What Makes for an Effective Leader?

The mystery of what makes one an effective leader has fascinated people for thousands of years. There is a great difference between leadership and management. Leadership in my opinion differs from management and requires transformational approaches. Peter F. Drucker says, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things (Goodreads.com,2014). Management capabilities can be developed mostly through personal experiences while leadership skills are inherent and there are therefore no clear cut ways to develop it. The viability of a leader depends more on knowing yourself, pragmatic leadership and pleasing the masses rather than responding to circumstances.

In order for one to be a successful leader, one must fully understand his or her strengths and weaknesses. Kevin Panicker, a participant in the Banner Community Service Program at the University of Richmond once said that "it is of great importance to recognize ones strengths and weaknesses because only then can one realize his or her capabilities and limitation. Recognizing limitations allows humility and the acknowledgement that leaders cannot succeed at everything." (Komives, Lucas &McMahon,2007). A good leader must be able to manage his or her weaknesses so that they do not overcome their strengths or manage them so as to make them strengths. A good example of someone who was able to manage her weaknesses so as to showcase her strengths was Helen Keller. Although she became blind and deaf at the age of 19 months, she was still able to mange her weaknesses which were being deaf and blind to being the first deaf and blind person to obtain a bachelor of arts degree (Afb.org,2014). Leadership is mostly inherent and as such leaders try to complement themselves...

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...knows about himself. I agree with Drucker when he says mangement is doing things right whiles leadership is doing the right things.

References

Afb.org,. (2014). Helen Keller Biography - American Foundation for the Blind. Retrieved 21 April 2014, from http://www.afb.org/info/about-us/helen-keller/biography-and-chronology/biography/1235

Goodreads.com,. (2014). Criss Jami Quotes (Author of Luke Wood presents More than a Million Words) (page 2 of 14). Retrieved 22 April 2014, from http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/4860176.Criss_Jami?page=2

Goodreads.com,. (2014). The Essential Drucker Quotes by Peter F. Drucker. Retrieved 21 April 2014, from http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2086954-the-essential-drucker-the-best-of-sixty-years-of-peter-drucker-s-essent

Komives, S., Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. (2007). Exploring Leadership (2nd ed.). Sans Francisco: Jossey-Bass.