Category Archives: Leadership

Leadership

What If We Have This Whole Leadership Thing All Wrong?

Imagine that you just read an article on how your competition is steadily stealing your market share. This is nothing new to you, they have been out innovating you for some time now and it’s now apparent that your current products or services are inferior. Slowly you’ve seen your talent leave for greener pastures as rumors of downsizing abound. There is a fear permeating the organization as people wonder what the future holds. What’s needed is a real leader! Someone who can come in and make things right again. We’ve seen this scenario play out time and again. The Board will likely remove the C-Suite and bring in a leadership savior. Yet, what if we have got this whole leadership thing all wrong? What if the very essence of how we define leadership is no longer serving us?

We can’t really fault why we seek a leadership savior in these scenarios. It’s engrained in our DNA! Adaptive Leadership Theory explains that since the dawn of time we have engaged in a social contract within groups. Essentially when a group member emerged to offer us much needed direction, protection and order, we in turn granted them authority over us. As long as this person kept their side of the bargain, we continue to reward them with increased power. At some point we started calling this authority figure our Leader, Chief, or King which anointed them with title and elevated social status as well. The key distinction to make here is that we started associating the exercising of authority with leadership. This is a huge mistake as leadership is totally different.

Given the above scenario, direction, protection and order is exactly what we crave. We want a new direction and our new leadership should have the ability to see what we cannot. We require protection from our competitors and the threat they present. We desire order as a power vacuum emerges from the loss of key talent. Yet, what if instead of providing the direction we need to go, leadership helped us to figure out where we collectively want to go together? What if instead of sheltering us from our competitor’s threats, leadership exposed the reality that we faced and challenged us to be more? What if instead of returning us to a calm and comfortable place, leadership taught us to embrace the chaos of change and to value living on the edge of constant learning? In short, what might happen if instead of exercising authority, our leadership actually led us?

Intuitively, we get this. While management is an important aspect of a productive society, deep down inside we all want to be led more so than managed. When we experience true leadership we feel empowered to grow to our full potential. Outside of experiencing love, there is perhaps no greater feeling than pushing yourself to be more than you thought you could be. Yet, with the pleasure of growth we often experience loss and pain. We have to let go of a part of ourselves and learn to be something new. Learning then becomes a series of failures until we ultimately get it right. This can be a very disappointing and humbling process. Thus, true leadership requires us to disappoint our followers at a rate that they can tolerate.

This is the very reason why we see more authority rather than leadership being exercised in our world. There is a real art to establishing enough trust with followers so that they allow you to disappoint them. Disappoint them too much and you will soon be looking for a new job. Yet, it’s important to note that if you disappoint them too little, as when exercising pure authority, and you will also be looking for a new job! Exercising authority will not promote the learning needed for organizational growth, and thus results will be the same over time. With consistently poor to average results, you will eventually be replaced as your organization seeks out new “leadership.” Thus, the next time you feel the pull to provide direction, protection and order to your team, take a step back and try to recognize what is really needed in this moment. Start practicing leadership rather than authority and watch your organization begin to flourish.

David understands how effective leadership generates success. He a holds a degree in Leadership Development from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Science in Organization Development from American University. A combat veteran with corporate leadership experience, he now consults to Fortune 500 companies internationally. David is recognized for his creative learning designs and ability to facilitate highly engaging training events. David holds expertise in the MBTI, DiSC, EQ-i 2.0, and PMAI behavioral assessments, as well as in non-verbal (somatic) communication. Learn more at http://www.leadergrowthgroup.com/

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Spungin/1372660

 

Leadership

You Are A Model of Leadership

Did you ever hear ‘man is the center of the universe?’ It sounds strange, right? But wait a minute, I am still proving it. When we feel uncomfortable, we are naturally tended to question severely and prove things either right or wrong. However, this article has nothing to prove about, but it may help somehow to stir up public consciousness.

