Leadership in the business world
It is finally Friday! No serious topic today, here are some thoughts on leadership. Have a good weekend!
A successful leader must excel in a social context as leadership involves building relationship as well as being able to craft a vision. These characteristics are equally important. Leadership is not a vacuum. It is give and take relationship. For example, a leader needs to be able to take orders as well as give orders. To inspire and motivate followers, a leader must be respected socially.
The social relationship a leader has with their followers will affect the perception each party have towards the other. A common situation is how a leader perceived his team. If he believes the team is unmotivated and not willing to take on responsibilities, the relationship will inevitably be guided by lack of trust and respect. As a result, the team will suffer a self-profiling prophecy which will likely lead to failure. On the other hand, if the perception of the team is that of motivated employees that's willing to take on new challenges and responsibilities, the relationships will likely lead to much greater probability of success.
When I recall my successful projects in a team environment, they were successful because we all worked well together. Everyone was involved, including the designate leader. When a leader participates, he/she tends to earn the respect of their team. This will always result in greater efficiency. As a leader of a team, it is equally important for him/her to also be part of the team. This builds relationship. In addition to gaining respect, the leader needs to be able to mobilize the team whenever he/she feels it is headed in the wrong direction as a coach would when preparing for a game.
