Introduction
Discussions on
the topic of leadership are almost every day. Many seminars have been conducted
to discuss the topic. It is interesting to discuss it because of its
importance. No society, no organization
stands without a leader. The direction of society, organizations lies on him/her.
Thus, the function of a leader is crucial. This is the reason why people never
stop discussing about leadership and proposes their own concepts of what kind
of leadership that can affect positive change in the society or organizations.
Thus, the question like “what kind of leadership that produces positive results
or change” is becoming relevant. The answer to this question is not all about
leadership skills but also leader’s values. What we present in this article is
based on experience and supported by the theory of leadership given by
authorities on leadership theory.
This article may
give us clear understanding about what kind of leadership that is needed in
changing the organization. As we know that leadership is not just a position. Position
is a venue in which a person given the authority exercises his/her leadership
role. However, many people who have been given position in many organizations are
often not aware of their leadership role. Some may have the idea of leadership
but what kind of leadership that they will apply, the skills and values that will
help their role to produce positive change is still unknown to them. Others do
not have the idea at all on what leadership is. They assume such position by
certain circumstances, not because they are prepared for such position. The
result is that they just simply repeat things that have been practiced from
years to years and consequently bring the institution to no where and stay as
it is. We have witnessed institutions that have been in existence for many decades
but there is no difference between yesterday-today and tomorrow. They are just
stagnant and slowly deteriorating and finally closed down. No change. No
development is a failure of leadership.
Based on
experience in managing an organization, the followings skills and values are important
for creating change in the organization. The organizations need leaders with
knowledge in strategic planning, problem solving, decision making, developing
people, sharing information, motivating and appreciating people, moral values, delegation and empowerment.
There are other aspects, but we focus on those issues in this article.
Leadership Skills
Leadership skills are necessary
tools to carry out the job as leader. Many kinds of leadership skills but in
this article, the writer just presents skills that are important according to
his observations and experience.
Strategic Planning Skills
Leader needs to be
equipped with the knowledge on how to make strategic planning. This
is the foundation of leadership. He/she should know where to lead and where
they want to be in the future and how to get there. Thus, first requirement is a
leader should have a vision. This is the end point of where the leader is
leading his/her followers. It is the futuristic picture of the organization
that is described in words or vision statement, (Morato, 2006) which inspires
people to pursue. However, having vision alone is not enough. Harvey Macey (2003) said, “A dream is just a
dream if there is no deadline. Thus, a vision is a dream with a plan and a
deadline and it should be executed.
To execute
vision into action, the missions of the organization or the basic purpose of
the organization have to be determined and clear. It may specify the product or
services to be rendered, which in effect also defines the market. Then the
mission has to be translated into specific objectives and these objectives have
to be measurable. Thus, from the established objectives, specific key result
areas have to be determined in order to be measured (KRAs). It is a qualitative
statement that defines objectives is being attained. Qualitative statements are
always hard to measure, thus, end results must be measured and stated in
numerical values or percentage, or what we call Performance Indicator (PIs). Up
to here, things are still at the level of ideas unless the strategies are
formulated. These are actions to be taken which include activities and tasks,
resources required in term of money, facilities and people (Morato, 2006). Unless,
the leader knows where to go and how to get there, the leader will never bring
any change for a better. Thus, a leader needs strategic planning
skills.
Problem Solving Skills
Problems are
part of human life. In the same way we may say that problems are part of organizational
life, no way of avoiding it. They may be caused internally which is within our
control and could be caused externally which is beyond our control. The world
keep on changing and the behavior of people follow, then problems become
complex. We can not escape change, and then we can not escape problems. It is
our ability to adapt and manage change and solve these problems caused by the change
determines the survival of the organization.
Organizations
within the changing world are always facing problems. Problems may vary; it may
be financial problems, human problems, technological problems and management
problems. Therefore, leader in this changing environment needs to be equipped with
skills to solve such complicated problems. The organization needs a leader who
is committed to solve problems and has the basic knowledge in solving problems.
