| Leadership is the art of influencing others to | | | | with others. Your people are human beings with hopes, |
| accomplish individual and organizational goals by | | | | fears, concerns, and dreams. When you understand |
| providing purpose, direction, and motivation. | | | | that will and endurance come from emotional energy, |
| Management is the process of working with and | | | | you possess a powerful leadership tool. The feedback |
| through individuals and groups and other resources | | | | you give can help your subordinates use their |
| such as equipment, capital, and technology to | | | | emotional energy to accomplish amazing feats in tough |
| accomplish organizational goals. There are several | | | | times. Leadership skills, like any other must be |
| distinctions between leadership and management. | | | | developed. |
| Warren Bennis, one of the foremost experts on the | | | | How can one Develop Leadership Skills Required for |
| scholastics of leadership, differentiated the extremes | | | | Today's Rapidly Changing Environment? |
| of leadership and management by stating that | | | | Too often, people who cling to familiar turfs and job |
| "Leaders conquer the context--the volatile, turbulent, | | | | descriptions stifle change. One reason that even large |
| ambiguous surroundings that sometimes seem to | | | | organizations wither is that managers won't challenge |
| conspire against us and will surely suffocate us if we | | | | old, comfortable ways of doing things. But real leaders |
| let them--while managers surrender to it."(Bennis, p.12) | | | | understand that, nowadays, every one of our jobs is |
| There are a number of ways to distinguish the | | | | becoming obsolete. The proper response is to |
| differences between leadership and management. | | | | obsolete our activities before someone else does. |
| Take for example the following: The leader is | | | | Effective leaders create a climate where people's |
| innovative and creative; the manager is administrative. | | | | worth is determined by their willingness to learn new |
| The leader is an original; the manager is a copy. While | | | | skills and grab new responsibilities, thus perpetually |
| the leader develops, the manager maintains. A leader | | | | reinventing their jobs. The most important question in |
| inspires trust; the manager relies on control. The leader | | | | performance evaluation becomes not, "How well did |
| is forward thinking with his or her eye on the horizon | | | | you perform your job since the last time we met?" but, |
| while the manager has an eye on the bottom line. | | | | "How much did you change it?" |
| Leaders challenge the status quo while managers | | | | The text discusses the capability-building process as a |
| accept it. Finally, Leaders do right things; managers do | | | | three-stage process. Stage one - develop the ability to |
| things right. General Colin Powell, one of the greatest | | | | do something by selecting the right people with the |
| military leaders of our times has said, "Leadership is the | | | | required skills and experience then shaping them in |
| art of accomplishing more than the science of | | | | collaboration with efforts and work products to create |
| management say is possible." In today's business world | | | | organizational ability. Stage two - practice makes |
| developing and implementing an effective strategy is | | | | perfect. As experience grows and leaders become |
| vital to obtaining and maintaining a competitive | | | | more efficient and effective, ability evolves into |
| advantage. | | | | competence. And finally, stage three - polish and refine. |
| The Importance of Leadership to Effective Strategy | | | | (Thompson, Strickland, & Gamble, 325) |
| Development and Implementation | | | | It is a firm belief by many that self-development is |
| As stated in the previous section, change requires | | | | more necessary now than ever before. Leaders seek |
| leaders as opposed to managers. Leaders are vital in | | | | responsibility and take responsibility for their actions. |
| today's fast-changing markets. The text summarizes | | | | There are many articles that can help leaders |
| the importance of leadership by addressing what | | | | self-develop. |
| leaders are - "Industry leaders are proactive agents of | | | | Summary of Findings from Three Articles Concerning |
| change, not reactive followers and analyzers. | | | | Leadership |
| Moreover, they improvise, experiment, develop options, | | | | The Leadership Advantage by Warren Bennis |
| and adapt rapidly." (Thompson, Strickland, & | | | | Bennis discusses the concept of generating intellectual |
| Gamble, 208) Strategy equals execution. All the great | | | | capital as a leader stating that, "In a knowledge |
| ideas and visions in the world are worthless if they | | | | economy, leaders cannot command employees to |
