A critical reflection on leadership
I have always held the view that leadership is a straightforward concept. Many times have criticized leaders on the decisions they have taken. After a decision has been made, I have always looked at and thought it could have been done the other way round. Many times have had the assumption that leadership is about the use of common sense in running the organization as the leader. However, not until I rose to the position of chief executive officer of the company I worked for when I realized that leadership is not only the use of ordinary senses. I have come to understand that, apart from using common sense as a leader, good leadership needs reflection on many crucial leadership concepts.
One significant aspect I have learned on effective leadership is that it begins with self-awareness. This implies as a leader. There is a need for working hard to understand and know oneself better intimately. For example, it is good to examine the ideal ways that your values aggress with one’s character. Also, going the extra mile to identify one’s strengths and weaknesses can promote better and effective leadership. Also, creating a culture of individual respect as well as respect for other members that you work with or lead enhances effective leadership. I have also noted that organizational culture never teaches an individual about leadership. Instead, it requires one as a leader of the organization to what and how the administration ought to be daily.
As a manager, I have also observed that integrity is essential for effective leadership. While many people have different descriptions and definitions of integrity, I have discovered the most critical idea of integrity is that an individual’s integrity is a matter of core value of one’s word and actions.
This means that when you keep your word as a leader within all tasks irrespective of whether they are big or small, you earn trust from the people that you are leading. They can even trust you with more significant responsibilities. You can draw credibility from the trust and responsibilities. Eventually, this results in a perfect environment where all individuals in the organization can accomplish the goals and objectives of the organization. Therefore, there is a need for and individual to build habits keeping their words always. You should not only keep it for others but also learn to keep it for yourself as a leader.
Another aspect of effective leadership I have learned is, as a leader, it is also good to pay attention to oneself. You will take reasonable care to others whom you lead when you can also take care of yourself. It is in order as a leader to understand one’s limits and what you have the potential to achieve within a given time limit. Establish the tasks that you can perform and delegate others in a way that promotes teamwork within the organization.
While motivating the employees may appear life waste organizations resources, I have come to realize employee’s motivation does wonders in an organization. Motivating the employees promotes their satisfaction and enhances productivity. It also sets up an excellent example. As a manager, it is good to establish the weaknesses and strengths of an employee and help them in developing their skill sets. Offer support to those employees undergoing stress, empower them in undertaking ownership of projects, provide them with incentives and any reward after an excellent performance, appreciate the achievement each and every individual, and create a well-motivated working environment.
As a manager, I have also realized that, while communication is an essential aspect of the organization, it is not just communication but effective communication that promotes effective leadership. Giving accurate information, in the right way and at the right time to the right person is essential for effective management within an organization. Since the employees are a core part of the organization, the managers need to talk to them frequently. Take time as the manager, listen to them, go to specific places of work that they are in, observe the conditions they are going through. This way, they will feel well taken care of, and they will know that someone minds about them. It might look like a waste of time or stooping too low. However, it is the most important thing to do as a manager. Being the leader, it is essential to maintain an open communication line within the organization.
While conflicts are part and parcel of the organization, I have come to realize that they can be effectively managed in a different approach that does not amplify them. With the correct set of skills, as a leader, you can identify and solve any issue coming from the employees before going out of hand. Begin by understanding the problem and give it the attention that it requires. As part of the top-level management, point out an emerging issue before the team managers get a glimpse of it. There is a need to identify the root cause of the arising problem. This situation requires the application of the analytical skills that are essential for effective leadership and management. Look at relevant information, and understand it, use good ways of obtaining the data, and concentrate on the outcome. For effective conflict solving, don’t just look at the problem, but keenly look at the factors that have brought the issue. Be resourceful in case there is a problem with the organization. The appropriate way of problem-solving is spotting the potential instances of the problem and addressing them before causing the actual problem.
As I conclude, it is essential to note that a leader plays a very crucial role in promoting the achievement of organizational goals. They help in enhancing teamwork among the employees. This is evident through reflection on individual awareness, integrity, and effective communication, the motivation of the employees, self-care, and sufficient conflict resolution. Any leader that is committed to these leadership concepts has assured the achievement of individual and organization success.
Community-based leadership
From interviewing Mrs. Adams, who has been a high school principal for fifteen years. She says that Oprah Winfrey inspired her leadership. After reading Oprah’s Winfrey book, chicken soup for the woman’s soul (1996), she was challenged to become not only a leader but an effective leader with an impact on the lives of the people. Oprah (54) challenges women to be different, pioneers, leaders, and women who, within the adversity, will progress, embracing life and walking confidently towards the challenges. Mrs. Adams admits that reading that challenge made her strive to be the leader she is today.
She says that self-awareness of personal characteristics is key to her leadership role. Having been in the education sector and a leader, it has provided her opportunities for collaborating with people from all walks of life. Through the interactions with people, she was able to learn a lot about people and leadership. According to her, when people are working without a designed leader, an automatic sorting process will naturally occur and choose the leader, and this is where personality traits and self-awareness plays a very crucial role. She informed me that they took life style inventory during one class, and the result from her lifestyle inventory just reflected her personality and her character. Mrs. Adams points out that her personality is what comes out in everything she does as a leader. This also confirms that she is never power-hungry, she never avoids problems, and she is not oppositional when approaching situations.