Problem solving
is a skill because it is a scientific process. It involves methodical thought
process. The issues must be identified and then analyzed. Then develop options
and evaluate it in which alternatives of choices can be made and finally
implement the choice that has been made (Heller, 1998). Systematic method of
reaching a decision ensures that all correct issues are addressed. A systematic
process enables the leader to prepare a logical and effective plan of actions
so that decisions process can be explained clearly to employees.
Commitment to
solve problems is another matter. The life of the organization depends on how
he/she commits her/himself to solve problems. Problems can not be avoided but
it has to be faced. His/her commitment and ability to solve issues affecting
his/her organization determine the survival and the development of the
organization.
Decision-Making Skills
Our lives consist
of a constant stream of decisions and choices, from the everyday to the highly
consequential. Thus, an organization as part of society and composed of human
beings naturally consists of constant stream of decisions and choices. The type
of decisions then may include routine, emergency, strategic and operational. Based
on the nature and type of these decisions, naturally there is a need to have a
leader who can make better decision on emergency basis and a strategic decision.
There are times that data are not available at hand and so leader must be ready
for surprises. In case of strategic decision, the leader should have the
ability to process multiple alternatives available out there and to choose an
optimal course of action.
As decision
makers, they are responsible for making a judgment and often crucial judgment,
between two or more alternatives. It is not an instant effort and arbitrary
game but it is a process. Making decisions take the leader through the whole
process of making good, effective decision, from initial deliberation to final
implementation (Heller, 1998).
Developing People Skills
The organization
grows not only because of its leaders but because of people who are working for
the organization. Naturally, preparing people to handle specific
responsibilities is necessary. Thus, the job of leader is to identify the need
of the organization and develop people who can handle those particular needs or
jobs. Maxwell (1995) emphasized that the
great function of a leader is to develop people around him to their full
potential. Developing people is not only their skills related to their job but
also to develop them become a leader. His/her success is measured by how many
people he/she has developed becoming leaders.
In line with
idea of Maxwell, JP.Maroney (2007) argues that great leaders invest in their
people. They understand that their ultimate role is to develop people. They
invest in human development and professional training and believe in spending
time with their people. He specifically pointed out three resources in the
process of helping people become their best and these are time, energy and
money. He reiterates that a great leader must invest time. He/she should make a
habit of spending time with people in their organization. By spending time with
people, leaders come to know more about their people and bring out the best in
them. Besides investing time, leaders must invest energy. Leaders must realize
that working with people can be taxing. A leader who thinks of their people and
their organization will not take things easy but they will use their energy to
think of ways to better maximize the results of their people. Finally, he
suggests that investing money for the development of people is necessary.
Leaders should know that the best place to invest money for organization to
grow is in their people. They should realize that the greatest untapped
potential for success is in the people who are in the organization. Great
leader would rather invest in people than in the furniture or company vehicle.
Bass (1998) as
he cited from McGregor Burns (1978) emphasized the importance of building a
great organization. An organization may grow if the people grow. Therefore, a
job of a leader is to transform their people to be their best. A measure of a
great leader is their people, in the sense that they should be able to develop
people in their organization to become leaders. Bass recommends four several
leadership style in order to develop people and these are idealized influence,
inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized
consideration. Bass believes that developing people is not always through money
but it can be done through role model (idealized influence). They are looked up
to because of their ethical and moral conduct. Consequently people are inspired
to follow their behavior. However, acting as a role model is not enough; it
must be coupled with inspirational motivation. It is the ability of leaders to
inspire their followers to go beyond their self interest for the sake of the
organization, for the sake of the common good. It should be started from the
leader him/herself. Bass also recognized that people are not object in the
organization but they are subject, in the sense that people should be involved in
solving problems of the organization. Therefore, the function of a leader is to
promote intellectual stimulation or discussion in solving problems. It is the
ability of a leader to stimulate followers to be innovative, creative in
solving problem of the organization and challenge traditional way of thinking
and solving problems. Finally, it is also a need for a leader to pay attention
to individual needs. Leader should know that different individuals have
different needs and leaders see to it that their individual needs are attended
to.
