The Leadership Moment By Michael Useem Summary

“Leadership is a learned skill” is what the book, The Leadership Moment by Michael Useem taught me. There are many core values that a leader must possess in order to effectively lead a team and many of them such as effective communication skills are learned and developed in an individual as they get older and more experienced. Communication skills are just one necessary characteristic. Other characteristics such as respect and determination are also key to an effective leader.

“Communication is key.” is what my project management teacher once told me. Without effective communication, the team is hindered in their pursuit of a common objective. Being a leader requires vast communication skills to efficiently delegate tasks as well as be able to set clear expectations of the team. Having a defined goal is also the effect of having good communication with the rest of the team. Many projects fail due to poor communication and being a good communicator is not easy. This can be learned by not just talking to other team members but also listening and understanding them. Ultimately, communication makes sure everyone is on the same page every time.

Respect is the golden rule. It is often a term used to describe a relationship between two people that are seen as equals. Being able to have mutual respect for a teammate is very important

Having the motivation to reach a goal makes one want it more. Being determined means that a leader will not let failures bring them down. It makes them even more motivated in overcoming the obstacles that get in their way of success. A leader without determination can cause other team members to become inefficient and unproductive due to them also feeling unmotivated. To gain determination, one must feel passionate about the goal they are trying to achieve. One can gain interest and passion by learning more about the subject as well as gain experience about