Leadership Knowledge

Why Does Leadership Matter?

Parents universally hope that their children develop leadership qualities. They know that leaders are people who are effective in what they do, are respected by others, and typically rewarded for those skills in a variety of ways. It is in these formative years that, through our parents, we first see leadership as desirable and important.

As young people we look up to people around us that motivate and listen to us; people that seem like “real-life” heroes. We consider these people leaders.

As we grow we begin to relate leaders to their jobs – ministers, teachers, police officers. And later Mayors, Presidents, and CEO’s . . .

As adults all of these thoughts and experiences define why we think leaders have desirable traits and play roles we admire (and why we desire these things for our children).

All of these experiences and thoughts help us define why leadership matters – it matters because leaders make a difference and can shape the future. It matters because leaders are valued and valuable. In everyone’s mind leadership, especially when it is good, matters.

What is a Leader?

A leader is a person who sees something that needs to be done, knows that they can help make it happen, and gets started.

A leader sees opportunity and captures it.

A leader sees a future that can be different and better, and helps others see that picture too.

A leader knows they can’t do it alone.

A leader is a coach.

A leader is an encourager.

A leader views change as their ally.

A leader is willing to take risks today for something better tomorrow.

A leader is a learner.

A leader is a communicator.

A leader is a coordinator.

A leader is a listener.

A leader takes a long view – letting their vision keep their daily steps on track.

A leader is passionate.

A leader motivates and inspires.

A leader values results.

A leader cares about more than results though; she cares about those who are following her lead.

A leader makes a difference in the lives of others.

A leader is all of these things and much more.

Are People Born Leaders?

Sure they are – I mean everyone is born, right?

You might say that riddle-like answer misses the point. You say the real answer is that some people are truly born to lead.

And I would reply that your common statement implies that others aren’t born to be leaders.

So let’s examine that difference of opinion…

When people describe someone as a “born leader” they typically mean that the person is motivating, a good communicator and charismatic. And it is true; some people are blessed at birth with more natural ability in these ways.

But leaders can be great with different innate characteristics as well.

And there is no single small skill set that defines the perfect leader or guarantees success.

Everyone is born with a unique set of natural abilities. And all of us can develop skills and styles to complement those natural abilities.

Who is a Leader?

This question on the surface is the easiest question I’ve asked so far. After all, I’ve already given some examples.

People in certain roles are leaders, whether they’ve studied for the role, like a doctor, lawyer, teacher or minister… got elected to the role, like a county councilman, mayor, Senator or President… or worked up the through the organization like a supervisor, manager, Vice President or CEO.

You can ask most anyone the question “Who is a leader?” and those are the kinds of answers they will give you.

They are right, of course. But they are only partially right.

Leaders aren’t leaders because of a job title.

Leaders are leaders because they lead.

Which takes me back to my previous question – “Are people born leaders?” Yes they are. But it isn’t just a few that have been hand picked by our Creator or random genetics.

We have all been picked – genetics has selected us all.

We were all born to lead, in our own way.

We may not be the Chairman of the Board. We may not be the person on the stage.

We may not lead with oratory or flair.

We may lead by compassion.

We may lead by example.

We all can lead.

We all have the ability to be remarkable leaders.

Leadership isn’t about position.

Leadership isn’t about power.

Leadership is about potential – your potential.

You are a leader. Claim and believe this to be true, for it is. Stake your claim and make a difference in the world around you.

Your opportunities for leadership are endless. The rewards are boundless.

My answers to four questions lead to a question for you…

Where will you lead?

If you are planning to build a admirable career, maybe you should go through some basic training. Nowadays, there are actual acknowledged administration programs actuality developed. Leadership programs will advice you to access some actual all-important skills. Administration programs will accord you the bare ability to accomplish the best both in your career aswell as in your life.

Leadership programs will be the management-training affairs you are attractive for. Aswell as acceptable able training, they will advice you accretion aplomb and self-respect, things that are actual accessible in your clandestine life. These programs are assuredly a actual able way to accretion the assurances that you will charge to be accessible for a affluent career and life.