In communist countries, blind submissiveness becomes a long standing culture. leadership is an unquestionable. The common reason or mind has invaded individuals’ uniqueness, and replaced it with a fear of exploration. In effect, people do not know what their role should be in a leadership role.

We should discuss issues freely and unconditionally from a personal matter to a leadership level in a critical manner. Leadership issues exist at all levels; they are inevitable, and that cannot be set apart from our daily lives. Many, however, think that leadership issues are restricted only to those who are at the office. It is a wrong perception, or a trick to divorce us from leadership roles. Leadership is, after all, an action to discover human potential, not collectively, but individually. Interested groups have failed terribly, but individuals won and outshined. Scientists, for instance, outclassed interested politicians. This is because scientists think individually, whereas politicians think collectively as a mob.

To begin with, there are a number of leadership models; some are out of date, while others are at the brink of death. From the trait leadership model to the modern model of integrated psychological leadership, there are 13 models. However, none of them could stand the pressure of time, culture, change and technological advancement.

With time, everything changes. Heraclitus said, “You cannot step twice in the same river.” Time is the only authentic witness that we should rely on for evidences and factual facts. What seems impeccable now may die shortly. For instance, the world has seen a number of powerful politicians, but with time they vanished once and for all. It is not only with politicians, but also with leaders. Legendary leaders, whom the world trusted most, are no more influential as they did in the past. This simply proves that past leadership models could not last long.

What is leadership model, anyway? Literally, a model is something worth of imitation, or a representative pattern of certain behaviors. Simply put, leadership model is an effort after discipline, commitment or conviction. It helps ease role confusion, chaos or complexities, and brings forth predictable organizational behaviors. Leadership model is, therefore, helpful for guidance and governance of promising future.

If you refer some leadership books, you may read a number of times that leadership is an action to guide thoughts and behaviors. However, a critical question may arise: what is a leadership behavior? Some experts define leadership behavior as the overall atmosphere of an organization.

How organizations or nations behave? There is no a specific parameter, but for far too long, nations behave destructively. Nations have been the victims of old leadership models. The wars, poverty, diseases, illiteracy or dictatorship are simple parameters of how a nation behaves. You might have pondered how your country behaves. If you have done it, what is the most important thing in your country, the individual or the state’s ideology? This question may divorce you from national prejudices or political blindness, but it will never ever hinder you from becoming an authentic leader. By authentic leader, I mean that, you are the leader and model of leadership.

The individual, I mean you, is the center as well as the master of a state. The individual is the nucleus around which the state is formed or established. An individual’s whole being bears the imprint of a state. Simply put, you are the signature of a state. It is logic that a state is byproduct of individual talents, that is, all its behaviors and practical practices are the manifestations or expressions of our individual dreams, creativity, purposes or aims. Therefore, you are the hub of a state and model of leadership. If you hesitate, you may wish to research or consult experts in the field.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Berhane_A_Tedla/1257974

 

Leadership

Leadership in Two Words: Discovery and Service

Leadership suffers inadequacy of reliable theories. The existing leadership theories, as many may argue, do not lead to an accurate leadership practice. Normally, a theory should serve as a roadmap to guide our actions and adapt new challenges. Theory is a paper work, while practice is a practical walk. In leadership there is a famous saying, “think the talk, talk the talk and walk the talk.” Metaphorically, this saying may help us how to materialize a thought into a practice.

Certainly, a reliable theory can pass a test of time and uncertainties. However, if we look back in history, we may learn that leadership theories are impractical. There might be a number of reasons for that, but one reason could be lack of a definite understanding about the essence of leadership. I once asked a government official, “What is the essence of leadership?” “Leadership is nothing, but a means to fulfill a national interest,” he replied. If all political leaders are like him, then there will be no hope for humanity to flourish. The essence of leadership has lost somewhere and subjected into petty national interests. Nowadays, nations spend a chunk of time and money to amend historical mistakes than future development. When the past outweighs the future, leadership misses its essential meaning.

