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Lesson#8

LEADERSHIP PROCESS-1

LEADERSHIP PROCESS (CONTD.)
Dear students in lecture number eight our focus is still on leadership process. Let’s start with the
qualities of Leaders.

Qualities of Leaders:
Real leaders have certain qualities which make them different from rest of the team members/followers.
Few of those qualities are given in the following slide.
I will try to explain all these qualities one by one. Vision: A leader has to have some ideas about his/her organization, about how the future could be
different. A leader requires strong sense of purpose and should be clear in concept of collective Vision
(Organization) and recognizes what must be done and how to makes strategies for the accomplishment
of their vision. Clear concepts about vision can make a leader more focused and effective. Vision about
what is happening, what needs to be done and what is coming in future.

Ability: Leaders must know about his or her Job and keep knowledge updated and have ability
to understand information, formulate strategies, and make the decisions. If leader fails to do all these,
employees do not respect him/her, and ultimately leader loses faith and trust. That will be failure of a
leader. Followers always look toward leaders when making decision, when they are in problem, or
stuck or when things are not working. They will look toward leaders. Even for technical issues, they
will look toward leaders for solution. So a leader must have the ability to handle all such issues.

Enthusiasm: This is also an important trait of leaders. Leaders always create excitements, which
causes others to become interested and willing to accept the challenges. Leaders always generate
enthusiasm in followers so that this excitement can trigger the goal oriented actions and ultimately
followers get motivated and involved in the achievement of the organizational goals.

Stability: Stability is another important quality of leaders. Leaders need to be emotionally stable in
handling challenges, in decision making and during the time of pressures. During the process of
leadership plus and minuses do come and leaders need to face them with courage and unless they have
stability in their personality, this will become very difficult. Leaders should possess objectivity, should
not bring personal problems to work and be emotionally stable. Qualities of Leaders
– Vision
– Ability
– Enthusiasm
– Stability
– Concern for Others
– Self-Confidence
– Persistence
– Vitality
– Charisma
– Integrity
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Concern for Others: Leaders must be concerned always for their followers, with their welfares and
don’t treat them as machines. It is always the responsibility of the leaders to think about the welfare of
the employees. A leader must have a humble and caring attitude towards employee/followers. So that if
he/she always puts the interest of others first, the loyalty will be built, and ultimately the employees will
work with more devotion and commitment.

Self-Confidence: Self confidence is very important quality one should have. For leaders this will
become even more important. All we discussed different leaders qualities above, these are all linked
with the self concept. With self confidence, leaders can mange and handle even difficult situations. That
is the trait/quality which is appreciated by all concerns. Successful leaders stay calm and confident and
show confidence in their actions.

Persistence: Determination of a leader is also very important for business success. So, a leader
should have the devotion and commitment for business and continuously motivate the employees for
achieving the organizational goals. The outgoing approach and persistence approach is always paying
and pushing the followers for the accomplishment of goals.

Vitality: Leaders need strength/energy and stamina. Effective leaders are electric, vigorous, active, and
full of life, regardless of age or disability. These qualities energize followers too. To achieve goals,
leaders need stamina, energy, health, and vigor. Same is true for followers.

Charisma: A Personality Trait. A quality that generates others’ interest and creates followers. To
influence others, charisma plays very important role.

Integrity: The most important quality of leader is honesty, strength of character, and courage. Leaders
need to have strong integrity. So leader must have loyal, honest with his/her work and also with his/her
team too. It will also lead to trust and respect. Honesty, strength of character, and courage will always
lead to trust building, creating loyalty.
What Leaders Can Influence?
Leaders influence others’ behavior, attitude and actions. They influence mostly the work related
attitudes and behaviors of followers. The Importance of a great leader is the development and growth of
followers. Same way Importance of a great follower is the growth of leaders.

The Situation
The element of “the situation “ may be the most ambiguous aspect of the leadership framework because
it can refer to anything form the specific task a group is engaged in all the way to broad situation
contexts.
_ Task
_ Environment
_ Stress

A Brief History of Leadership
Before the 20th century leadership was the exclusive domain of royals or military people. Following
were the focus of leadership during different time frames.

1901-1914:
_ Prosperity
_ Key role of government
_ Leadership emphasis on public officials

1914-1945:
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_ Two world wars and great depression
_ Greater emphasis on coordination, consistency, strength and stability
_ Use of statutory authorities
_ New talent
_ Promotion by efficiency
_ Relationship with politicians is servant-oriented
_ Organizational context dominates follower relationships

1945-1970s:
_ More statutory authorities and greater international focus and role
_ Indigenous and environment policy
_ Equal opportunity
_ Concerted emphasis on training
_ Educated work force
_ Rotation and exchange began
_ Shift in gender in the Service

1975-2000:
_ Economic transition to cope with economic globalization
_ Privatization, efficiency and microeconomic reform
_ Multiculturalism/Globalization
The Purpose of Leadership in the 21st Century is more economic empowerment and empowerments of
followers. More freedoms to make decision and focus on creativity. Globalization, merging of
businesses for sharing of resources, responsive to change and stake holders etc are the purposes of
today’s leadership.

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