I apperceive from acquaintance that a leadership programs can calmly advance and absolute a being because I accept been teaching administration courses for years. If you go to a leadership programs with the appropriate attitude, assured that you admiration success, you will become a altogether afflicted person. Naturally, there are bodies who claiming the call of the administration programs. The success of the administration programs depends usually on the way they are taught. As bodies who advise administration programs are different, as altered are the profits you can booty from administration programs. From adolescent bodies to older, all of them accomplish the best use of any blazon of administration programs. You can accept amid about altered administration programs, although about all of them accept some axiological elements in common.

One of the key apparatus of all leadership programs is that they are aiming to body up abilities to assignment in a team. Some leadership programs alike access this architecture of team-working abilities as the centermost of the accomplished administration program. As an example, I will acquaint you that I accept heard about administration programs which centermost on the accomplishing of concrete tasks as appropriation every affiliate of the accumulation over a wall.

Of course, the point of this is not to accretion beef accumulation but to apprentice how to assignment as a team. This allotment of the administration programs will advise you how to seek anniversary member’s strengths and weaknesses. Administration programs will advise you how to leave abaft the airs you accept and to put all your strengths into the accumulation work. This is apparently the best important assignment that the approaching baton will apprentice from the administration program.

The additional axiological basic of administration programs is that administration programs usually tend to accent on aplomb and self-esteem. A baton should be aboriginal of all self-confident. A administration affairs has to advise you how to be assertive that aggregate you say is important. The leaders accept not become leaders because they are added capable, or added able than added bodies are. Surprisingly, it may about-face out absolutely the adverse thing. The leaders accept become leaders because they added aplomb than the added bodies to argue that what they say is important.

Traditional leadership styles from the 19th and 20th Centuries tended to involve strict hierarchies, superiority, winners and losers. To lead, people felt the need to prove they are better than everyone else. Leadership was about “power” and its abuse, loneliness and affectations. In the latter part of the 20th Century, there was a gradual decline in hierarchies which is evermore the case in the first decade of the 21st Century.

So how does this impact business? What does it suggest about leadership and success in the twenty first Century?  Facets of leadership in the 21st Century. From our experience, successful businesses (be they high quality start-ups or companies looking for rapid growth), recognise new values essential to their success. It is “out with the old” and in with:

“flat structures”;

inclusive management style that involves all people in the organisation, not just senior management;
openness and transparency;
genuinely equal opportunities, regardless of race, ethnic origins, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities etc.;
empowering – i.e. committed to empowering each and every member of the team.
Enlightened leadership

21st Century leadership is not about bullying and high-handedness or even intellectual or financial superiority. It is about playing to strengths, working around or minimising weaknesses, authenticity and not being fazed by challenges. Above all, it is about being straight in communications both internally and externally.

Powerful language

The new style is about “can-do” mentality and about avoiding disempowering language. Words such as “I’ll try to” or “I need you to…” and other indirect language undermine the communication: “trying” to do anything is preparing for failure, not taking personal responsibility for causing something to happen. Using language that suggests there is another reason for why someone should do something rather than simply that you want them to do it makes people look weak so, “needing” someone to do something is in fact rarely authentic – and should normally be replaced by “I want you to do X please” or some equivalent straight communication.

“Walking the talk”

Last but not least, leadership in the 21st Century is about “walking the talk” of the organisation. However, the organisation first needs to be clear about what it is “talking” about before it can walk it and then it needs to make sure that it is consistent in everything it does: this is anything from internal relations (with colleagues) through to external relations with customers, suppliers and the public at law.

Making it “real”

We believe that law is the “glue” of society, the structure behind relationships that either has them work or not. A leader has to make sure that all of his/her relationships work. Where the relationships are recognised as being important to the organisation (and we cannot conceive of an organisation where they are not), special attention needs to be paid to making sure that all documented relationships are consistent with the values of the organisation and the style of leadership. Are your communications straight, open, honest and fair? When did you last look at your employment contracts, shareholder’s agreements, terms of business, web site terms, partnering agreements and purchase contracts? Are they consistent with who you say you are?

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