Leadership Attributes

Leadership Attributes

by Ron Guerin

                                                 

“A leader is an individual that leads or a guiding head. A guide, conductor, lead, or pilot. One who provides leadership, general, commander, director, manager, head officer, captain, master, governor, ruler, admiral, chief administrator, chair person, president, boss, supervisor, executive director. Leadership is authority, control, administration, effectiveness, superiority, supremacy, skill, initiative, foresight, energy, and capacity” (Dictionary/Thesaurus, 1999, Pg. 362).

     “Leadership is the process of influencing others to achieve organizational goals. An effective leader has developed characteristics such as, diplomacy, respectfulness, listening skills, empathy, and fairness in dealing with others. The leader possesses mental capacity and ability with a college degree and continuing life long education. Leadership entails a decision-making ability, communication, and creativity skills, experience, diligence and the ability to create and implement a clear vision. Charisma, credibility, encouragement, and the ability to motivate others are additional leadership characteristics. Finally, the leader has certain values such as ethics, honesty, and integrity. The goal is toward the leaders perceived developmental needs in order to make them aware of the areas in need of development. The formula for success focuses on assisting the leader to analyze and evaluate current interpersonal skills, perceptions, and values” (Theodore, 2003, Pg. 132).

“Influence is the power to affect others or the power to produce effects because of your position. Other terms that apply include, sway, affect, impress, carry weight, be influential, determination, make oneself felt, have influence over others, lead to believe, bring pressure to bear, talk someone into, alter, change, act upon, lead, brainwash, direct, modify, regulate, rule, compel, urge, incite, train, channel, mold, form, shape, exert influence, get at, be recognized, induce, convince, cajole, persuade, motivate, have an in, pull strings, have a finger in the pie, lead by the nose, and fix” (Dictionary/Thesaurus, 1999, Pg. 328).

“Not all leaders are managers, nor are all managers leaders” (Robbins & DeCenzo, 1995, Pg. 354). One expression we all might be familiar with is, lead, follow, or get out of the way. While it has three directives, it is pertinent to varying leadership styles. Some leaders, lead and are good leaders and not so good at the other two and managers that are good followers and not good leaders or workers. We have all encountered some of these types of leaders, managers, and workers. Finally, we get to the seasoned leader that not only knows how to lead, follow, and get out of the way. The getting out of the way part is so employees can get the job done. Lastly, our leader will exemplify “drive, the desire to lead, honesty, integrity, self-confidence, intelligence and job relevant knowledge” (Robbins & DeCenzo, Pg. 355).

Power is the ability of a person or a thing to act with vigor, force or strength, authority, influence, physical force or energy. Other  terms include, command, jurisdiction, dominion, superiority, domination, mastery, control, sway, prerogative, prestige, supreme authority, the last word, rule, law, warrant, legal sanction and government (Dictionary/Thesaurus, 1999, Pg. 496).

“The path-goal theory allows leader’s job to assist his or her followers in attaining their goals. A much-respected approach to leadership is the path-goal theory developed by Robert House from a contingency model developed at Ohio State University leadership and the expectancy theory of motivation” (Robbins & DeCenzo, 1995, Pg. 362). The basis of the theory is that, the leader’s job it assists his or her employees in attaining their goals and to provide necessary support to obtain the objective of the organization. This operational theory is based on the premise that effective leader will clarify the path to help the workers get from point A to point B and make the journey along the way easier by reducing roadblocks and pitfalls.

With this path-goal theory in place, the leader’s behavior is acceptable to the degree that employees view it as an immediate source of satisfaction. A leader’s behavior is motivational in that it makes employees need satisfaction contingent on performance and provides the coaching, guidance, support, and rewards necessary for self-fulfillment.

“Situational leadership theory is a model of leadership behavior that reflects how a leader should adjust his or her leadership style in accordance with the readiness of followers”(Robbins & DeCenzo, 1995, Pg. 365). This model developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard and has a strong following among management development specialist. Situational leadership shows how a leader should adjust their style to reflect what the followers need. The success of this plan is that the leader chooses the correct leadership style, which is contingent on the follower’s level of readiness.

Charismatic leadership theory or charisma as a leadership trait and style is characteristics that influence followers in a profound style. Examples of charismatic people include John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. Ronald Regan, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton demonstrated these qualities in speech and presence.

