Daegan Smith asked:
An organization no matter how small or big it is calls for a leader. The leader on the other hand cannot just be someone. He has to be an effective leader, so to speak. Anyone can become a leader but only a few can exhibit effective leadership.
Now there is a big gap of difference between these two terms. An organization cannot be suited to survive if no effective leadership is exuded by the head. In order for things to work out smoothly and effectively, there must be someone who can lead the group and the members towards the betterment of things.
As is the practice, leaders are usually elected or chosen by the organization members. He cannot be chosen to handle a complicated task if the members have no faith in him. It is therefore the responsibility of the chosen leader to prove to everyone how effective he can be in leading everyone to success.
As the very famous words of the Chinese philosopher, Confucius, states it, “a leader is the one whose followers are impelled to follow him because of what he is and what he does”. It then follows that the leader must be able to influence the members. However, the influence must be rooted from good things.
Groups have specific goals and objectives. Therefore, an effective leader must be able to direct his group mates to the materialization of those goals. Furthermore, effective leadership involves the integration of the four Cs. They are Communication skills, Character, Creativity, and Consistency.
The Common Kinds of Leadership Styles
There are various organizations and among are the religious groups, political organizations, technical parties, and many others. There are also varying formats which become applicable to these types of leadership because not the same technique will work out for all of them.
The autocratic leadership. In here, the leader is the one who creates all of the policies and dictates on all the actions and tasks of the members. The leader in this group is known to be a disciplinarian and the result of such is for the members to oftentimes feel tensed, uncertain, and insecure.
The compassionate autocratic management. The leader is again the main source of the policies and he dominates over the members. In this group, the members likely show dependency and the inability to handle responsibilities.
The democratic leadership. The leader in here provokes mass participation in all of the activities that will trigger change in the system. The members tend to be more showy, enthusiastic, and confident.
The Traits of an Effective Leader
To become effective leaders, the person who leads a group must showcase enough but not too much self confidence. It matters that his fellowmen likes and respects him. He has to be flexible by nature, sensitive with the needs of others, compassionate, humane, creative, and is motivated to strive for the better.
An effective leader never leaves a member hanging in the air. His intellectual and technical skills must be blended with emotional and spiritual factors. It is always best for a group to have a leader who listens, considers, and supports the rest of the members of the gang.
They say that leaders are born instead of made. However, it can be a case to case basis. Effective leadership comes out of sensitivity and deep concern for the environment and for the people around. Furthermore, effective leadership is all about knowing your real duties as a leader and as a person.