Like anything else to improve life, there’s plenty that’s been discussed about leadership. Certain rules, the styles and traits of the greatest leaders in life, inspiring leaders throughout history who has made a difference. What’s also known is that there’s certain leadership skills that can be learned.
There are a variety of different types of leaders that we will encounter in our lives. There are the self-derived public leaders, such as those who are elected into positions of power, such as politicians. The most obvious is the CEO of the company that you work for, or the captain of your favorite sports team.
Informal leaders are those that we look up to, this by virtue of their wisdom, aura, or experience such as our grandparents, instructors, elders of a tribe. Those who rise to the top in a given field, are all leaders, this by virtue of their expertise or contribution.
Leadership A Process
There are some who are born with innate leadership qualities, as they have a certain sense, this without any formal training but given the right circumstances. These are individuals who may also not develop to reach their full potential.
Much like learning how to ride a bike for the first time, what’s known is that anyone can learn how to become a better leader, this by honing the skills that are taught.
To Learn Leadership
Like anything else that needs to be learned, education is the key, as knowledge on leadership can be grasped by understanding its theories, this by enrolling in leadership workshops, seminars, and conferences, which teaches the blueprint of leading others.
What daily interaction with others does is provides the opportunity to observe, and then practice these leadership skills that are instructed.
What combining formal and informal leadership training does, is you’ll gain leadership attitudes by experience, while gaining executive insights, which furthers the progress of learning.
Like anything else that’s taught, what you won’t do is become a leader overnight, nor will you stop learning to become one.
What’s needed is a life-long commitment, with an enduring attitude and personality that others will gravitate towards. What new situations will bring, are new experiences which places your knowledge and skills to the test.
Leadership Begins With You
The best way of developing leadership skills, is by constantly applying it to your own life. What’s known is that action speaks louder than words.
Leaders are always persistent in the limelight. Realize that your credibility and proof as a leader, depends on the actions that you take.
This includes your direct interactions with your friends, family, and coworkers. The fashion that you manage your personal and organizational responsibilities.
It’s also how you present yourself publicly, how you treat the wait staff or your dog. How you treat others in need which can’t help you, or you can’t gain advantage from.
What repeating these leadership skills does is eventually becomes habits. What habits then does is reveals your personal character.
So begin by polishing up your personal life first, and then learn to project that personality in everything that you do, this to achieve personal leadership, which becomes a natural reaction rather than a choice.
Shared Leadership
For leadership to be effective, it’s not the sole responsibility of just one individual, but rather it’s a shared responsibility among members of the team, where there’s contribution or support. A true leader belongs to a group, where each member has their own responsibilities to fulfill.
What formal leadership positions are is that they’re merely added responsibilities, this aside from their responsibilities as members of the entire team.
What effective leadership requires are all members to do their share of the work. Beginning as a group of individuals, what leaders and members will do is work towards the formation of a team that’s effective, this by establishing protocol.
So what’s required is social interaction, which can play a major role in leadership. What learning how to work together requires is a great deal of trust, this between the leaders and the members of the team.
Trust is built based on the individuals actions, and not on words or promises. Once mutual respect exists, is when trust is fostered while confidence is built.
Leadership Depends On The Situation
Why is it that dictatorships just works in certain countries, while it doesn’t in others. Aside from value systems, beliefs, culture, and forms of government, the current situation of a certain nation does is affects the leadership styles that’s used by its elected leaders.
There’s no singular rule that there’s only one style of leadership that can or should be used. For the majority of the time, what the greatest leaders will do is employ a combination of leadership skills and styles, this depending on the temperature and the situation.
During emergency situations such as periods of war, decision making becomes a matter of life and death. So the country’s leaders can’t afford to consult with all departments, this to arrive at immediate critical decisions.
This is different in times of peace and order, as the best recourse is interaction for the best possible governance.
This is similar with every leading corporation or organization as well. If the employees happen to be extremely competent and highly motivated, then the type of leadership that’s needed is delegating responsibility to others, with moderate participation.
For those workplaces where the employees have poor motivation and low competence, what’s then required are more strict measures, more support, training, and continuous direction from the leadership group.
What certain personalities that might be aggressive or dominating in nature, does is lends those who are perhaps more capable of leading others, while the more submissive are willing to follow.