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Leadership challenge model
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The Leadership Challenge Leadership skills are essential for those who wish to lead change in an organisation. According to Kouzes and Posner leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow (2007). How this relationship works can be a determining factor in the success of a project or indeed an organisation. Not everyone is a born leader, but leadership skills can be developed and many theorists have come up with strategies and processes that can be followed to achieve this goal. Kouzes and Posner outlined a very successful 5 step model called the leadership challenge. Their theory is based on many decades of research that discovered that organisations, communities and individuals can and will …show more content…
This involves recognising contributions and celebrating wins. Having high expectations for your team shows a leader believes in the abilities of his team, which increases the likelihood of a higher performing group (p. 282). It is imperative at this stage that the group are rewarded in some way for their effort; this could be as simple as a “thank you”, a “half-day off”, a “celebratory coffee & cake”. When leaders commend individuals for achieving the values or goals of the organisation, they give them courage, inspiring them to experience their own ability to deliver-even when the pressure is on. When we recognize women and men for their contributions we expand their awareness of their value to the organization and to their co-workers, imparting a sense of connectedness that, being social animals, all humans seek. While we may all be connected, leaders make sure that we're in touch (Kouzes & Posner, 2003). Bibliography: Bergen, T. (2011). James Kouzes and Barry Posner’s ‘The Truth about Leadership’. Retrieved February 22, 2012 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/leadership-books/post/james-kouzes-and-barry-posners-the-truth-about-leadership/2011/03/07/gIQApWJmjL_blog.html Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (2003) Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2006). A Leader’s Legacy. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The Leadership Challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco, CA:
Leadership plays a major role in determining the success or failure of an organization. Leadership skills can be developed, and learned. Everyone at some point in their life will be asked to be a leader. For instance, arranging an outing with peers, subordinate or family members. This person can be appointed or volunteer. To source for ideas, locations, shortlisting the ideal places and discuss with group members.
Pierce, Jon L. and John W. Newstrom (2011) 6th edition. Leaders and the Leadership Process.
Kelley, R.E. (1988). In Praise of Followers. In Wren, J.T. (Ed.). (1995). The Leader’s Companion (pp. 193-204). New York: Simon & Schuster.
In the Leadership Challenge, 4th edition, it is Kouzes & Posner (2007) intention to present a road map for individuals to follow on their leadership journey. The authors stress that “leadership is not a gene and it’s not an inheritance.” Leadership they assert is “an identifiable set of skills and abilities that are available to all of us” (p. 23). They make clear that the “great person” theory of leadership is “plain wrong.” Leaders are our everyday heroes who do extraordinary things on a regular basis (p. 23).
Clawson, J.G. (2009). Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. (p.85)
Kouzes, James, and Barry Posner. The Student Leadership Challenge. San Francisco, CA: A Wiley Imprint, 2008. Print.
The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner (2007) is the result of twenty years of research on the factors that influence and create great leadership. Through studies and stories from leaders with various backgrounds throughout the world, the practices and characteristics that create great leadership are delineated. Leadership is viewed not as a group of inherent characteristics, but as learned behavior that anyone can achieve. The goal of Kouzes and Posner’s book is to inspire and educate leaders through transformational leadership. As such, leadership is about mobilizing others to become and do extraordinary things.
Leadership at times can be a complex topic to delve into and may appear to be a simple and graspable concept for a certain few. Leadership skills are not simply acquired through position, seniority, pay scale, or the amount of titles an individual holds but is a characteristic acquired or is an innate trait for the fortunate few who possess it. Leadership can be misconstrued with management; a manager “manages” the daily operations of a company’s work while a leader envisions, influences, and empowers the individuals around them.
Gardner, J. (1990). The Nature and Tasks of Leadership. In J. T. McMahon (Ed.), Leadership Classics (pp. 171-175). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
The third leadership behavior I will work on is: Encourage the heart. I often do not recognize individuals for their accomplishment, create a spirit of community, or praise people for a job well done. I find myself thinking that my people only do the bare minimal or they do work only for the reason that it is their job. I feel in the military encouraging the heart is not tolerable for the reason that it portrays us as soft. I have a difficult time writing awards or sailor of the quarter memos which in turn depicts that I do not care about their work. To correct this behavior I will recognize members for the minor accomplishments with words of appreciation at the time, mentioning the accomplishments at all-hands, or with extra time off. When a task completion reaches the level of an award, I will take time to write the appropriate award. I will make it a point to tell people how much their work, however trivial, is accomplishing the unit’s
Northouse, Peter Guy. Leadership: Theory and Practice. 6th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2004. Print.
Willis, Gary. Certain Trumpets: The Nature Of Leadership. New York , New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Komives, S., Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. (2007). Exploring Leadership (2nd ed.). Sans Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Northouse, P. G. (2004). Leadership: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Lussier, R.N. & Achua, C.F. (2010). Leadership: Theory, application, skill development (5th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western.