Chapter I. Thoughts on Leadership
My personal definition of leadership is the sharing of personal and professional knowledge with others to build trust, while providing loyal support to your department as well as senior level managers. The support that is given to subordinates must be absolute and non-superficial, thus motivating followers to accomplish team and organizational tasks and goals.
In many formal and informal settings, we have often heard the word “leadership”. Although this term is found in many textbooks, writings, news clippings, college level courses and papers, leadership is a concept that is consistently evolving. Leadership isn’t an attribute that individuals are born with. Although individuals are born with certain characteristics and traits of a leader, those traits are honed throughout the course of a lifetime.
Northouse (2010); Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) suggested there are six traits, if perfected, would create the perfect leader. Those six traits are: drive, integrity, cognitive ability, confidence, motivation and task knowledge. Both Northouse (2010); Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) believed that individuals possessing these traits weren’t necessarily born with them- they were learned as well.
As stated earlier, leadership is an ever-evolving practice that one is subject to throughout the course of a lifetime. Leadership has countless working parts and theories that many human beings can only grasp through formal classroom training. There are leaders however, without formal education and training who are extremely successful in all aspects of their roles. These leaders focus and thrive on employee relations. These dynamic leaders utilize a plethora of styles and theories which helps to faci...
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.... “The set of deep beliefs and assumptions-the story-that develops over time in a learning organization is so different from the traditional hierarchical, authoritarian organization worldview that it seems to describe a completely different world” (Senge, 1994, p. 21).
Many individuals are ‘guilty as charged’, regarding the use of traditional leadership methods. As a Theory X leader, many professions are conditioned to maintain order and control through direct leadership. However, as they begin to mature in their leadership roles, the paradigm may begin to shift. As leaders provide employees the opportunity to project input into major concerns/changes that affect them as a whole, they will see a major organizational shift. Hopefully this change will lead to the learning organization Senge envisioned as the leading concept for U.S. industries in the future.
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.
I define Leadership as a person’s ability to guide or shepherd a herd through/to a common destination – a destination of common beliefs. The leader possesses qualities/traits that can persuade others to follow them because they believe and trust them – regardless of their “human” traits and imperfections. The herd trusts that they will stay on course to the common destination.
My personal definition of leadership is someone who is going to take charge and do the right thing. A leader is somebody everyone looks up to and strives to be. An example of when I demonstrate
Effective leadership, commonly regarded as both a learned skill and innate ability, is an essential characteristic of successful organizations (Northouse, 2016). Great leaders are said to define purpose, create a vision for the future, set high ethical standards, and guide their organizations through many circumstances and into new directions (Morrill, 2007; Parris & Peachey, 2012). Leadership is also described as complex – it can mean different things to different people. Given there is no standard approach to leadership, scholars focus on the process of leadership as opposed to the definition (Northouse, 2016). As a process, leadership is not simply possessing
Leaders are considered as an important part to any successful organization because the leader is not just being a successful leader but also to bring achievement to the organization and its employees. “Leadership is the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals.” (Robins, page 221). Leaders insist employees on entering training courses to improve the productivity, and to expand their knowledge.
Webster 's Dictionary defines leadership as "the power or ability to lead other people," and a manager as “a person who directs a team and is in charge of a business or department” (Webster, n.d.). Although, these are great definitions this paper will take a deeper look into what leaders and managers are, what leadership means as a visionary, what leadership means as a problem-solver, and what leadership means as a team-builder. Moreover, what are the most interesting aspects gained from our text through the first five weeks and how each aspect will be applied to a work environment.
Senge, P. (1990) The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organisation. Doubleday/Currency: New York.
There are lots of definitions and interpretations for the term LEADERSHIP. One is “A relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people” (Mullins, L.J. 2002, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 6th Edition, FT Publishing, p904). Another popular definition would be, “the process of influencing an organization or groups within an organization in its efforts towards achieving a goal” (Johnson, Scholes & Whittington, 2005, Exploring Corporate Strategy, 7th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, p.519)
The learning obtained from the Leadership and Organizational Behavior course has been valuable. From this course, I have learned that while someone can be a manager or a leader, it is better to be both. The various topics discussed throughout the eight week course have provided the unique insight necessary to be an effective leader. The insight gained allow for the identification of the behaviors that an effective leader must possess and continually develop. By identifying these behaviors, I am better able to shape my leadership style and goals so that I can achieve my full career potential as a leader within my organization. Ultimately, I realize that it is important to both do things right and do the right things in all my actions within an organization.
Leadership has been described as a “complex process having multiple dimensions” (Northouse, 2013). Over the past 60 years, scholars and practitioners have introduced a vast amount of leadership models and theories to explain this complex field and examine its many perspectives. Numerous leadership theories and models have attempted to define what makes a leader effective. From the early 1900s, the trait paradigm dominated leadership literature, focusing on inherited traits of leaders and suggesting that “leaders are born, not made”. However, during the 1950s, the trait approach lost enthusiasm as focus shifted to the behavior of leaders. Similar to the trait theory, the behavioral paradigm was based on general effective leadership behaviors
Leadership is the ability to not only understand and utilize your innate talents, but to also
To me, leadership is the ability to inspire the people around you in any situation and under any circumstances, to work or live for a common purpose, and to be able to handle anything that comes your way. The actual definition of leadership seems so unclear because of the many responsibilities one person has to hold and attain as part of being a leader. Leadership is essential to any group of people or organization. Some of the major characteristics of being a leader are: confidence in your self and others, able to keep calm under stress, dedication, pride, setting a Christian example, inspiring, strong willed, always honest, committed, able to communicate with others, and open minded. There are a lot of people who are smart and have good ideas but they can not lead. Having a good idea that is worth following is not enough. Someone might want to lead the world to think a certain way or another person might have ideas to make a failing ...
Leadership is trait that is extremely important in any society. Leadership is known as the way people attempting to make a difference in a situation. However, I believe that it is better said to be a way of influencing others actions. Leadership is usually connected to a great leader that affected his or her followers in a dynamic way. Throughout the semester for my leadership class, I have expanded the knowledge in numerous ways. I now have fully understanding of the purpose and process of leadership to a society. Being a leader one must maintain an image of being the role model. I believe that this is leader should be who is someone who has the ability to influence, encourage, listen, and nurture. They are able to inspire, stimulate, persuade, shape, and have an effect on others.
Many people believe that leadership is simply being the first, biggest or most powerful. Leadership in organizations has a different and more meaningful definition. A leader is someone who sets direction in an effort or task and influences or motivates people to follow that direction. The power point presentation explains leadership is the influence that particular individuals exert on the goal achievement of others in an organizational context.
Many people associate leadership with a specific job title or form of power within an organization. However, through personal experience, I have concluded that leadership can come in many forms and position as well as from multiple sources of roles and job titles both with and without power. Based on the definition of leadership, anyone can be considered a leader as long as they have the ability to influence people to achieve a particular result or goal which benefits the organization or group as a whole. Individuals with a secure sense of self and understanding, acceptance of diversity within an organization tend to be the strongest leaders that not only make others want to follow, but they also encourage other leaders to gravitate to their