What a Leader Should Consider.

What a Leader Should Consider.One of the interesting parts of being a college professor is, that you canobtain the most interesting and holistic pictures of the examined topics,through the fairly straightforward process of horizonalization, which isplacing all answers from all participants on one level and subsequentlyeliminating the redundant parts.On my question: "What, in your opinion, are the most important aspects for aleader to consider?" my students recently came up with the following.A good leader should consider:* His or her mission and vision. The strength of a leader starts with havinga clearly defined purpose in life.* His or her conviction and the most appropriate leadership style, giventhis conviction.* His or her communication skills, because those will make it possible toorient followers closer to the goal or dream.* The present situation, the people who will follow the vision, theleader-follower respect level, and the desired result.* Humility. An arrogant leader will not be followed for long, because he orshe will intimidate his or her followers, which will interfere in thequality of mutual communication and sharing the conviction. Once thefollowers turn away, the leader ceases to be a leader. On the other hand, aleader who is humble enough to give followers credit for their efforts willbe honored and respected in return.* Adaptability to changing environments. Nothing guarantees a downfallbetter than a stubborn, inflexible leader.* People skills: Knowing how to deal with followers from variousbackgrounds, and thus, with various perceptions.* A well-rounded personality: Being able to get along with people and besympathetic while, at the same time, being knowledgeable and stable as well.* Understanding: Although this ties into adaptability and people skills,this factor still deserves separate mentioning, as understanding pertains tomuch more than just working well with followers. It encompasses the entireenvironment in which the leader leads.* The ability to motivate others: It is not always easy to get a group ofpeople at the same level. Different followers may have different perceptionsand different capacities, and therefore may need different tactics to getthings done.* Ethics. Before leading anyone the leader should make sure his or herintentions and values are in the right place.* Inspiration. This is closely related to conviction, communication, andmotivation. The leader should believe in him or herself; be able to get themessage across, and live it in order to get the followers to do the same.* Honesty. If a leader is caught lying once, his or her integrity is lost,and therefore the trust of the followers.* Kindness: The leader should be accessible and friendly, because thesemanifestations will encourage followers to open up and share theirsuggestions and experiences, which may turn out to be valuable resources tothe leader.* Charisma: Although maybe not the most important asset for a leader toconsider, charisma helps to get people moving toward the goal at a steadierpace.* Determination: Once the goal is set, the leader should be confident andresolute in achieving it, in spite of some hurdles that will undoubtedlysurface.* Sensitivity. Showing empathy for others' needs, and giving support andunderstanding without becoming overwhelmed by others' problems, make for astrong leader.* Responsible risk taking. This takes courage, but should be applied anyway.A good leader should go for what he or she believes in, even when the oddsare against him or her. At the same time, the leader should stay on theright side of the fine line between taking calculated risks and indulging infoolish recklessness.* Decisiveness. Being able to make bold decisions when necessary candetermine the difference between mediocrity and greatness.* A good heart. It is the heart that drives every part of an individual. Byhaving a heart the leader shows character.* Supportiveness to followers, and, as a result to that: guidance in everypossible form. Mentoring may be one of them. Facilitating training toenhance followers� skills is another.* The organization he or she is leading, and the goals of this organization.If the goals of the organization are not aligned to the values of theleader, he or she should consider leading somewhere else.* A hardworking and dedicated approach. Although this is known more as amanagement skill than a leadership trait, it still does miracles for theidentification of followers with their leader.* Respect toward followers. If they feel appreciated and respected for theirinput, followers will be encouraged to perform even better.* Listening. Followers often have very useful information to share. Besides,they experience it as positive if their leader also lends an ear to theirpersonal issues.* Caring: A leader who listens should also follow up by attempting toimprove the quality of his or her followers� lives.* Being positive and optimistic: this attitude will rub off on followers,and they will make the seemingly impossible possible.* Being encouraging toward followers, even when they fail. A good leaderdoes not shy away from giving a reprimand, but does not dwell on it too longeither. He or she tries to catch people doing good things, and mentions thatto them as well!* Being socially responsible, and trying to do things right to set anexample for followers. This may be the point where the golden rule should bementioned as an important leadership consideration: "do unto others as youwould want them to do unto you." The golden rule includes being cognizantof their behaviors towards employees of the company as well as customers andpeers* Having knowledge of the followers and the situation, so that the leadercan apply the right leadership strategies.* Being calm and collected, which radiates trust to all stakeholders.* Being patient, as this is the trait that ultimately will deliver therewards.It is needless to say that the list could continue inexhaustibly. However,the above provided points may encourage you to add your own perspectives.Feel free!Joan Marques, Ed.D.Burbank, May 9, 2004---------------------------------------------------About the Author:Joan Marques emigrated from Suriname, South America, to California, U.S., in1998. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership, a Master�s inBusiness Administration, and is currently a university instructor inBusiness and Management in Burbank, California. You may visit her web sitesat http://www.joanmarques.com http://www.joanmarques.com/> andhttp://www.spiritcounts.com http://www.spiritcounts.com/>Joan's manual "Feel Good About Yourself," a six part series to get you overthe bumps in life and onto success, can be purchased and downloaded at:http://www.non-books.com/FeelGoodSeries.html-----------------------------------------------------It is better to live in serene poverty than in hectic affluence. Everythinghas a price. The price for nurturing your soul is turning away fromexcessive stress, destruction of self-respect, and the constant strive inlifestyle with the Joneses. But it�s worth it.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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