Some leadership authors gallop freely and come up with whatever their mind dictates them. Leadership is not a game of mind, or a game that begins with a thought and ends with a word. It is not a belief, either. It is the most practical field and far beyond religious, political or ideological concepts. Unfortunately, our current leadership practices are entangled religiously, politically and ideologically.

Leadership is an action. Most leaders, however, are not writers and researchers. They read and apply whatsoever books are available in the market place. They may learn from consequences as in the case of wars, financial deficit and social chaos, but true leaders learn before running into an action. In fact, as many say, history repeats itself. What has been done a century ago, repeats itself in the modern era. This implies that history has a little lesson to teach us unless we learn how to discover our leadership talent and put it into a service.

Leadership in two words simplifies problems and ambiguities. It is true that leadership has been defined differently by different authors. There are a number of verbs, nouns and adjectives that directly or indirectly explain the essence of leadership. For instance, John Maxwell, the author of many leadership books, highlights a number of leadership qualities. I have read some of his books, but I could not figure out his profound philosophy. In some cases, he addressed leadership as a combination of indefinite personal and interpersonal skills. Nonetheless, personal and interpersonal skills are bizarre with situations. They cannot last long. Leadership skills may differ from time to time, but the core idea, which is the nucleus, cannot be altered under any circumstance.

Leadership is not a word, but a two action words: discovery and service. Discovery and service are action words that a student of leadership should wonder about before jumping to act as a leader. Discovery is the greatest leadership adventure towards the truest and limitless nature of your inherent leader. It is a personal journey within oneself to explore and understand what lies within. It might take a number of years, and thus commitment and unwavering patience and confidence are indispensable, whereas service is byproduct of successful potential discovery. When the leader within you exploded, service comes quite naturally. Service is like a reaped fruit which is available to the world irrespective of race, religion, nationality or ideology.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Berhane_A_Tedla/1257974

 

Leadership

6 Truths You Probably Didn’t Know About Leadership

I’m sure you’ve heard both of these questions at least a 1000 times. Are leaders born? Or are they made? The answer is simple. Both. Leaders are born and they are made. Yes, some people are born with a natural propensity to lead while most people are born with some leadership ability. But both types of people still have to learn how to lead. Being the loudest, most aggressive and domineering person doesn’t necessary mean you’re a leader. I believe many people believe that the traits I just listed are what makes some people leaders and others not leaders. Not true. Leadership has nothing to do with being bossy, pushy or commanding. You can be a leader and have these personality traits but it’s not required.

You can be a quiet but yet be a strong leader like Tom Landry or Tony Dungy. They were not your traditional yell and scream type coaches/leaders but they were effective in motivating and empowering their players. Strong leadership is a process of finding out what you’re gifting and then perfecting your gifting or strengths. Everyone was born with some leadership ability.

The challenge is going through the process to BECOME a leader. Everyone was put on this earth to solve a problem. A problem is basically meeting a need that hasn’t been met. What need you were put on earth to meet? That’s the question you need to through a process to find out.

Although everyone was put on earth to become a leader, becoming a leader is a difficult process. It’s difficult because it takes time, money and energy to find out your leadership gift or talent. And it takes equally as much time, money and energy to improve upon your leadership gift. I will go onto say that finding and improving upon your gift is never-ending process.

To give you a better understanding of leadership, I want to share these six truths with you. Hopefully, it will change your thinking about leadership:

1. Trapped in every follower is a hidden leader. Not everyone has the leadership ability to lead a fortune 500 company but everyone has some leadership ability. And everyone has some influence on someone.

2. Every human was created to lead and designed for dominion. Don’t get this statement confused with dominating and controlling people. What I mean by this statement is that every human was created to use his leadership gift to have power in your area of influence.

3. Leadership potential resides in every individual. However, it’s up to the individual to tap into the hidden leadership potential and develop that potential. Again, everyone has different leadership skills and abilities.

