The world is struggling right now for no other reason than we have ineffective and incompetent leadership around the globe by and large. Ego’s, turf wars and fanaticism remain the order of the day and still it appears that throughout history, leaders have learned nothing.
By definition
leadership is ‘a process of social influence which maximizes the efforts of others by one person towards achieving a goal.’
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership
Leadership: Good or bad, born or made?
As a person who develops leaders internationally at all levels, I’m often asked the question as to whether Hitler, an international leader, was a good one? It’s an interesting question, because even mentioning his name causes some people to shudder. As one of the world’s largest mass-murderers, Hitler had key competencies of leadership, for good or bad.
He was influential, committed and had a strong vision for the future. And millions followed him blindly. But his leadership competencies were used to murder the marginalised in society, making him a feared, egotistical and brutal murderer, not a leader.
We believe that there is truth that some leaders are born and others are made. To rule one out would be a mistake. Leadership courses and leadership training become valuable in helping those born or made to lead become more able and understanding of what it takes to lead well, although many don’t get it right.
Effective leadership means two things in any Organisation: Making sure the tasks are done well and efficiently and that their relationships are robust and solid.
Key attributes of successful Leaders
- They have a vision and share it with others as often as they can. Others follow their vision
- They are determined and committed to achieving goals and inspire others to do the same
- They deal with problems and challenges positively and encourage others to do the same
- They are positive, approachable and personable
- They show interest in their people, asking them how they are and treating them well
- They have good relationship skills and get along with others
- They value honesty, loyalty and show integrity
- They are influential because they act in a way that inspires others and people believe in them
- People trust them
Servant Leadership
The newest of the leadership ‘styles’, servant leadership is a philosophical way of leading, where the leader focusses on helping those down the line thrive in their roles by removing obstacles and challenges that may impede their progress. There are ten guiding principles a Servant leader should follow. This style has been adopted by large Companies and continues to sweep through the corridors of leaders.
5 Top Leaders of Modern day times
My top pick of the best leaders we have seen include:
Nelson Mandela: For courage and a relentless passion for fighting for his people
Barack Obama: For foresight, an innate sense of calm and a high level of emotional intelligence
Winston Churchill: For strategic direction and commitment to his vision of saving Britain (and the world)
Mother Theresa: Dedication to humanity in the most humble way
Jacinda Ardern: Polished, insightful and shows how motherhood, being a woman and Prime Minister at the same time are all possible
To be an effective leader is not difficult and many aspects of it can be learned through leadership training, attending leadership courses and learning how leadership forms part of strategic management. But leaders need to master key competencies to succeed that are critical to how they are seen by others and the ability to influence.
We’ve been successfully developing leaders and emerging leaders for 20 years so contact us for a chat about your leaders.
Head to www.puremagicbusiness.com.au
Pure Magic International Business Solutions is an award-winning company, passionate about helping clients achieve strategic business outcomes by providing innovative leadership, management and people development strategies and techniques at all levels and by using a range of easy to implement OD and HR strategies. To find out more, head to www.puremagicbusiness.com.au
Or you can chat with us about any concerns or ideas you have about leadership. Book a free discussion at https://my.timetrade.com/book/QGY21
Photo by jean wimmerlin on Unsplash