The charismatic leader influences followers with a four-step process. Step one, with the leader stating an appealing vision. Step two communicates high expectations and expresses confidence that followers can attain them. Step three conveys through words and actions a new set of values. Lastly, self-sacrifice encourages unconventional behavior to demonstrate courage and convictions. The attributes of a charismatic leader are self-confidence, vision, ability to articulate the vision, strong convictions, behavior out of the ordinary, appearance as a change agent and environmental sensitivity.

Visionary leadership stemmed from the charismatic theory but goes beyond that. Visionary leadership is the ability to create and articulate a realistic, credible attractive vision of the future that grows and improves in the present. This vision properly implemented is so energizing that it calls on the skills, talents, and resources to make it happen.

“Vision is the power of seeing, something seen in a dream, supernaturally revealed, a mental image. The ability to perceive or foresee something, as through mental acuteness. Other terms include perception, foresight, breadth of view, insight, intuition, divination, astuteness, keenness, foreknowledge, prescience, farsightedness, wisdom. Something seen through the powers of the mind, imagination, poetic insight, fantasy, image, concept, inspiration, idea, revelation” (Dictionary/Thesaurus, 1999, Pg. 368).

“Building Trust is the essence of leadership. The five dimensions of trust include integrity, competence, consistency, loyalty, and openness” (Robbins & DeCenzo, 1995, Pg. 376). “Trust is the firm belief in the honesty, integrity, and reliability of another. Other terms include, to swear by, place confidence in, confide in, esteem, depend upon, expect help from, presume upon, lean on, fall back on, have no doubt, rest assured, be sure about and have no reservations”(Dictionary/Thesaurus, 1999, Pg. 677).

     In closing management leadership sessions are comprised of inspirational and

motivational practices in organizations. Some favorite saying are

still utilized today in management practices today, such as;

Success comes in cans, not in cannots;

another favorite is Success is 10 % inspiration and 90% perspiration.

     So with just reintroducing you to a couple of positive attitude sayings, the

goal of this seminar is to share current management and leadership practices.

The objective is that you might come away better informed, recharged and

energized in your life and life practices.

     We hope you have enjoyed this presentation and that you would strive to

“Keep both feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars” Kacy Kaysum

Those words resonate from one of all time’s radio personalities. So we leave you

with a few more of those positive attitude sayings, so that you might grow and

benefit personally, as you make choices and great decisions that lead you down

the pathway of life.

“Positive Attitude Sayings

You can disagree without being disagreeable.

You cannot tailor make the situations in life, but you can tailor make the

attitudes to fit those situations before they arise. Zig Ziglar

You cannot get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel

good. Jerry West

You must not only aim aright, but also draw the bow with all your might. Henry David Thoreau
Charles Bixton: You will never find time for anything.
Attitudes are contagious. Are yours worth catching? ~ Dennis and Wendy
Mannering

If you do not think every day is a good day, just try missing one. ~ Robert Cavett

It is so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to. ~Annie Gottlier

Oh, my friend, it is not what they take away from you that counts. It is what

you do with what you have left. ~Hubert Humphrey

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

Not every day may be good, but there is something good in every day. 

~Author Unknown

Happiness is an attitude. We make ourselves either miserable, or happy

and strong. The amount of work is the same. ~Francesca Reigler

If you do not like something change it; if you cannot change it, change the way

you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit

So often time it happens, we all live our life in chains, and we never even

know we have the key. ~The Eagles, "Already Gone"

Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.,

Life's Little Instruction Book Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, do not count on harvesting Golden Delicious. ~Bill Meyer

Defeat is not bitter unless you swallow it. ~Joe Clark

If you are not fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. 

~Vince Lombardi

I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower

would grow. 

I do not like that man. I must get to know him better. ~Abraham Lincoln

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. ~Confucius

A person will sometimes devote all his life to the development of one part

of his body - the wishbone. ~Robert Frost

The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his

life by altering his attitudes. ~William James

When you feel dog-tired at night, it may be because you have growled all day

long. ~Author Unknown

Anywhere is paradise; it is up to you. ~Author Unknown

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last

time. ~Betty Smith” (World Wide Web [WWW], 2007, Pg. 1).

References

Dictionary/Thesaurus, W. (1999) Webster's Dictionary/Thesaurus (2nd ed.). United States: Wiley.

Robbins, S., & DeCenzo, D. (1995). Fund of Management (5th ed.). USA: Prentice Hall.

Theodore, J. (2003). Holistic Management. Holistic Management.

World Wide Web (2007, Spring). Positive Attitude Sayings. Retrieved June, 7, 2007, from www.quotegarden.com