Friday 21 March 2014

Five Important Qualities of Effective Leadership

Parent, teacher, supervisor, manager, business owner - we are all called upon to lead others if we are to make a difference in the world.  Every time we influence another person, a spouse, friend or colleague, we need leadership qualities to share our vision, our idea of how things can or should be, and persuade others to work towards that goal  Today's article looks at five essential qualities for a leader.  Leading or teaching others is one of the best ways to develop and cement our own knowledge. Clich HERE to find out how to develop your leadership skills

 
Effective leadership is key to the success of an organization. Without leaders, an organization is like a ship lost at sea. Leaders are those that chart a course for their organization or set new course if necessary. There are many qualities or characteristics of an effective leadership, this article will discuss five of them.

1. Influence and Inspire
Many people think that leadership is about power; driving people to do what you want to accomplish using fear. Well, this is a wrong leadership. A leader is not a boss. An effective leader must be able to influence and inspire people to accomplish a goal, or an objective of an organization. A leader inspires; a bossy person give orders!


2. Vision
A leader must be visionary; a clear sense of purpose of the organization. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. A leader must always have loyal followers; a clear sense of hierarchy, know who the bosses are, who to talk to, what are the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing. If you don't know what you're doing or where you're headed to, people will not follow you.

3. Trust
Effective leaders are trustworthy leaders; similar to respect, it's something you have to earn from your people. Good and effective leadership can be measured from the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization. However, trust and confidence don't come easily, they are built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics. The strength of your group and the entire organization depend on the way you deal and the relationships you build with your people. This is the foundation for a strong and effective organization.

4. Communication
Communication is very crucial to effective leadership. The vision, goals, knowledge and technical expertise must be clearly communicated and imparted to all the people in organization. Remember that having a communication skill is only part of the solution; it must also flow smoothly and openly and this can only be achieved when there is trust in your organization. If the trust level is low, it's very difficult to communicate your vision or messages even though you have a high communication skill.

5. Intuition
Effective leaders are intuitive or possess instinctive knowledge to make successful decisions. Some people are naturally gifted with such trait but others learned and developed it through experiences. But one thing is certain when it comes to effective leadership, there is no doubting the importance of intuition. Many times leaders have to rely on intuition for successful decision-making.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of the people who follow you. An effective leader is not a one-man show or do-it-all-yourself hero. Effective leadership is about recognizing and taking advantage of the skills and talents from different people to form a cohesive unit.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leon_Lioe

Want to grow your leadership skills? Click HERE to find out
  •  How to inspire and exude confidence
  •  How to take responsibility
  •  Positively influence others without being bossy or over-bearing
  •  Know how and when to delegate and trust others
  • Be a part of the team, not a feared dictator
  • Keep cool under fire', and think calmly under pressure.
Get details of this inspiring leadership course HERE

Have you faced challenges as a leader? Or experienced a leader who is charismatic and trusted? Or have you been in a siyuation where there was no effective leader?  Share in the comments below.




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