Leadership

Definition:”The ability to create a vision and influence, motivate, inspire and transform others to achieve certain goals towards that vision is known as leadership.”

Leadership is the specific set of skills and attributes which can be acquired through learning.

Who is a Leader?

A Leader is a person who guides others and motivates them to achieve specific goals to accomplish his vision.

Difference between Managers and Leaders

Basis for Comparison	Manager	Leader
Position and Status	Managers are appointed personnel at official positions.	Any person can be a leader no matter what his position and status is.
Way of thinking	Controlled mindset	Out of the box thinking
Focus	Goal-oriented	People-oriented
Aim	Achieving targets	Accomplishing their vision
Objective	Getting the work done	Bringing some change
Tools	Power and control	Trust and honesty
Originality	Replica of one another, all doing the same thing	Original and individual personality
Attitude	Accept the existing situation and works accordingly	Challenge the existing situation and work to change the same
Perspective	Short term	Long term

Qualities of a Good Leader

• Proactive
• Ability to Inspire
• Clear Vision
• Good Communication Skills
• Confident
• Self Driven
• Decision Maker
• Responsible
• Learner
• Patient Listener
• Commitment
• Never Give Up Attitude
• Trustworthy

Leadership Process

1. Evaluate and assess the organisation’s position
2. Take initiative
3. Create a vision
4. Set objectives to accomplish the vision
5. Formulate strategies to achieve objectives
6. Develop a change process or tactics
7. Explain the need for change to the employees
8. Motivate and inspire the employees to bring the desired change
9. Implement the strategies
10. Analyze the results

Leadership Styles

1. Supportive Leadership: Leaders are more attentive towards the welfare and individual needs of the subordinates.
2. Directive Leadership: Leaders establish the standards of performance for the subordinates and expect them to adhere to the rules and regulations. They provide complete guidance to the subordinates.
3. Achievement-oriented Leadership: Leaders usually set challenging goals for the subordinates, expecting their constant improvement in performance. They have confidence that the subordinates will perform excellently.
4. Participative or Democratic Leadership: Leaders invite opinions and suggestions from the subordinates while making decisions.
5. Autocratic or Authoritative Leadership: Leaders have the complete hold over the subordinates and do not entertain opinions, suggestions, questions and complains. They take all the decisions solely without the participation of subordinates.
6. Strategic Leadership: Strategic leaders frame a set of strategies towards their vision and motivate subordinates to accomplish that vision.
7. Charismatic Leadership: Charismatic Leader has an extraordinary and powerful personality and acts as a role model for his followers who follow him blindly.
8. Laissez-faire or Delegative Leadership: Leaders are lenient and assign authority and responsibility to the subordinates. The subordinates are free to work as they like to and take their own decisions with the minimal interference of the management. Laissez-faire is one of the least effective styles of leadership.
9. Transformational Leadership: Transformational Leaders initiates a revolutionary change in the behaviour, perception and attitude of the subordinates. They motivate and inspire the subordinates to develop their own skills to perform better and ultimately accomplish the vision of the organisation.
10. Transactional Leadership: Transactional Leaders believe in motivating subordinates through rewards and incentives and discouraging them through punishments.
11. Coaching Leadership: A Coaching Leader is well experienced in his role and is focussed on the long-term growth of his subordinates.
12. Cross-cultural Leadership: In today’s global scenario, Cross-cultural Leaders keep themselves updated and aware of the different cultures around the world, and uses this knowledge to lead culturally diverse teams.
13. Visionary Leadership: A Visionary Leader communicates his vision for the organisation to his followers and intellectually influences them to become self-driven towards the shared vision.
14. Bureaucratic Leadership: Bureaucratic leaders use their position to exercise power and strict control over the subordinates. The subordinates have to be in complete discipline and are promoted on the basis of their capability to comply with the rules and regulations of the organisation.

Theories of Leadership

• Great Man Theory
• Trait Theory
• Behavioural Theory
• Contingency Theory
• Charismatic Leadership Theory
• Transactional Leadership Theory
• Transformational Leadership Theory

Leadership is all about the zealous action of a person taking an initiative to bring a change, solve a problem and accomplish the certain goals.