4. You were born to lead but you must become a leader. Everyone is born with some a leader but the process of becoming a leader is difficult. To become a leader, you must read, continually learn and consult people who are leaders.

5. True leadership is self-manifestation. Most people equate leadership to ruling over people. Actually, leadership is about finding what you were put on this earth to do. After you find your gift or leadership talent, people will follow you.

6. True purpose for true leadership is the production of leaders. Your most prolific leaders are those leaders who create leaders not to look for followers. True leaders don’t need followers, they teach other people to become leaders.

If you like this article, read my other articles that discuss leadership, education and entrepreneurship at [http://www.roberttaylorandrews.com]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Robert_T_Andrews/1625696

 

Leadership

The Ambiguity of Leadership

When I was teaching a philosophy class, I would ask students, “What philosophy is not?” I had been using this question to provoke thoughts, generate new ideas and remove possible ambiguities. Every student would come up with original and sincere answers. I also used to apply the same technique in other fields, such as education and leadership courses. For instance, in a leadership class, I used to ask three subjective questions: “Who was the most misunderstood man ever? Who was the most evil man ever? What is the most ambiguous field ever?”

On the first two questions, students used to supply different answers from time to time, but with the last question almost more half of the students agreed that leadership is the most ambiguous field ever.

Basically, leadership is a social fiber and vital for nations to prosper. It is true that without leadership there would not be any civilization. Its importance has become more apparent in this decade with the escalating of global problems: poverty, social upheavals, political conflicts, natural disaster and nuclear weapons. Its absence is equivalent to lack of normal development in societies. Regardless of its importance, there is little known about it. It is the most misunderstood field ever. Leadership seems to be a very subjective field. People somehow confuse it to a position, power, recognition, fame or big office. By its very nature, it is open for public discussions and interpretations. I must, therefore, admit that leadership is an ambiguous or an elusive field.

On my personal interest and initiative, I have been trying to explore the essence of leadership. I have read a number of books on the field from ancient to contemporary concepts. I have also watched and attended several leadership lecturers, conferences and workshops. Yet, I have not come across precise terms that can satisfy my hunger in understanding the field. Generally, it is defined as a practice to inspire or motivate subordinates for a work to be done. This is the common definition at public knowledge, but it is too general and shallow. The right definition has to be born yet.

Models of leadership change over time. Throughout the centuries, we have seen a number of leadership styles and models, but experiences have shown that not a single leadership style or model has survived to suffice social situations. Leaders, therefore, have learnt to employ a situational leadership style based on situations. For instance, if circumstances are chaotic, and require an immediate order from above, leaders apply an autocratic leadership style to avoid turbulence. On the other hand, if situations are at a normal state, leaders apply a democratic or laissez-faire leadership style.

At times, situational leadership style has no importance, whatsoever. I agree with the practice of situational leadership style, if the ultimate purpose of leadership is to maintain a social order and control people tightly. But I would disagree, if the purpose of leadership is to inspire individuals in order to realize their potentials and live to their maximum capabilities. Time has proved that better change and growth are not byproducts of poor leadership practices, but rather outcomes of talent discovery. For instance, realized individuals, such as Thomas Edison, Einstein, Henry Ford or Steve Job, changed the world enormously. Leadership practices should provide challenging situations where individuals can test their talents to create.

Challenging situations produce scientists, whereas poor leadership practices produce submissive and uncreative individuals. Individuals need challenging environments to discover new things and understand their purposes. However, weak leaders weigh stagnant societies more than individuals’ growth. A society as a center of civilization reduces citizens to a slavery mode of life. In a world where political struggle dominates, the individual has no fundamental rights at all; he always comes at the fringe of a society to serve indefinitely as in the case of Eritrea. In Eritrea, citizens have no political and economic freedoms. When leadership is handled wrongly, it becomes ambiguous. In other words, its definition, meaning and concepts vanish among ideologies, power struggle, interests, wars, corruption and many other petty things.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Berhane_A_Tedla/1257974