Traits of effective leadership
Leaders are responsible for the management, organization, and control of their subjects. Besides, leaders are capable of influencing others towards achieving a common goal. Effective leadership requires traits such as transparency and honesty. It is characterized by doing things correctly without hiding anything from fellow workmates. Transparency is linked closely to integrity (Leithwood et. al, 2008). It implies that leaders have to trust their teams with their ideas, identify their strengths, capitalize on them and share tasks between various departments in the organization. Communication skills are essential to ensure that leaders communicate efficiently with their teams. It can be enhanced by open door policy; being available to discuss emerging issues with staff members from time to time. For a leader to be effective, he or she must be creative. A good leader should be innovative and have the ability to come up with new ideas and development that will lead to the growth and profitability of the firm. Effective leaders should have a positive attitude to work towards the success of the company. A positive attitude allows a manager to stay optimistic. They should be perceptive and sensitive; have genuine interests of others at heart. An effective leader should approach decision making with rationality and practicality as well. They should understand different views and beliefs of the employees. They should involve all the employees in the decision-making process to ensure that some are not discriminated against (Leithwood et. al, 2008). Regarding power building, the president of the company should form long lasting business ties and team spirit among the employees. Effective leaders should be committed to making sure that the organization achieves the goals that it has set.
Types of leadership styles and skills
The president has the highest power and authority in an organization thus, should possess excellent skills. Therefore, he or she should use the appropriate leadership styles. Leadership skills are in three broad categories; interpersonal, conceptual and administrative skills. In the operations of an organization, organizational skills are necessary to meet objectives and goals. Interpersonal skills are individual characters, which help in relating with superiors, peers, and subordinates. Conceptual skills define the cognitive perspective of leadership (Turner & Müller, 2005). Excellent leadership skills include; the ability to plan and evaluate the performance of the firm (conceptual skills). The interpersonal relationship involves acknowledging the needs and characteristics of the company, controlling and counseling the employees, and sharing information successfully. Other activities involved include; the potential to represent the organization in both local and international levels, the establishment and proper utilization of resources, and setting the example for others to follow (administrative skills). The best leadership styles for a presidential post would be a conventional method where the president guides the people rather than directing them. The democratic style of leadership allows all stakeholders in the organization to participate in decision-making processes. The coaching leadership style allows a leader to train and teach employees to improve their knowledge and skills. The transformational style involves a leader, who aims at making positive changes to the organization, employees, and other stakeholders. Under the laissez-faire style, employees and leaders are free to work according to their personal schedule and preferences. Transformational and democratic styles are the styles that are used mostly, since they are practical and easy to use (Turner & Müller, 2005).
Importance of attending to tasks and relationships
Good leaders have a deep understanding of their responsibilities and tasks that need to be done. They relate to the people, who help them in completing a task well. Leaders can be categorized into relationship oriented and task oriented. It is significant for leaders to attend to work and relationships, to ensure smooth running and progress in the organization (Rotundo & Sackett, 2002). It is important to attend to tasks, as it ensures that set deadlines are met; jobs are completed timely. Leaders can focus on workplace policies and rules and delegate wok to ensure that activities are done productively within the specific duration. It emphasizes the need to plan and set goals for an organization. Maintaining relationships in an organization helps in building teamwork, good communication, and positive correlation. The positive environment and relationship among leaders and their staffs ensure that conflicts, dissatisfaction, boredom and resentment are minimized in the workplace. The creation of a positive correlation by leaders helps in motivating, achieving satisfaction and attending to the well-being stakeholders in the organization efficiently (Rotundo & Sackett, 2002
The importance of following and communicating a vision, and setting the tone by a leader
A vision is a dream or a way forward regarding the achievements in an organization (Frese et. al, 2003). It is essential for leaders to take such an initiative, as it is a way of informing and directing the people in the firm. Communicating the vision helps a leader to attract other members of the organization to join them in efforts to achieve any goals that have been set. It helps in raising hopes and expectations of the people and inspiring them to do more. Setting the tone for an organization helps in understanding the mission and values that all employees in an organization should follow. Through the tone setting, set policies, values, and mission of the enterprise, underperforming employees are removed from the company. Therefore, tone setting and communicating visions of the industry helps in guiding the employees on their behavior and the way forward.
The importance of good out-group member skills, handling conflicts and overcoming obstacles
Good leaders have the ability and expertise to listen to organization members such as, members of an out-group (Barsade & Gibson, 2007). Out-group members are the individuals, who are identified as the minor group in the organization. The group arises due to the lack of communication skills, conflicting social beliefs, and norms, ethical and political standpoints. Out-group skills help the president and other leaders in a firm to listen to the group, pay attention to their needs and recognize their contribution to the business. Empathy is achieved as well; it creates a relationship and motivation among the out-group members in the long run. Conflicts, which arise from diversity in viewpoints, beliefs, and values among employees and staffs are inevitable in any organization or among a group of people. Handling conflicts requires the president to separate people, who have been involved in a conflict, deal with the real conflict causes and come up with a practical and rational decision (Barsade & Gibson, 2007). It is delicate to handle a conflict that requires a high level of practicality, rationality and reason to bring conflicting parties to an agreement. To ensure that involved parties are not discriminated, decision-making should be made in a collaborative event during conflict resolution. Unclear goals, obscure vision, the lack of motivation, and complex are some of the challenges that leaders face. By choosing a style that fits or attends to the needs of individual group members and their contribution to the organization, leaders can overcome these obstacles. They could allow members to set personal goals and come up with their strategies to follow as well. In this case, leaders help the members to navigate through the obstacles to achieving their targets (Barsade & Gibson, 2007).
Ethical leadership traits
Ethical leadership entails influencing others morally towards achieving a common goal for the benefit of all. Heads should portray distinct traits to achieve moral leadership. One of the traits is service to others. A moral leader serves others by placing their interest ahead of his or her benefit. He or she is dedicated to service others productively (Johnson, 2013). The second trait is honesty. It ensures transparency in all dealings. People respect honest leaders due to their transparency in sharing the facts, whether ugly or good. Another trait of ethical leadership is community building. Ethical leaders have the interest of the community at heart and aim at achieving community goals. A relationship and teamwork are thus, created between an organization and the community. Ethical leaders are fair. Fairness and justice are vital in guiding the behavior of ethical leaders. They treat all individuals equally and morally, with no discrimination. Ethical leadership is characterized by respect and dignity, which come with listening to others, liberalism to accurate view and compassion to others (Johnson, 2013).
References
Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2008). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership. School leadership and management, 28(1), 27-42.
Turner, J. R., & Müller, R. (2005, June). The project manager's leadership style as a success factor on projects: A literature review. Project Management Institute.
Rotundo, M., & Sackett, P. R. (2002). The relative importance of task, citizenship, and counterproductive performance to global ratings of job performance: a policy-capturing approach. Journal of applied psychology, 87(1), 66.
Frese, M., Beimel, S., & Schoenborn, S. (2003). Action training for charismatic leadership: Two evaluations of studies of a commercial training module on the inspirational communication of vision. Personnel Psychology, 56(3), 671-698.
Barsade, S. G., & Gibson, D. E. (2007). Why does affect matter in organizations?. The Academy of Management Perspectives, 21(1), 36-59.
Johnson, C. E. (2013). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. Sage Publications.
