Quality of a good leader and good leader-ship

 Leader and leader-ship Development:

The principal player or the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. —Lao Tzu

 
To identify, attract, fill, and retain corporate leadership talent, companies need to focus on hiring strategies, employee development, and career and succession planning. However, most companies are not well prepared to fill vacancies in their leadership roles. By employing consistent, organization-wide talent management programs at all levels, companies can develop effective leadership and return significant business value.

Elements of Leader and Leadership Development Programs:

Talent management functions supported by a unified talent management technology platform are key components of a comprehensive leadership development program.

A successful leadership development program begins with alignment to company strategy and an understanding of the leadership styles needed to execute that strategy. By following the seven steps outlined here, organizations can establish the formal leadership development programs that will produce current and future company leaders.

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. —Max DePree

 

1. Determine Leadership Styleleader ship

 

To determine the leadership style best suited to a particular organization, executives must take into consideration the type of work, the complexity of the organization, and the qualifications of the followers. In many cases, a variety of leadership styles will be required to lead company groups ranging from manufacturing operations to marketing, finance, creative services, and more.

2. Proactive vs. Reactive
The exceptional leader is always thinking three steps ahead. Working to master his/her own environment with the goal of avoiding problems before they arise.

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.– Theodore M. Hesburgh

3. Identify Your Leaders

To evaluate potential leaders, leadership programs must focus on expected leadership skills and competencies. Competency models can be used to identify leadership potential during performance review and career counseling sessions. Based on key leadership competencies, capabilities are tested and evaluated during the performance review process. Managers can assess goals and development plans, solicit 360-degree feedback, and rate individual progress.

4. Flexible/Adaptable
How do you handle yourself in unexpected or uncomfortable situations?  An effective leader will adapt to new surroundings and situations, doing his/her best to adjust.

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.John Buchan

5. A Good Communicatorleader ship 1
As a leader, one must listen…a lot!  You must be willing to work to understand the needs and desires of others. A good leader asks many questions, considers all options, and leads in the right direction.

6. Identify Leadership Gaps

To identify leadership gaps, organizations need to assess individual as well as organizational readiness. To do so, consider following these steps: Determine current and future leadership requirements. Compare those requirements to the current leadership team. Identify current leaders who may be at risk as well as succession plans for those at risk or planning to leave. Then look at the leadership development pipeline to  identify skills gaps and the time required to fill them.

Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position. —Brian Tracy

 

7. Develop Succession Plans

Create back-fill strategies using data captured in the recruiting and performance review processes coupled with individual career plans. Add multiple candidates to a succession short list and view all the best options. Display multiple talent profiles side by side to quickly identify the best fit. Track candidate readiness based on skills, competencies, and performance. Then promote top candidates based on relative ranking and composite feedback scores.

8. Respectful
Treating others with respect will ultimately earn respect.

To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult.Friedrich Nietzsche

9. Open-Minded
Work to consider all options when making decisions. A strong leader will evaluate the input from all interested parties and work for the betterment of the whole.

10. Develop Career Plans

Career planning has historically been considered an individual responsibility. However, research shows that companies that support career planning for their employees earn business benefits in retention, engagement, and leadership protection. If companies do not provide employees with career planning and advancement opportunities, their competitors will. Self-service career planning will help motivate and retain talent by empowering them to generate and view a career plan.

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.

Theodore Roosevelt

 

6. Develop Skills Roadmaps

Once you have identified high-potential employees, develop a skills roadmap for these future leaders. People learn and develop new skills both inside and outside the classroom. To support informal learning, you should consider activities such as coaching, rotational assignments, job shadowing, mentor relationships, and project leadership. At the core, the very definition of learning should reflect today’s nontraditional learning approaches and incorporate social networking tools into the process.

11. Resourceful
Utilize the resources available to you. If you don’t know the answer to something find out by asking questions. A leader must create access to information.

Leadership is the art of giving people a platform for spreading ideas that work.Seth Godin

8. Well Educated
Knowledge is power. Work to be well educated on community policies, procedures, organizational norms, etc. Further, your knowledge of issues and information will only increase your success in leading others.

12. Interested in Feedback
How do people feel about your leadership skill set?  How can you improve?  These are important questions that a leader needs to constantly ask the chapter. View feedback as a gift to improve.

13. Consistent
Confidence and respect cannot be attained without your leadership being consistent. People must have confidence that their opinions and thoughts will be heard and taken into consideration.

A leader should demonstrate his thoughts and opinions through his actions, not through his words.Jack Weatherford

14. Delegator
An exceptional leader realizes that he/she cannot accomplish everything on his own. A leader will know the talents and interests of people around him/her, thus delegating tasks accordingly.

15. Develop Retention Programs

Linking pay to performance can be a strong employee motivator; however, goal alignment helps potential leaders stay focused on what’s important to the company. Recognize excellent performance with retention programs, and base the upside of bonus potential on the success of both the employee and the company.

Leadership development requires the effective execution of integrated talent management practices. Today’s applications provide the enabling platform. By taking advantage of them, companies can deliver a unified approach to recruitment, assessments, performance management, succession planning, career planning, and individual development programs.

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

John C. Maxwell

 

1 Comment

  1. ifza khalid
    ifza khalid on April 10, 2014 at 12:00 am

    Aoa sir ap ka artical bt acha tha specialy ap na jo point desious kia ha wo bt acha tha thank u