What a LEADER should be

It is often said that there are so many ways to exercise leadership and there are so many kinds of leaders. Every leader has their own way of managing their teams. Some are strict while some are not.

The article, Characteristics of an effective team leader says that true leaders, empower their teams by their behaviors. The article enumerated that a true leader acts as an advocate with the upper management, facilitate honest and open communication, model behaviors that they want from the team, acts instead of react, facilitate decision making and discussions with teams, recognize the stregths of each member and use it for the advantage of the team, see the big picture and communicate each member’s role in the context, encouraged independent thinking and trust his members to decide for themselves, and gathers members with complementary skills and darw from the strength of each member.

Allow me to focus on some points.

Facilitate honest and open communication among members. In a group, it is important that a leader is neutral to its members. Leaders should not take sides when members are in conflict. Instead, a leader should take the initiative to reconcile members and sooth conflicts. As a leader, you may encourage members to discuss matters in a professional manner, take things easily and talk about the conflict instead of taking sides and complicating the situation.

Model behaviors that they want from the team. “Follow the leader” is a very common line and should be taken seriously. I, for one, believes that the attitude of your subordinates is a reflection of the kind of leader that you are. If you are a responsible leader, you will encourage your members to be more responsible. You cannot expect your members to be responsible if you yourself cannot do your responsibilities.

Recognize the stregths of each member and use it for the advantage of the team. I remembered a line in the book, The Little Prince where it says that, one should demand from one the duties which one can perform. It is important that each member do the things that they are capable of doing for a better result. You cannot expect one to do programming if his strength is in advertising.

Encouraged independent thinking and trust his members to decide for themselves. This will allow members to be more independent and self-confident. Someday, these members will become leaders themselves and they will be making important decisions. It is therefore the role of the present leader to train the members and prepare them for the future. You will not always be with the company or the group and someday somebody will have to take your place. The success of a company or a team is only assured if everybody is prepared to take the helm when the situation calls for it.

Leadership is a hard position. It is not just a job but a vocation. You don’t cease to be a leader during day-offs or weekends. Once a leader, always a leader. So better start acting like one.