want to do what has to be done. To persuade rather than to order, and to lead them to want to do the right things rather than to do things right.

Although a business needs both management and leadership, it is sometimes necessary to focus more on one than on the other. A business might have a good management structure but little leadership, so will tend to stagnate over time. On the other hand it might have plenty of leadership and energy behind it, but because of poor management is unable to convert that leadership energy into results.

As previously stated, then, business leadership and management are not mutually exclusive, and not only does a business need both but a leadership development program can be used to combine good management skills with good leadership capabilities. Leadership can be learned. The concept of the ‘born leader’ is outdated, and leadership can be defined as forms of behavior in terms of skills that can be learned. Leadership development involves changing a candidate’s behavior to acquire these skills, and achieve competence in leadership.

Being a good manager is not a prerequisite for a good leader, but neither is it a drawback, and the same person can possess both leadership and management skills. That is because both are learned and not innate in a person’s character, so that managers can be developed by their businesses or corporations into leaders. In fact, the best managers are also good leaders.

Nevertheless, good leaders have often been found to possess a higher than average drive and more than the normal share of positive qualities. These traits are also frequently found in good managers, although the competencies needed for leadership can be taught by means of a well designed leadership development program.

Waiting for a leader to emerge naturally is neither economical nor desirable, and certainly not an effective way of planning the leadership structure of a business. If we take a military example, more leaders come out of a military academy than are promoted on the field by virtue of displaying strong leadership potential.

Good leaders should communicate well with those they are leading. Their thoughts and perceptions can help others to follow them. They should also have a positive and confident attitude and be able to instill their confidence in others. With that confidence should also come commitment, and leaders should be able to commit to their actions – committing with confidence breeds confidence in others.

It has also been said that leaders should have high moral standards because people will not follow those they do not respect. Furthermore, good leaders do more than just supervise or manage their teams: they feel a sense of responsibility, and in return the team members know that their leader cares for them and cares for the business. This renders it easier for people to follow rather than be led.

Business leadership development is an important concept for businesses to take on board, and by taking on such a program, managers will find people following them rather than having to be managed. Managers can focus their management efforts on the processes and procedures, and employees will follow them to help convert their ideas and visions into reality. That’s leadership!

Further information on business leadership development is available on [http://www.successanddevelopment.info] where you will also find details of personal development programs and others that will benefit both yourself and your company.You can also get inspirational documentary films in the ‘Giving Back’ section.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mohammed_Tanko/552699

Leadership

Develop a Leadership Philosophy

A leadership philosophy is a set of beliefs and principles that strongly influence how we perceive ourselves within an organization and those that we lead. It is an essential ingredient in forming our vision, goals and behavior within the organization that we lead.

First it is useful to define leadership. Leadership is the individual phenomenon of influencing others, inspiring them to do their best, Giving them purpose, guidance and motivation. The best leadership style is one that is adapted to the situation, otherwise known as situational leadership. Leadership is different from management as management does not have to involve inspiring or motivating others.

Most leaders in any role agree that vision, values, adapting to change, knowing oneself and others, professional knowledge and good communication are essential components of leadership. I believe that one of the most important elements of these is vision. Without vision a leader is lost.

Burt Nanus, a noted consultant in leadership, vision, and strategic planning for business, government, and non-profit organizations is a Professor at the University of Southern California. Nanus writes that vision must be idealistic and a “mental model of a future state of the organization.” He asserts that vision must be appropriate and include standards of excellence, purpose, and direction. Organizational vision must be ambitious, easily articulated, and well understood.

Forming a mental image of where you want your organization to be and what it should look like in the future is essential before you plan, decide and direct others on how to get there.

Before directing others on how to attain that vision it must first be communicated, shared and understood by all within the organization. Ensure that the vision is clear, unambiguous, energetic, imaginative, inspiring, achievable and relevant to the organizations goals.

Values
Values are crucial to organizational success. Leaders know what they value and recognize the importance of ethical behavior. The best leaders practice both values and ethnics in the workplace.

People don’t know what they can expect in a leader if leaders never identify their values. If leaders identify and share their values, living the values daily will help to create trust.

As a leader, choose the values and the ethics that are most important to you, the values and ethics you believe in and that define your character. Then live them visibly every day at work. Living by your values is one of the most powerful tools available to you to help you lead and influence others.

Adapting to Change
Adapting to change can make the difference between organizational success and failure. It is essential you have a philosophy that embraces change. An organization that is resilient is one that can effectively innovate, adapt and perform in the face of adversity.

To cope with change ensure you have a clear focus around purpose and goals. Be flexible and open to new approaches, encourage a climate of learning and creativity and a culture of trust and cooperation combined with good communication.

Knowing oneself
True leaders posses the ability to analyze their own motives and decisions and make accurate judgments about their behavior. These judgments can result in constructive improvements in how they relate to others and help identify unhelpful reactions or traits.

Perhaps you have a tendency to control or dominate based on a fear of failure; perhaps you have a fear of conflict and a desire to appease others; or an excessive competitiveness that leads to distrust. Knowing yourself better will help you improve and make adjustments that will make you a more effective leader.

Knowing others
Knowing others is important to situational leaders who adopt different leadership styles depending on the situation and person they are dealing with.

Continue reading →