OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP

Outstanding Leadership

Outstanding Leadership

Introduction

Being a leader can be great and hard thing as well. You have the control to modify things, but you do not have the control to modify people. You can transform how a government is running, how an organization handles its finances, and how individuals handle their debts; but you cannot make lazy individuals work harder, nor can you turn dull people into geniuses. What you can do, however, is encourage individuals to improve and this is a job you can achieve only if you are a good leader. Team leaders are responsible for making their employees feel supported. They have an enormous impact, be it positive or negative, on the entire team. He or she must interact with each member of the team. This interaction determines the whole team's performance (Argyris, 1976, 46).

The report 'Exceeding Expectation: the principles of outstanding leadership', is based on an in-depth, two years study, the authors describe how the task of a leader “…is to build confidence, help people to be enthused, grow and develop people, create a trusting environment, engage and pass on power”. Achieving this will, the report says, lead to “…innovation, improved quality, greater customer care and higher productivity…” (Argyris, 1976, 46).

It seems that 'conversation' is at the heart of these leadership tasks. As this study rightly reflects, leaders need to consciously lead and understand the difference they make as they interact and talk with their people, day by day. Conversation is the way through which people exchange information, ideas and knowledge. It is also the interaction through which one person influences another. The authors use a physics definition for 'interaction', stating that 'every contact leaves a trace'. It is in a leader's interest to ensure that the 'trace' that is left by each contact he or she has with their teams is positive - and memorable for all the right reasons (Argyris, 1976, 46).

Discussion

As a leader invests time in building trust and developing robust relationships with their people, they increase the likelihood of their team members going the extra mile. It is worth noting that there's never a traffic jam along the extra mile, as not enough people go there. Team members, who do go the extra mile, will also be noticed for the right reasons. It really is a win-win situation. Leaders and teams all benefit from the 'virtuous circle' created by their mutual willingness to do their best for one another and for the organization.

Being responsible for a team, large or small, is a serious business. Getting the best out of people takes creativity, guidance and perseverance. If our team members lose focus, fail to achieve the group's goals and objectives, we should be held accountable.

Leadership Qualities

A good manager makes sure the team executives effectively to their given assignments. This includes operating exceptionally within the boundaries and benchmarks of task requirements, schedule, budget and quality (Argyris, 1976, 46). A good manager understands team motivation (both carrot and stick) and takes care of the operations of the ...