Valuing other employees is another aspect of leadership she observes to be vital as she leads. She notes that she is always fond of the quote from Nader (22) that says the function of leadership should focus on producing more leaders and not the followers. She is of the view that the value you attach to the team that you lead is the same value you get back
When it comes to problem-solving, Mrs. Adams says that she appreciates being part of the solution as a teacher and as a leader. She feels good when she makes a decision upon a solution and implements such a solution in solving an issue within the school she manages. She points out that she has ever taught in a school where the provincial never believed in shared decisions; this enabled her she both sides of the issues as far as problem-solving is concerned. After being promoted to another school as the head, she feels sine she feels ownership and works with others well to encourage education. She goes ahead to say that she gets motivation from Glickman (24), who says that, for the schools can succeed educationally only when a community of professionals works together to achieve a vision of teaching.
In the context of the leadership traits, she says that irrespective of setting, there will always be the appointed leader, and there will be those who wield perceived power. She, therefore, opines that a leader needs to be effective within group process procedures for the group to realize its potential. The leader is required to be effective in leading the organization to attain success. The traits of good and effective leadership, according to her is a vision, ability to take timely actions, and appropriate, being right a competent appraiser, as well as excellent interpersonal skills to help in building support from other members of the institution.
She said after reflection on her leadership traits, Mrs. Adams noted characteristics like trustworthiness, honesty, supportiveness, encouraging, good listener, empowering, applying fairness, politeness, reliability, knowledge, pro-activeness, collaboration, and a relationship builder. All the traits have helped her to be a good and better leader. Besides, ethical leadership, according to her, should also include ethical decision making, public effectiveness, risk-taker, goal-oriented person, and an excellent instructional leader. She notes that the above are daily things that are of interest to the people working in the institution. The teachers and the support staff need to have the ability to see these characteristics in action within a leader to make them follow and support the leader of the organization.
Mrs. Adams believes that instructional leaders should exhibit courage and should promote educational excellence. This can be learning strategies, curriculum, as well as another area that are connected with instruction. She admits that she is a good leader and manager. She sets goals for herself that are both professional and personal and works towards their achievement that is key for a good leader. Besides, she informed me that planning for the future, deciding on the path she wants thing to take has been part of her since she became a teacher. Apart from that, she also points out that she is a very well organized person in life and as in the performance of the roles as a leader and administrator in the school. However, she notes her instructional qualities, leadership, and managerial quality have been increasing with time and not a one-night event. She began from high school, where she served as a student leader, and upon joining higher learning institutions, she was also among the student’s leader. All the experiences gained have made her what she is today.
My reflection on lessons learned
- Leadership is not all about power.
Leadership comes with power. However, I have learned that leadership is about the ability to influence others to perform tasks within an organization. It is not about the potential to intimidate others simply because one is on the leadership position and has the power to make decisions, including dismissing an employee from the organization. As an effective leader, leadership is the ability to move the followers to get into action without the use of coercion. Effective leadership does not involve the manipulation of the employees to get into your way. It is about establishing what motivates an individual commitment to the job and applying that knowledge in leveraging performance and attaining positive results.
- Effective leadership requires vision.
Vision is critical in helping people to move forward. It is not only the people but also the organization. The leaders who have strong visions, any setback, and obstacles seem insignificant to them. They can work through such barriers and perseveres to the achievement of set goals and the vision. With the leadership vision, individual persons and the organization can remain focused on what matters most. Good vision inspires the leaders and also the commitment of the groups needed for action to make constructive changes towards a future that is desired by all players. Leadership has to be compelling to capture the hearts of the stakeholders in an organization. It will make people pay attention to the success of the organization.
- Leadership determines organizational success.
I have come to the understanding that the success of any organization is highly dependent on its leadership aspect of leadership effect to the success of any organization. Leadership offers direction, inspiration, encouragement, and motivates the employees to achieve the goals of the organization. The organizations that have poor leadership are likely to collapse. High performance can only be assured when there is effective leadership. Through sound leadership, the line managers earn the potential of influencing the employees below them to perform. The performance of the organization requires group effort and teamwork. Excellent command, therefore, ensures such groups and teams work together and with inspiration to attain success.
- Integrity matters so much in leadership
I have come to appreciate the extent of integrity in leadership. The leaders with high levels of integrity gain much trust from the people they lead, and the stakeholders of the organization. Integrity enhances the values of leadership in an organization. The leaders of integrity are consistent with actions, principles, and professionalism in an organization
Conclusion
The leadership concept is vast. However, it is an essential aspect of individual success and the success of the organization. Good leaders should be people of integrity, trustworthiness, inspiring, motivating, supportive, and caring for their employees. Effective leaders are essential for the success of the organization.
Work cited
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