Question
Can one person in an organization make a difference? Write an essay on the leadership qualities required for running modern organizations
Introduction: For decades now, evaluating the history of several successful organizations, it has been observed that the concept of leadership does really matters a lot in most cases. In a study conducted by McKinsey it is being found that most of the firms, which have depth in their leadership, are showing more profit figures than the others. (Ulrich, Zenger, Smallwood, 1999). But in majority of the cases it is being observed that there is a certain degree of gap between the expected results and the available resources in the department of leadership. This proves that the expectation from a leader is always high as far as the other employees and even the management is concerned. Seventy percent of the respondents have revealed that leadership is one of the most important factors determining the fate of the overall organization. (Ulrich, Zenger, Smallwood, 1999). Instances also show that the degree of discontent among the employees increases with some drastic leadership decisions which ultimately affects the organizational policy. This kind of event shows that even though much analysis has been done regarding the subject of leadership very little individuals have actually managed to attain that position in the history of management. Leadership thus is not about only making correct decisions but also a true leader must successfully transfer their view among their employees. At that point of time only the leader will gain the confidence of the other individuals working under him or her. This is not as easy as it sounds like because, there are several parametric conditions under which the leaders are always tested. These parameters might be market conditions, the organizational level requirement, fulfillment of the organizational mission etc. For this very reason there are certain traits and attributes, which a true corporate leader must always adhere by.
Aspects: So what are the aspects that separate a good leader from a great leader? There are several qualities that a person has to possess and adopt to establish himself as a true and inspirational leader. Here are some of the basic and key aspects. According to Bass and Avolio, the motto of leadership should ideally be to-"behave in ways to achieve superior results". Now, the question is what are the attributes required from a leader to achieve this goal. One of the most important qualities that make a successful leader is the urge for continuous self development. A negative trait that can be noticed among leaders is their reluctance to be more refined in terms of education and awareness after they have made their way to the top. (Zenger, Folkman, 2009). A potentially great leader always work towards getting more and more educated and improving himself constantly. This, in turn increases his acceptability as a leader. It makes him credible enough to be considered as a man who leads from the front, not only in decision making but also in terms of knowledge and awareness. This credibility factor is the first requisite to be a leader in the true sense of the word. Inspiring and motivating others should come naturally to a leader. This becomes easy for a leader when he readily accepts his role and learns quickly to see himself as the captain of the ship. (Zenger, Folkman, 2009). This leads him to quickly take initiatives in a crisis situation and bring out the best from the others. Sometimes, a leader needs to set steep targets for others. It may appear harsh apparently, but eventually it motivates others to work harder towards a particular goal. (Zenger, Folkman, 2009). A leader must also realize the importance of team work and implement it effectively. This helps to develop a sense of unity among the other members and consequently yield better results. A high level of emotional intelligence is required from a leader. (Brody, 2005). This particular quality is essential for a leader for an honest self assessment. He should have a clear knowledge about his own fortes and drawbacks as well as of others'. This helps while dealing with people. It makes a leader fully aware about the different attitudes that need to be adopted while dealing with each particular individual. It makes his job easier. A good communicator, more often than not makes a good leader. Communication is one of the most vital aspects of leadership (Brody, 2005). Building rapport and connecting with people instill a sense of camaraderie among others. These social skills help the leader to maintain a relationship of trust and unity, which in turn is bound to bring in a vast improvement in individual performances. A leader needs to think fast. He always has to be on his toes and be prepared to take quick decisions. For this, flexibility is a necessity. (Thomsett, 2009). Situations may arise where best laid plans can go wrong. In those situations, it is upto the leader to act quickly and be flexible, if it is required. Other than these it is necessary for a leader to gain the reputation of a problem solver (Zenger, Folkman, 2009). For this a certain level of dynamism is required. A leader must always be ready to take charge in difficult situations, so as to maintain a sense of confidence and trust in the organization (Zenger, Folkman, 2009). Also, to achieve a success it is imperative for a leader to make others feel responsible. He should make it clear from the onset that everyone is as responsible as him when it comes to achieving goals and overall smooth running of the organization. Last but not the least a leader needs to be aware of all the happenings that are taking place in the world outside the organization. (Zenger, Folkman, 2009).It is necessary to introduce and instill newer ideas. Otherwise an organization may remain cooped up and lag behind. The onus is on the leader to keep abreast with the world outside and take advantage of that in an effective manner. These are only some of the key attributes that a leader should ideally possess in order to excel.
Conclusion: Now the question comes about the fact that whether leadership qualities can be injected or taught to any individual so that they can grow them as a their skill. (Adair, 2005). But according to the industry experts the particular quality is more natural and spontaneous and cannot be adapted or learned as an external skill set. It is in fact that particular ability that an individual posses which enables him or her to influence the activities of an organization and guide it towards the goal. (Grint, 1997). But these are all regular and bare minimum attributes that an organizational leader must posses. The most difficult stages come in the time of turnarounds and startups of companies. (Whitney, 1998). It is the actual time where the leader must not only direct the company in the best possible path but also the individual must side by side develop the faith of the other employees. This requires a great level of communicational flow among the organization where the leader can share and discuss the steps that he is going to take. In this way the employees get well informed and do not feel alienated from the decision making process. These are ways by which a particular individual can create a huge lot of a difference within the organization. But one should remember that no organization is run by a single individual. For that reason it is the responsibility of the person with leadership attribute to include the rest of the organization in the journey of success.