Leadership

• Definition and Meaning of Leadership
• Key Elements of Leadership
• Leadership Theories

INTRODUCTION
The success or failure of managers depends on their leadership qualities. They can be successful leaders by helping subordinates to find solutions to their problems. Managers are involved with bringing together resources, developing strategies, organizing and controlling activities in order to achieve objectives. At the same time managers, as leaders, have to select the goals and objectives of an organization, decide what is to be done and motivate people to do it. Thus, leadership is that function of management which is largely involved with establishing goals and motivating people to help achieve them. Leaders set goals and help subordinates find the right path to achieve these goals.
A person may be an effective manager – a good planner, and an organized administrator – but lack the motivational skills of a leader. Another may be an effective leader – skilled at inspiring enthusiasm and devotion – but lack the managerial skills to channel the energy he/she arouses in others. Given the challenges of dynamic engagement in today’s business world, most organizations today are putting a premium on managers who also possess leadership skills.

DEFINITION AND MEANING OF LEADERSHIP
• Leadership is the use of non-coercive influence to shape the group or organization’s goals, and motivate behavior towards the achievement of those goals.
• It is a process in which one individual exerts influence over others.
• Leadership involves other people – employees or followers – who by the degree of their willingness to accept direction, help to define the leader’s status.
• It involves authority and responsibility, in terms of deciding the way ahead and being held responsible for the success or failure in achieving the agreed objectives.
• Leadership involves an unequal distribution of power between leaders and group members. Group members are not powerless; they can and do shape group activities in a number of ways. Still, the leader will usually have more power.

KEY ELEMENTS OF LEADERSHIP
It has been observed that every group that attains its goals or performs efficiently has a skilled leader. A leader’s skill comprises of four major elements: (1) the ability to use power effectively and in a responsible manner, (2) the ability to understand the fact that people are motivated by different forces at different times and in different situations, (3) the ability to inspire and (4) the ability to behave in a manner that will develop a harmonious work culture.


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