Information Sharing Skills.
Information and
knowledge still represent power. This is truer in today’s economy than ever
before. Organizations may grow fast or slow depending on how fast it is
adapting to the changes in the outside world. Technologies are changing very
fast, the way how things are done is also changing very fast. Thus, leader’s
interaction with the outside world is necessary to adapt to change and finally
change the organization. Interactions with other people outside the
organization may yield new knowledge and information that can benefit their
business/work in a tangible ways. As a leader, new information, new knowledge
must be shared to people/employees for them to grow and cope with the rapid
change. Thus, people and organization need to have the right information to
react to changes.
Maribeth
Achterberg (2001) argues that information sharing is always better than
hoarding information. However, she emphasizes that sharing information is not
just for the sake of sharing but it must have a business purpose as its root.
In contrary, information hoarding is the other extreme. Holding information
results from a lack of trust. In this case, leader and employees do not trust
each other. Such situation hinders the growth of the organization because
opportunities that are seen by both are not shared.
Sharing
information is a necessary when a leader wants to empower his people and allow
them to join in building up the organization. When leaders share information,
the employees feel trusted and feel owning the organization and this can
generate positive energy of employees to bring out their best to do whatever
required of them. The organizations grow not because only of its leaders but by
how leaders empower employees to do their best. Thus, the job of a leader is to
share information related to what is happening within and around the
organization for people to be aware of what is happening and make the necessary
adjustment or response to problems/issues that affect the organizations.
Motivation Skills
Motivation is
getting others to do something because they want to do it. To motivate others
is one of the most important management tasks. It comprises the ability to
understand what drives people, to communicate, to involve, to encourage, to set
example, to develop and coach, to obtain feedback and to provide a just reward
(Kotelnikov, 2009).
The underlying concept is that leader-manager
can not do things alone; he/she needs others to do it for him. So, the
challenge is not in the work but in the leader who creates and manages the work
environment. Success comes through people. For the manager who knows how to
energize people and maintain their enthusiasm, then the art of motivating is
one of the success secrets. Thus, if the leader/manager understand what
motivates people, he/she has at her/his command the most powerful tool for
dealing with them to get them achieve extraordinary results. Motivation and
power are so closely linked together that one can say there is power in a
motivated person.
Motivation is
not all about money or right compensation. Money does not buy love, happiness
and commitment. That’s why people say that man does not live from bread alone
because you might end up toast. Thus, recognition and praise for the job
well-done is also a motivation tool. Usually in the corporate world,
recognition is used for one reason: to drive more business (Gostick, 2001).
Delegation of Authority Skills
A leader can not
do everything alone; he accomplishes things through other people. That is the
essence of delegation. Leader empowers
people to make decisions for the organization on behalf of the leader without
being restricted. Thus, the concept of delegation is based on trust. The trust
is given to subordinates to make things happen on their own. The trust is given
because of perception of competence. The leader perceives the ability of others
with whom he/she works to perform competently at whatever is needed in the
current situation (Heathfield, 2009). Once the delegation and trust are given
to subordinates, they can not be withdrawn back and the leader should accept
whatever the consequences would be. When things go wrong as a result of
delegation, a leader can not wash his hands and blame others but has to accept
it as his own.
Thus, delegation
is not the same as blanket authority. There are things not to be delegated;
only the leader can do it. Thus, the leader should know what to delegate and
what not to delegate. Clear boundaries have to be drawn so that the one who is
delegated will not go beyond the limit.
Delegating
things to others involves some risks and the leader should accept the negative
outcome of delegation. Often time negative outcome may happen. These things may
occur unintentionally or intentionally. The leader should embrace the
responsibility and accept it as his/her own. These risks may be a good lesson
for the leader to know how to delegate and whom to delegate and maybe not to
delegate.
