EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

1. EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES ANIL KUMAR MISHRA PRINCIPAL, JNV MORIGAON, ASSAM.

2. DEFINITION • A simple definition of Leadership is that Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.

3. HONESTY • The sign of a good is the honesty towards his/her work and group. • You should be very honest to your own self as well. • Never loose your integrity, whatever be the circumstances, because a leader will not be considered reliable and worth following, if he/she loses honesty.

4. CONFIDENCE • Confidence should exude in every word you say; in every thing you do. • Have the confidence to manage people and show them the right path, when ever they seek your guidance. • People who see panic or uncertainty in the eyes of their leader won’t consider him / her worth depending upon, in the times of crisis.

5. PATIENCE • If you want to be known as good leader, it is very important to be patient. • Be cool, calm and collected. • Do not panic or loose your temper when the situation is never wrecking. • A good leader considers crisis, emotions and tricky situations a part of his journey and never loose his composure.

6. FOCUS • To become a good leader , you should always remains steadfast to the goal, without wasting time in checking for the possibility of hindrances that might creep in. • If you find any obstacles in this process, consider it as your moral responsibility to solve them and find better ways to make progress towards the target.

7. DEDICATION • People will respond more openly to a leader who is dedicated towards his / her work and constantly works for the betterment of the group. • You should be Zealous about your work and prove yourself as a source of inspiration for the people around you.

8. CONSISTANCY • Consistency is an important leadership quality. • Maintain your own way of approach and do not change it radically. • Displaying inconsistency will confound others. • Remember, you are the part of the team. • Therefore, before expecting consistency from other, ensure that you are stable on your part.

9. MOTIVATE OTHERS • Always encourage your juniors and congratulate them for all their achievements, whether small or big. • This will create a healthy environment in your group, which will in turn motivate your group members to give their best performance every time they are assigned task.

10. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION • A leader should be able to reach the people around him/her effectively. • Good communication skills are, in fact, key to become a good leader. • If you possess all the above qualities, but the “very important” communication skill is lacking in you, you can never become good leader.

11. Leadership Skills of a Good Leader • Compare your leadership skills with the 12 characteristics recognized leaders perform:

12. 1. Do You Have a Mission that Matters? • When you think of strong leaders you have known, it’s likely they all displayed a clearly-defined purpose in life, which gave them a sense of direction. • It’s also likely that their mission was not self-centered, but rather made a difference in some way for others. People such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Candy Lightner (who started “Mothers Against Drunk Driving” after her daughter was killed by a drunk driver) illustrate that anyone who knows his or her mission in life can be a true leader. • If you don’t know what your mission is, think about the things you enjoy doing and what you are most inspired by. • You will know you have found your true life mission when you feel as though you are doing what you were meant to do.

13. 2. Do You Think BIG? • Big thinking is the magnet that attracts others. Big thinkers see beyond immediate realities to distant possibilities. • Projecting this “vision” inspires others to join them. • Important elements in thinking big include believing that for every problem there is a solution, and using imagination as a creative resource to solve problems.

14. 3. Do You Demonstrate High Ethics? • Being able to admit mistakes is an example of high ethics. True leaders maintain high standards and deal honourably with others. • They have the courage to put ethics first and speak up for what they believe in. • Behaving ethically helps others trust them. • Dr. Stephen Covey says, “If you want to build trust, you have to start by being trustworthy”. • While most of us think we are ethical, we sometimes find ourselves in situations where living up to our ethical beliefs is difficult. • These situations separate true leaders from everyone else.

15. 4. Do You Respond Well To Change? • Between 1970 and 2020, the amount of change that people will experience will equal that which occurred in the 500 year period prior to 1970. • Effective leaders have the ability to move with the times. • They maintain a positive, flexible attitude toward change. • They may even act as the change agents themselves, identifying changes that need to be made, and initiating them.

16. 5. Do You Have Sensitivity? • Sensitive leaders show empathy for others’ needs. • They give support and understanding without becoming overwhelmed by others’ problems. • They are aware of hoe their own behavior and attitudes influence the people around them. • Effective leaders use their sensitivity to help others get what they want, thereby inspiring loyalty in their followers.

17. 6. Do You Take Risks? • Effective leaders have the courage to take risks. • They try, even when the odds are against them. • However, they stay on the right side of the fine line between taking calculated risks, and indulging in foolish recklessness.

18. 7. Do You Make Good Decisions? • Effective leaders act decisively; they know this can make the difference between mediocrity and greatness. • Being indecisive can waste time, money and energy. • If you delay too long, other people or circumstances decide for you. • Making effective decisions requires good judgement.

19. 8. Do You Use Power Wisely? • Effective leaders recognize the responsibility that accompanies power. • They use their power to influence people and circumstances, without being manipulative. • They learn to share power with others, a process known as ‘’empowerment’’. • Personal power is much more important than position power. • Those who influence others only through power of their positions lose their power when they lose their positions. • Personal power goes with you, regardless of your role or circumstances.

20. 9. Can You Communicate Effectively? • The secret of good communication is not just in how well you speak, but in how well you listen. • The quality of communication is more important than the quantity. • This is especially important in stressful situations. Example, in conflicts, how you say something is just as important as what you say. • In addition, the ability to translate our own internal emotional reactions into well-considered responses is essential to good communication.

21. 10. Are You A Team Player? • In today’s world, with the trend towards using teams to solve problems, the ability to help a group of people to work together is becoming increasingly important. • Whether a person is officially the team leader does not matter. • Every team member has the power to influence the climate of the group in a significant way, and the internal dynamics of the group can determine the quality of the group’s output.

22. 11. Are You Courageous? • Although we usually think of courage as being needed only in times of danger, it is also needed when decisive action offers benefits, but there are accompanying risks. • Taking responsibility for your decisions and actions, whatever the outcome, requires courage, as does admitting you made a mistake.

23. 12. Are You Willing To Make A Serious Commitment? • Commitment is the glue that holds the other 11 leadership characteristics together. • You demonstrate commitment through tenacity when the going becomes difficult. • Committed people make sacrifices for what they believe in.