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Attributes of effective leaders
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Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek (2009) is a book about the supremacy of far-sighted leadership to generate professionals and organizations that are pioneering, inspiring, and effective. It is the book that stresses upon forming quality programs and amenities that stand the test of time. The author Simon Sinek explains the three stages of the framework he calls The Golden Circle on which most prosperous organizations and professionals are built. He analysis the most influential leaders of the world and concludes that all of them have a similar thought process. He states that we are touched, moved and inspired by those leaders because we share the similar vision and are loyal to the cause. Sinek
Finding Your Voice: Learning to Lead…Anywhere You Want to Make a Difference, by Larraine R. Matusak is a book, which explains the proper way to incorporate leadership into one’s life. The author approaches the topic of Leadership with a quite passionate point of view. Matusak observes leadership through a very wide lens. In other words, she is a firm believer that there is more than one way to effectively carry out the act of leadership. The author is on a mission to bring out the natural leadership skillset in all people, and too encourage anyone and everyone to find a way to lead in life. The main focus of the book is the fact that one does not require any sort of title or major position of power to live out their passion and to customize leadership opportunities for their individual talents. This very concept was stressed constantly throughout this book, along with the idea of weaving a shared vision. Weaving a shared vision is a very important aspect of leadership because it involves shaping all minds involved in an organization to point them towards a common goal. Let’s take a look at some of the main points that Matusak states in her book.
Leadership is a quality which cannot be acquired by any person from the other but it can be acquired by self-determination of a person. Leadership can best be called the personality of the very highest ability-whether in ruling, thinking, imagining, innovation, warring, or religious influencing. Leadership is practiced not so much in words a it is in attitude and in actions. Their actions leave a long lasting memory in the line of history and lead up to may events that occur today. To be a leader one will need many qualities. Leaders have a purpose and strategies to accomplish that purpose. They are driven and motivated. In the end they should be able to attain good results. These innate talents help to make up a leader that will succeed and be efficient in carrying out tasks. But, the purpose of this paper is determine what truly makes a leader successful. A successful leader should be considered more on their impact rather than their accomplishments of their organizations alone for they are not sufficient in determining the key to their success .
Simon Sinek’s idea and concepts of leadership are very similar to ones used by the Marine Corps. The Marines are one of the most successful military organizations around the world. They have achieved success by accomplishing missions and winning battles. Battles fought in difficult terrains, climates and circumstances. They have thrived in times when other military branches are better funded and equipped and never lost sight of their purpose and goal. Marines always seem to defy assumptions. They appear to have something special and different when compared to the other military branches. Extract young man and woman from a broad society filled with different cultural backgrounds and make them a Marine. Furthermore, they prepare these young individuals to fight for this country and give their life if necessary defending it. Marines have no problem standing out. The Marine Corps and Simon Sinek’s ideas and concepts for successful leadership are related because both know “why” they do what they do,
Sinek describes how most companies can easily define “what” they do, however, very few can tell the customer “why” they do it. In fact, most Soldiers can tell you the “what” they do in the military. However, to tell someone the “why” they do it could pose a much greater challenge. Sinek uses the Golden Circle for the foundation of why great leaders should utilize their “why” versus their “what” to be an effective leader. Sinek writes, “The Golden Circle was inspired by the golden ratio- a simple mathematical relationship that has fascinated mathematicians, biologists, architects, artists, musicians and naturalist since the beginning of history” (pg. 37). The Golden Circle, as shown in figure 1, is comprised of three circles: The Outer-most ring is the “What,” this is what the company does to fulfill their core belief. The next ring is the “How,” this is how the business fulfills their core belief. Finally, the innermost ring is the “Why,” this is the core belief of the business. It is why the business exists. Sinek uses the Golden Circle to illustrate how many companies begin with what they do, instead of why they do
There have been countless books, lectures, and and trainings, and retreats constructed around the idea of cultivating leadership in an individual. However, cultivating individuals’ ability to follow great leadership has received far less attention. Who are these people leading if each person within an organization is being trained to be a leader? The word follower has negative connotations, evoking the images of a weak, uncreative, milquetoast personality. However, Jimmy Collins, in his book, “Creative Followership: In the Shadow of Greatness”, suggests that the ability to be led brings as much creativity, consciousness, and indeed leadership to an organization or team as the leader himself. Great followership is a reflection of great leadership. In this, the follower is just as important as the leader in the relationship. Many great leaders have asserted that a leader with even a modicum of understanding of what drives their subordinates can take their organization to previously undreamt-of heights in creativity and productivity. Collins does not disabuse us of this notion, he does however add that the follower is indispensable agent in this interplay between leader and follower.
Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge is an organizational management book written by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus for those who aim to become better leaders. The authors emphasize that having executive positions or being a manager does not automatically make one a leader. A leader is one who inspires his staff, help them find purpose in their work, and effectively implement their plans. They separate the book not quite into chapters on different topics, but rather by four strategies that they have determined are vital for any leader to take on. The strategies are effectively concluded as attention through vision, meaning through communication, trust through positioning, and the deployment of self. A prominent feature of Leaders is the various
Inspire a Shared Vision- leaders believe that they can make a difference in getting others excited and drafting them into their dream and the future possibilities.
Leadership can be traced back to many ideologies over the history of time. There have been individuals that have achieved great success and accomplishments through inspiring others to believe and follow their leadership. This paper will explain some of the theories that philosophically explain how those great people inspired others to believe in their vision and goals.
Vecchio, R. (Ed.). (2007). Leadership: Understanding the dynamics of power and influence in organizations (2nd ed.). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
Leaders life stories and crucibles shape their True North.True North provided sound information about authentic leaders based on numerous real life stories. Several case studies and narratives made the content simple to comprehend the concept of True North. Gaining information from several leaders stories’ gave a good insight on leader’s True North. It appeared that the case studies originated from author’s close network of friends and acquaintances. The leaders in the book were drawn from corporations to non-for-profits, to the areas of politics and academia. The leaders’ narratives came from different parts of the globe that gave a diverse perspective on leadership. The author appeared to have a personal association with most of the leaders in the text. There were many quotes to back up life stories, crucibles, and self-awareness in the narratives in the emergence of True North. That helped to make a deeper connection with the
“In order to be a good leader, there are two things to remember. Lead from the Front and always set the Example. From these two leadership principles, everything else will fall into place.”
In organizations aspiring for growth and continual improvement, relationships are more intricate and alternatives more numerous than the either/or imposition implied by the notion of leaders and followers. Practically no one leads all of the time. Leaders also work as followers; all in all, “everyone uses a portion of their day following and another portion leading” (Galie and Bopst, 2006, p. 11).
John Maxwell is a distinguished author, speaker and pastor who specializes on leadership and leadership development. This paper is outlines my reflections from watching his YouTube video presentation of his five levels of leadership. It was insightful that Maxwell, (2013) explained that all leaders start at level one, then continue to develop in their capabilities through level five. He outlines each of the five stages, identifying the attributes and tendencies of each of the levels. He describes that followers view leaders through different lenses, each the lenses is a reflection of one of the five stages.
It is very common in this day and age to become discontent with where you are at in leadership. One of the reasons for this discontentment can be because influencing all of those around us is not an easy thing to do. If we are to not only stay content, but also excel in leadership we must keep in mind that ninety-nine percent of leadership does not come from the top of any given organization, but the middle. John C. Maxwell, author of The 360-Degree Leader, speaks to us about the principles that leaders can use to bring value and influence to any organization from any level within the organization, enabling them to do, what John C. Maxwell describes as leading up, leading across, and leading down.
Sinek, Simon. “How great leaders inspire action” TED. Newcastle, WA. 16 Sept. 2009. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.