Setting the Example

1259 Words3 Pages

Strong leadership is critical to an organizations success. Leaders need to be honest, trustworthy, respected, and good communicators (Montana & Mitchell, 2005, p. 83). Effective communication is necessary to eliminate confusion. Think how the receiver will interpret the message that you are saying or writing. Effective communication can only occur when the receiver of the message understands what the sender is intending to say.

Anyone can manage but not everyone makes a good leader. “Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent” (Clark, 2010, p. 1). As a leader, inspire your employees by being passionate yourself. Have a good attitude and smile. Know your job and know your employees jobs. Think outside the box to come up with solutions for your team.

In my current job, last year, I experienced one of the most frustrating times in my twenty-five year working career. In November, 2010, the organization was set to undergo a triennial audit to become reaccredited as a law enforcement agency. Approximately two years prior to this I was hired to collect, analyze, and prepare documentation to help the agency achieve this goal. The document files had set idle for a year as my manager, who was in the position prior to me, was promoted to a management position. Within my first year of employment I knew it was going to take additional personnel to achieve this lofty goal.

In March, 2010, I approached my manager regarding the amount of overtime I had been working to complete the files. I was met with immediate resistance and almost an attitude of anger. I explained why I needed assistance a...

... middle of paper ...

...e success of an organization can hinge on communication alone. Never underestimate the power of words!

References

Clark, D. (2010). Character and traits in leadership. Retrieved August 26, 2011, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadchr.html

Clark, D. (2010). Concepts of leadership. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from

http://www.nwlink.com/-donclark/leader/leadcon.html

Coffman, C., & Gonzales-Molina, G. (2002). Follow this path. New York, NY: Warner Books.

Cottrell, D. (2009). Monday morning motivation (1st ed.). New York, NY: HarperCollins.

De Ferreire Kemp, F. (2007). Leadership and diversity: Constant Companions. Industrial Engineer: IE, 39(5), 40-43, Retrieved July 27, 2011, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.csuproxy.egloballibrary.com.

Montana, J., & Mitchell, T. (2005). The winning spirit (1st ed.). New York: Random House.

Open Document