Leader’s Values
Leadership is not all about skills but
it has also something to do with values. It is about their belief and
philosophy that guide and inspire their actions or behavior. Success is not
only resulted from applying the right skills in executing their functions but
both skills and values. Skills and values may affect performance of
organization and organizational climate. Latest study on the impact of
leadership skills, ethics/values toward performance and organizational climate
pointed out that leadership skills and ethics/values affect performance and
organizational climate (Foronda, 2010). Thus it is important to see the personal
values of leaders as important ingredients to leadership success. Core values
of leaders remind leaders what it takes to get the mission done. Values inspire
the leaders to do their best at all times
The following values are considered necessary values that accompany
leadership skills.
Integrity
Strategic
planning is not only the concern of leaders. Supporting values to carry out the
strategic plan is crucial. One of the values leader should possess is integrity.
It is a concept of consistency of actions, values, measures, methods,
principles, expectations and outcome. A person who has the integrity is the one
who behave according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.
It is the opposite of hypocrisy. Such value is crucial to lead people in the
organization. Some groups claim that people are led not by the hand but by
head. This group would claim that intelligence is a prerequisite to be a
successful leader. Justin Menkes (2006) in his “Executive Intelligence” book
argues that executives do not lead companies with their hands; they lead them
with their minds. So without possessing the requisite amount of cognitive
ability for the workplace, a leader has little chance for success. Thus
knowledge is crucial. However, such ideas have been contested by several
people.
Without dismissing such claim, other author on
leadership would also claim that integrity is a powerful influence to create a
positive change. Bass (1997) in his book on the Ethics of Transformational
Leadership emphasized the idea of idealized influence, in the sense that
identification with the leader is one major process that enables leaders to
influence the perceptions, needs, values and behaviors of followers. The
question here is how can people identify themselves with their leaders? People
identify themselves with their leader not only because of their intelligence
but because of their good example, their life and their values. Or in other
words, leaders should have self-integrity. It is moral values that leader
upholding that matters. It is a guideline, benchmark, point of reference that
is used to make decisions that rely on truth and honesty. To maintain
integrity, the leader must remember to refer to truth and honesty in all
decisions, thoughts, actions and reactions. It is not an option (Chris Zach
Hidalgo, 2002). Thus, leader with knowledge but without integrity is just like
a house built on the sand.
Creativity and Innovativeness
Many people say
that the game of business survival is creativity and innovation. It means that
there are no permanent product or services, everything have to be changed and
innovated according to the taste of the market, the demand of the market. Market
is the king of the products and services. Products and services have to serve
the needs of the king. It is the key to success and to stay in business.
Two terms are
often used interchangeably. However, they are not really the same. Creativity
is referred to the act of producing new ideas, approaches, methods, strategies
or actions, while innovation is the process of both generating and applying
such creative ideas in some specific context
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/creativity). In the context of organization,
innovation refers to the entire process by which the organization generates
creative new ideas and converts them into useful products, services and
business practices, while the term creativity is referred to the generation of
new ideas by individuals or groups as a necessary step within the innovation
process. It is the starting point to innovation. No matter they are different,
they go hand in hand. In order to be innovative, leader and employees have to
be creative to stay competitive.
Reflecting on
the importance of the value of innovativeness and creativity, thus, it is
necessary to inculcate those values in the leader and the employees. If the
leaders do not possess such values, it will be hard to inspire his /her
followers to be creative and innovative and it will be hard to change the old
face of the organization. Such situation may lead to downfall.
Teamwork
A leader who possesses the value of
teamwork will inspire people to work in the team, and will reward group performance
and not individual performance. A leader supports a group of people working
for one goal, the goal of the organization, where each individual
brings forth his/her skills in a concentrated manner and coordinates it with
others skills, to produce a desired ends.
Thus, the challenge of a leader is form a team and how each team member will
be able to work together and contribute their different skills for the
achievement of the goal. Working together all the time must be taxing but it
has to be done to produce results (Chevalier, 2007)
The tough question posted by a
leader is how to makes effective team? Good teamwork does not happen
automatically but there are number of factors required to develop effective
team. Thus a leader should know what factors contributing to effective team.
Thus, the following are factors that vital to building a good team that works
successfully:
-Effective teamwork is about good leadership. This means that the team leader
should have the skills to create and maintain a working culture or working
climate that is positive or conducive. A Study conducted recently on the
relationship between leadership and organizational climate found that
leadership significantly influence organizational climate (Foronda, 2010).
