Leaders - My 500 Words D9

“Leaders are born not made.” I disagree. While I believe that there are some people who are naturally more charismatic because of their personality I think all people have the ability to be leaders. Anyone who is willing to learn the skills they can be an effective leader.

To be a leader an individual must be willing to take on the responsibility. Being a leader is more than about oneself. It is about the group, it is about the organization needs, it is about the project, etc. Keeping the responsibility of being a leader in the forefront of one’s mind is important.

A leader must be a good listener. A leader doesn't just tell people what to do. A leader listens to the needs of the people who are working for or with the leader. Active listening facilitates communication among parties. It is important to have a common understanding of the goal in order to move projects and organizations forward.

Leaders are not focused on titles or notoriety. They want to ensure the job is done and successful. This reminds me of a picture I saw not too long ago. There were two depictions side by side, one of a boss sitting at a desk being pulled by workers, then a picture of a leader pulling with the other people and the desk did not have anyone sitting on it. The leader rolls up her/his sleeves to do the work necessary to move forward.

Leaders are able to deal with criticism and put it in perspective. Leaders know that not everyone is going to agree with you. They know that people will question and challenge what you are trying to do. Being able to manage these attempts in a professional and productive way is important. Leaders can’t get caught up in the emotions of other people. If a leader engages with critics and fights back it can make the leader look back. This is not to say that the leader should not address critics, or any concerns or questions that arise from the criticism. But, the responses must be professional and free of emotion in order to be effective and for the leader not to lose face or ground.

Leaders have to be cheerleaders. Sometimes change is not exciting. People may meet the change or project with hesitation. To get people on board leaders need to be in tuned with the mood of the group. When the leader notices that people need a pick me up or need to be reminded of the positive outcomes of the change the leader should address it right away. When appropriate allow the members of the team to get out their concerns or fears and then list the positives. Ask these individuals what they need to feel better about the change, and as best as possible make accommodations.  

Another important skill required of leaders is the ability to manage conflict. There are time that within the organization or within stakeholders conflict will arise. Leaders need to mediate the conflict in order to progress. If the leader can’t manage the conflict, s/he must find the appropriate resources to manage the situation to not take away from the work at hand.