| can't be implemented rapidly and efficiently. Good | | | | work harder, smarter, or faster. Without leaders who |
| leaders delegate and empower others liberally, but | | | | can attract and retain talent, manage knowledge, and |
| they pay attention to details, every day. (Think about | | | | unblock people's capacity to adapt and innovate, an |
| supreme athletic coaches like Jimmy Johnson, Pat | | | | organization's future is in jeopardy." He also addresses |
| Riley and Tony La Russa). Bad ones, even those who | | | | the qualities of a leader. Using effective research the |
| fancy themselves as progressive "visionaries," think | | | | author found Harvard University indicates that 85 |
| they're somehow "above" operational details. | | | | percent of a leader's performance depends on |
| Paradoxically, good leaders understand something else: | | | | personal character. Serving the needs of those |
| an obsessive routine in carrying out the details begets | | | | workers is a new leadership imperative. Effective |
| conformity and complacency, which in turn dulls | | | | leaders bring passion, perspective, and significance to |
| everyone's mind. That is why even as they pay | | | | the process of defining organizational purpose. The |
| attention to details, they continually encourage people | | | | article also explains that people want leaders to |
| to challenge the process. They implicitly understand the | | | | provide context. Leaders have honesty that creates |
| sentiment of CEO leaders like Quad Graphic's Harry | | | | trust among employees and fosters hope within the |
| Quadracchi, Oticon's Lars Kolind and the late Bill | | | | organization. These are measured by the level of |
| McGowan of MCI, who all independently asserted that | | | | effectiveness (results) that are realized by the |
| the Job of a leader is not to be the chief organizer, but | | | | organization. Finally, the author explains "Exemplary |
| the chief dis-organizer. | | | | leaders believe they have a responsibility to extend |
| Leaders are the ambassadors to change. One of the | | | | people's growth and to create an environment where |
| most known statements concerning change, "If it ain't | | | | people constantly learn." |
| broke, don't fix it" is the slogan of the complacent, the | | | | Leading Transition: A New Model for Change by |
| arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a | | | | William Bridges and Susan Mitchell Bridges |
| call to non-arms. It's a mind-set that assumes (or | | | | The authors do a great job in addressing change in |
| hopes) that today's realities will continue tomorrow in a | | | | today's business world. As we have already learned, |
| tidy, linear and predictable fashion. Pure fantasy. In this | | | | business conditions change and yesterday's |
| sort of culture, you won't find people who pro-actively | | | | assumptions and practices no longer work. Leaders |
| take steps to solve problems as they emerge. A great | | | | need to coach and mentor subordinates through the |
| way to understand the expectations of employees is | | | | transition process. In the past leaders could simply |
| to simply ask them what they need from a leader. | | | | order the changes to happen. Whereas today |
| Employee Perceptions of what Constitutes Effective | | | | transition is the state that change puts people into. The |
| Leadership | | | | authors put it nicely by stating "The change is external |
| In an effort to get the "reality" behind this topic a | | | | (the different policy, practice, or structure that the |
| survey was conducted using the senior leadership | | | | leader is trying to bring about), while transition is internal |
| (First Sergeants) under my command within the | | | | (a psychological reorientation that people have to go |
| Montgomery Army Recruiting Battalion. The summary | | | | through before the change can work)." An issue with |
| of their responses is that the leaders they have looked | | | | transition is that most leaders imagine it as automatic - |
| up to in their careers have all had the following traits: | | | | that it occurs simply because the change is happening. |
| Good leaders will point out faults, take corrective | | | | The article also discusses the format that no training |
| action but always end on a positive. Motivation is | | | | program can prepare a leader for managing transition |
| always key - creating an infectious, up beat attitude | | | | and that it is only experience that can overcome |
| that fosters a positive work environment. Great | | | | training deficiencies. |
| leaders are not afraid to listen to their subordinates and | | | | Creative Leadership by Max De Pree |
| would admit that some good ideas come from below. | | | | This article impressed me with its belief that leaders |
