QED
Leadership Training: Are leaders born or made?
04-FEB-10

By Rufus Ledwaba: Marketing Director - QED

Leadership Training

Leadership is a process of influencing people while operating to meet organizational requirements and improving the organization through change.

Leadership is the foundation of all organizations, whether corporate, nonprofit or government.

Leadership is a high calling and responsibility, upon which all else the organization is or does, rests.

Moreover, leadership is always top down, never bottom up.

The key feature of leadership is performed through communicating, decision making, and motivating.

Leaders possess special attributes not commonly found in other people. Their characteristics or qualities set them apart from the rest of the pack.

Leadership attributes are the inner or personal qualities that constitute effective leadership.

These attributes include a large array of characteristics such as values, character, motives, habits, traits, competencies, motives, style, behaviors, and skills.

Most of the leadership attributes are clustered into four overarching categories:

Great leaders of the World possess the following attributes:

1. Leaders embrace authenticity: Good leaders are genuine and their integrity is beyond question.

2. Leaders are models (for safety, values etc): Leaders are role models of the positive variety, through and through. They don't take their role of model to others lightly.

3. Providing context and alignment: As the environment inevitably changes, the leader provides the necessary support to assist in clarifying specific targets and goals.

4. Provide coaching and empowerment: Leaders of note are great one-on-one coaches, but not only that, they can influence individuals in the collective environment, embracing opportunities to provide feedback and encouragement. They don't overdo supervision and they trust their charges.

5. Leaders develop their team: Leaders don't see investment in people as a threat and they don't become disconcerted when well-developed team members go on to better things; they simply wish them well, and have the ability to be genuinely thankful for their contributions.

6. Leaders communicate well and broadly: Leaders pitch their language, pace, tone, and media for the situation, and they also recognize the impact of broadening the message so that everyone can benefit.

7. Leaders show empathy and care: Finally, leaders are people who care for others. They have the ability to experience joy and sorrow at appropriate times and in appropriate ways. Team members of great leaders have no problem sharing their concerns, frustrations, and disappointments, as well as their successes.

Source: Ten3 global internet polls
Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric (GE)
states that leaders should:

1. Develop a vision for the business

2. Change the culture to achieve the vision

3. Flatten the organization

4. Eliminate bureaucracy

5. Empower individuals

6. Raise quality and efficiency

7. Eliminate boundaries

Full details for QED available here