LEADERSHIP SKILLS

LEADERSHIP
This is a process in which one individual influences the behavior of others with or without the use of threat of violence. It involves people and this may include the followers or employees who help in defining the leaders status and to make the leadership a process visible by the willingness to accept direction from him or her. The possession of some power source determines who gets followers and who does not.

Leadership comes from unequal distribution of power between the leaders and the followers. The followers are not powerless. They can and do shape the direction of leadership in any given situation. That is to say, they have the power that a leader has to contend with but the leader usually has more power than the followers.

Sources of power
Reward Power;

A leader has reward power if he controls the rewards that the people/employees value. In any management structure, this power is represented by; a) Promotion b) Motivations c) Recognition for good performance d) Privileges e) Good relations at work If a leader controls rewards that the followers do not value, then the leader does not have reward power.

 Coercive Power;

A leader has coercive power if he or she is able and willing to administer penalties that the followers dislike. In any governing body, coercive power may be represented by humiliation and other forms of abuse.

LEADERSHIP MODEL
In this model, there are four major components where leadership lies on. These components include; i) Credibility ii) Vision iii) Communication Leadership iv) Achievement Vision Achievement Communication Credibility

Credibility

The best way to achieve a good idea is to have lots of ideas. Its the first component of the leadership model and is the foundation of all leadership. Credibility in leadership is seen as a process between the leader and his relationship with the followers. The leaders have the following characteristics; Honesty - Broad minded Forward looking - Supportive Inspiring. - Dependable Being competent - Cooperative Intelligent - Determined Loyal - Self control

Vision

This is perceived dream of the future or a picture of the future one wants to attain in his/her life. A leader has to practice 3 major essentials if he/she is to attain his/her vision. 1. Discover and appeal to the common purpose. 2. Give life to a vision by communicating expressively so that people can see themselves in the vision. 3. Listen deeply to others.

Communication

Communication in leadership is like the blood system in the body. We must remember that leadership as a relationship and communication is a essential. The leader has to sense the followers purpose in order to engage them in the common journey. How can he/she do this? Listening, Speaking, Reading, Preventing, Admitting mistakes, Asking for Clarification and Responding nondefensively. NB: The key ingredient in every communication is honour. It can lead to cohesion and bonding among people.

Achievement

The ability to achieve the set reachable target in the project is essential in order to foster collaboration. People are led by example or results like setting the milestone that will lead us to our vision. The leaders ability to set attainable milestones or intermediate goals is greatly desirable. Leadership depends on three major factors/issues; 1 Individual 2 Followers 3 The conditions.

Types of Leaders
There are many types of leaders and are not limited to the following; 1 Charismatic Leaders These have exceptional qualities like organization, oratory which makes them transfer others and be willing to follow them without questions. They are believed to be having in-born qualities which distinguish them from the masses.

Traditional Leaders

These acquire leadership positions by blood birth e.g. Kings, traditional chiefs, clan heads etc.

Laissez-faire leaders

They don't interfere; they allow people within the

team to make many of the decisions. This works well when the team is highly capable, is motivated, and doesn't need close supervision. However, this behavior can arise because the leader is lazy or distracted. This is where this approach can fail.

Autocratic Leaders

They make decisions without consulting their teams. This style of leadership is considered appropriate when decisions need to be made quickly, when there's no need for input, and when team agreement isn't necessary for a successful outcome.

Democratic leaders Allow the team to provide input before making a decision, although the degree of input can vary from leader to leader. This style is important when team agreement matters, but it can be difficult to manage when there are lots of different perspectives and ideas.
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Why are some leaders successful, while others fail?

The truth is that there is no "magic combination" of characteristics that makes a leader successful, and different characteristics matter in different circumstances. This doesn't mean, however, that you can't learn to be an effective leader. You just need to understand the various approaches to leadership, so that you can use the right approach for your own situation. One way of doing this is to learn from others and share ideas. Clearly, how leaders behave affects their performance.

Characteristics of leaders
Good Leader Bad leaders
Abdicate responsibility,

Help individuals

identify goals & priorities and develop action plans. Consult, listens, learns, shares. Take responsibilities, make decisions and get things done.

are indecisive, unreliable, uninformed. Will not consult, listen, learn or share. Take credit for the success of others. Undermind others and stop people from getting on with their work.

Characteristics of Leaders
Good leaders
Manage her/his time well

Bad leader

and delegate responsibilities. Trust people to get on with their work. Inspire confidence in themselves. Give praise and appreciation when work is done well and help to improve.

Make judgments about

people on the basis of stereotypes and prejudices. Create an environment in which someone always has to be blamed when things go wrong. Generates lack of confidence among them.

The principle of win-win embraces:

Integrity: Operating according to your own deeply

held values Maturity: Achieving a balance between courage and consideration Abundance mentality: The idea that everyone can succeed or win Relationships: Maintaining relationships based on understanding and trust Agreements: Clear agreements, which specify desired results, guidelines, parameters, etc

Teamwork
TEAM is symbolized as
Together Everyone

Achieves
More

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts i.e. 1+1 = 2

Top 10 Qualities of Good Leadership

1. High Performance Leaders Are

Trustworthy; Trust is the basis for all the relationships in your life. Without trust, it's impossible to create healthy and productive environments, either in work or personal situations. 2. High Performance Leaders Are Self Aware and Insightful About Their Impact On Others. This is one of the qualities of good leadership that you really want to master. The best leaders are really great at watching how others are reacting to them and fine-tuning what they are saying to ensure that they are building the relationship.

3. High Performance Leaders Love To Learn, Grow, Expand A high performance leader stays relevant, by making sure they are at the leading-edge in terms of leadership skills, interpersonal skills and knowledge in their organization's field of expertise. 4. High Performance Leaders Have High Self Worth and Self Esteem Dealing with self esteem can seem like a touchyfeely waste of time, but that is absolutely not the case. It is crucial to your success and leadership ability.

5. High Performance Leaders Are Excited By Life If you aren't excited about the journey ahead, how on earth will you excite those around you? Now this doesn't mean you need to go all cheerleader. But it does mean that you get out there with a spring in your step, and a vibe of passion, urgency, desire, energy and animation that others just can't help but be compelled by. 6. High Performance Leaders Fix Problems, Find Solutions, And Don't Fix Blame When something goes wrong, great leaders step up and acknowledge their part in it, and don't fall into the trap of trying to shift blame elsewhere. They'll focus on fixing the problem not fixing blame.

7. High Performance Leaders Refuse To Gossip The best leaders are loyal to those who aren't there. They don't engage in workplace gossip. No matter how well justified or frustrated they may feel! 8. High Performance Leaders Grow Their People High Performance Leaders build teams of superstars by being exceptional delegators of working challenge. They ensure that their people are regularly being challenged to grow and learn. Poor motivation leads to low morale which leads to poor performance.

9. High Performance Leaders Have An Open Office. Good leaders make it easy for their people to interact with them. Great leaders aren't into the power trip of having to have an office where others must come to them. They understand that having open plan offices enables them to be in the hub with their finger on the pulse providing far better results in terms of communication 10. High Performance Leaders Engage And Energize The very best of leaders help people to see that what they do makes a difference.

Honest
Approachable

Transparent
Visionary

Dedicated

Delegates duty

Integrity

Respected

Listener

Learns