As far as I am concerned, a good leader is a charismatic individual who is able to comprehend personal interaction and collaboration in a way that inspires people to achieve specific goals. Being a leader, it is of paramount importance to encourage innovative behavior of employees, thereby providing constant motivation and encouragement to unleash their potential.
I strongly believe that a leader should be eager to develop innovative approaches to address emerging issues. Besides, leadership presupposes the ability to make risky decisions and effectively maneuver resources, moving them into more productive areas of activity. When it comes to the organization, it is crucial to increase educational and professional potential of employees. Leadership forms a special relationship between employees within the organization, and boosts motivation in terms of productivity. Passion, persistence, and patience are core aspects that define effective leadership (Prieto 209). A good leader is able to make people focus on a shared vision and resist being distracted (Prieto 210). The process of active interaction with the environment is aimed at the transformation of the environment. The essence of leadership is revealed in the concept of organizing activities and generating social energy, thus influencing the behavioral patterns.
I am adamant that a good leader must be part of a team and share a common system of values. Effective communication is another aspect that shapes the efficiency of leadership. A variety of approaches and techniques can be used in terms of inspiring employees, however direct interpersonal communication and teamwork tend to facilitate the process of finding motivation. Once employees are motivated and remain in the environment of constant encouragement, this atmosphere increases the sense of self-worth, thereby leading to the achievement of organizational goals in the long run. However, the ability to motivate employees considerably depends on leader’s capability to encourage teamwork and engage them in the process of planning, setting goals and solving problems (Prieto 211). Leadership is not necessarily innate trait, since leadership skills can be acquired through the experience, in particular the manifestation of boosting motivation and setting up fresh initiatives aimed at shared vision.
A leader should be not only self-confident and self-motivated, but also respectful towards others (Prieto 210). It is worth noting that respect is inextricably linked with integrity and personal example, thus effective leaders are genuine and open in terms of their actions. It is worth pointing out that leadership does not depend on gender differences, since leadership qualities are of a general nature. Dynamic and progressive development of any organization largely corresponds to the adequate development of personal potential of employees at all levels. In order to set objectives and choose the most appropriate development strategy, it is important to understand employees’ needs, pains and expectations. An effective leader is able to create favorable socio-economic, moral, psychological and intellectual conditions for development of the organization as a whole, in particular its members.
Leadership is a complex concept that encompasses far more than the ability to motivate other people. A leader should not only set the correct direction of creative initiatives aimed at inspiring others, but also take responsibility for making decisions. An effective leader is a mentor and coordinator, rather than a bossy manager. Continuous learning is an indispensable part of leadership, since real-time experiences should be in line with the requirements of the organization and expectations of its employees in the constantly changing world.
Works Cited
Prieto, Bob. “Establishing and Building Leadership Skills.” Leadership and Management in Engineering, vol. 13, no. 3, 2013, pp. 209-211.
