Leadership

Leadership is a crucial and critical management skill.  Leadership is the ability to motivate toward a common goal.  A leader is a person with a vision, drive and commitment to achieve that vision and to have the skills to make it happen.  A leader is one who leads.  A leader sees what others do not see; he has a clear target in mind, which is a kind of `big picture. `

Drive:

Many may see what is to be done, but the leader acts or takes steps to achieve the vision.  That is why a leader is different.  A passion for an idea, a kind of inner drive, and a sense of commitment are what he has.  Whatever it is, the leader moves with a kind of strength to attain that vision despite all obstacles.

Traits:

There are many traits a leader must posses.  But some are fundamental:-

• Integrity:

  People must believe in the leader`s dream because it is the right thing to do, not because the leader is egoistic.

• Peoples` Person:

  The leader understands that people are different with unique capabilities and is able to use these individual skills and characteristics to achieve his objective.

• Positive:

  The leader encourages and rewards people and makes them do what he wants them to do right.  He is not negative, and does not waste time and effort to tell people what they are doing is wrong.

Skills:

In addition to his personal skills, a leader must possess or master certain skills if he wants to be a leader.

• Effective communication: Communication is not writing and speaking alone.  The leader`s ability to move people to act and work toward the goal he has set forth.  He also has exceptional listening skills.

• Motivation:

  The leader has the ability to motivate everyone to contribute.  He pushes the 'right button' for each has different buttons to make everyone wanting to do their best for his leader's sake.

• Planning:

  The leader has a plan to achieve his goal.  He cannot get bogged down by details; the managers are there to do that.  His high level planning makes everyone moving toward the goal.

Bottomline: 

Leaders dream their dreams.  Leaders do not let others disturb that dream or goal.  Leaders are realistic, pragmatic, yet unrelenting in what they want to achieve.  They are polite.  But insistent.  They are constantly and consistently move toward their goal at any cost.

Questions:

• What are the traits a leader must possess?
• What are the skills a leader must have?