-Effective teamwork is about effective
communication.
Communication is a vital factor of
interpersonal interaction and the very term (teamwork) represents interpersonal
interaction. Thus, one requirement for team member to be effective is open
communication.
-Effective teamwork is about defining clear cut
roles.
A team is not the same with biking group or
lunch group. Each team member possesses certain skills to contribute to the
success of a team. Therefore, each member should be given clear-cut
responsibilities, what is one person responsible for.
- Effective team should have procedures for
conflict resolution.
There is always possibility of conflict between
team members. Team members should have a way of expressing their opinions or
grievances without fear of causing offence to anyone. A hands-on approach that
resolves them quickly is better. The team leader should sit down with the
parties in conflict and work out the differences among them.
- Team leader should set a Good example.
Team leader should set good example which can
be emulated by member. A good team leader should have all the good qualities to
keep the team motivated and inspired. After all, a team leader is the person
the team looks to for support, direction and guidance. It is with him, the team
member find strength and inspiration. Thus, a team leader should maintain a
supportive and positive attitude.
There are three condition for team work as
pointed out by McCrimmon (2008):
-
Resources and commitment. Does the team have the resources to support
in carrying out duties and responsibilities and is the team committed to the
common goal?
-
Ownership and heart. Team member feel “belonged” to the team and own the team and believe
it from the heart and act in a way that is aligned to team principles and live
a common team values. Team is not a place for politicking and competing each
other for popularity.
-
Learning.
Each member must be ready and willing to learn from team member.
Excellence
Excellence has
become common core values in all organizations. All organizations
aspire to be excellent. However, excellence must first be a personal core value of a leader, and then all
members of the organization. Employees may not be inspired if leaders have no
ambition to excellence. Mediocre leader will not attract followers to follow.
Thus, it should become inspiration for all in conducting their activities. Therefore,
such values have to be translated into product/service excellence, community
service excellence, instruction excellence, and faculty excellence. The leader
and the member should focus on providing quality products/services, community
service, instruction and faculty that fully respond to customer needs
(students’ needs), and must do so within the established excellent criteria.
Conclusion
After all,
leadership is not just a position and authority. These are only instruments to
exercise certain leadership skills. Leadership without skills will never
produce a good result. Thus, someone can not be assigned to leadership position
if he/she does not have the necessary skills and qualities to perform the job.
Training in related skills and other qualities of leadership is necessary to be
given to those who are and will be assigned to leadership position. If not
given training, at least those who are planned to be given leadership position
must be assigned in lower position to learn the necessary skills to carry out
the job before they are assigned to be manager/leader.
Leaders are not only a dreamers but
doers at the same time. Position and skills are going hand in hand in order to
become effective leader. Skills are not born but they are learned. A leader
then has to learn how to make a better leader. A better leader is determined by
how good he is in carrying out his duties and responsibilities.
References
Books:
Bass, B.M. 1997. The Ethics of
Transformational Leadership. Maryland:
The James MacGregor BurnsAcademy of Leadership Publication.
Bass, B.M. 1998. Transformational
Leadership: Industrial, Military and Educational Impact. London:
Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates.
Chevalier, Roger. 2007. Improving
Workplace Performance. AMACOM: New
York.
Foronda, Lalaine. 2010. The
Impact of Leadership Skills, Ethics/Values Toward Organizational Climate, Dissertation. Makati:
Philippines
Gostick, Adrian & Elton, Chester. 2001. Management
With Carrots. GIBBS-SMITH Publisher: Salt
Lake City.
Heller, Robert & Hindle
Tim.1998. Dorling Kindersley: New
York
Maxwell, John. 1997. Developing
the Leaders Around You. Thomas Nelson Publisher: Nashville.
Menkes, Justin. 2006. Executive
Intelligence. Collins Publisher: New
York
Morato Jr, A. Eduardo. 2006.
Strategic Planning and Management. Singapore: Prentice Hall
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