| Empowering subordinates to take on more challenges | | | | want to encourage creative and innovative employees. |
| creates and develops our leaders for the future. | | | | It is all about creativity. A leader acts as a buffer |
| Reading people and developing rewards that make | | | | between bureaucracy and legalism that is prevalent |
| individuals push to their potential is key to creating a | | | | throughout business today. Creative people are used |
| winning team. Strong leaders are comfortable with | | | | to foster an attitude of drive and self-satisfaction |
| themselves and do not attempt to recreate | | | | amongst the employees. A great line in the article |
| themselves to please others. Employees agree that | | | | reads, "creative people can be great teachers; leaders |
| effective leaders share certain characteristics, but | | | | prepare the classroom." Creative employees still need |
| what are they? | | | | to have reigns put on them so as to not disrupt the |
| Characteristics of Effective Leaders | | | | good order and discipline of the company. These |
| Character--who you are--contributes significantly to | | | | employees desire a fundamental level of trust and as |
| how you act. Character helps you know what's right | | | | stated earlier in this paper only honesty can create |
| and do what's right, all the time and at whatever the | | | | that trust. I like to equate this article to a term "If the |
| cost. Character is made up of two interacting parts: | | | | baby is ugly, it's ugly." |
| values and attributes. Stephen Ambrose, speaking | | | | Conclusion |
| about the Civil War, says "at the pivotal point in the | | | | There are many arguments on whether people are |
| war it was always the character of individuals that | | | | born to be leaders or must learn how to be leaders. |
| made the difference." Leaders must be those critical | | | | We have discussed many items throughout this paper. |
| individuals of character themselves and in turn develop | | | | Some of the items may be controversial to some |
| character in those they lead. | | | | whereas most would agree that leadership is an art. |
| Some characteristics of effective leaders include | | | | There is a significant difference between those who |
| values and attributes. Some of the values | | | | lead and those who manage. Leaders seek out |
| demonstrated by effective leaders are: Loyalty - bear | | | | change and take advantage of the opportunities for |
| true faith and allegiance to the organization and | | | | change. They are ever mindful that change in today's |
| subordinates. Duty - taking initiative, doing what is right | | | | world is essential for maintaining a competitive |
| in the absence of direction. Respect - treat people as | | | | advantage. Leader's are "out front" when developing |
| they should be treated. Selfless service - place the | | | | and implemented strategic operations. They can do |
| needs of the organization and subordinates above | | | | this because they are grounded by firm values and |
| your own. Lastly, Integrity - do what's right, legally and | | | | have the necessary attributes to effectively influence |
| morally. Values tell us part of what the leader must be; | | | | others to accomplish agreed upon goals. Leaders are |
| the other side of what a leader must be is the | | | | always learning, gaining valuable experience from their |
| attributes. Leader attributes influence leader actions; | | | | own leaders, peers, and subordinates. |
| leader actions, in turn, always influence the organization. | | | | Self-development is essential in "sharpening the saw" |
| As an example, if you're physically fit, you're more likely | | | | of leadership. Leader's learn and grow on a daily basis. |
| to inspire your subordinates to be physically fit. Some | | | | Works Cited |
| of the attributes of effective leaders include mental, | | | | Bennis, Warren "The Leadership Advantage" Leader |
| physical, and emotional attributes. The mental attributes | | | | to Leader. 12 (Spring 1999). |
| of a leader include will, self-discipline, initiative, judgment, | | | | Bridges, William, and Susan Mitchell Bridges "Leading |
| self-confidence, intelligence, and cultural awareness. | | | | Transition: A New Model for |
| Physical attributes--health fitness, physical fitness, and | | | | Change" Leader to Leader. 16 (Spring 2000). |
| professional bearing--can be developed. Leaders | | | | De Pree, Max "Creative Leadership" Leader to Leader. |
| maintain the appropriate level of physical fitness and | | | | 20 (Spring 2001). |
| professional bearing. As a leader, your emotional | | | | Thompson, Jr., Arthur A, Strickland III, A.J., & |
| attributes (self-control, balance, and stability) contribute | | | | Gamble, John E. (2005). |
| to how you feel and therefore to how you interact | | | | |