Beyond the position of leadership lies the price

By Adetunji Adeleye

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
Managing Director for Africa
and Asia, World BankLeadership is practised not so much in words, but in actions”, said Harold Geneen, former CEO of ITT Corporation.The power to lead merits the highest approbation. To be leader is a mark of distinction. It is a measure of highest achievement. A good leader wins admiration and exudes warmth. One’s character, one’s personality and one principles- all directly come into play.

The challenges of leadership requires the right combination of qualities and skills. Valuable qualities like honesty, integrity, compassion, humility could be inherent in a person. However, to be leader one needs to stretch beyond. One needs to develop leadership skills. One needs to maintain a strong focus and follow an excellent action plan because beyond the position of leadership lies the price.

As Henry D Thoreau rightly said, “ In the long run, leaders hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they better aim at that goal. It is important to look within oneself and be aware of the necessity for personal development. It is important to channel one’ s energy in the right direction. Equally important is to develop a strong drive to succeed and seek out challenging tasks. But most importantly, it is essential to develop a full range of leadership skills. Developing skills is an integral part of the process.
These are ways to develop leadership skills.

Hardwork and self- motivation
As Henry D Thoreau rightly said, “In the long run leaders hit only what they aim at. Therefore they better aim at something high”. To be on the top of the ladder, continuous hard work is crucial. Mere intelligence does not suffice. Fame and riches alone cannot stimulate your intrinsic motivation. Self-motivation tools are the key factors. Tapping your inner resources is the beginning of this quest. Fierce determination and vibrant passion are aids to forge ahead. Self-discipline and perserverance can make it happen. Creating a solid belief leads you closer to your goals. Building the right positive attitude enables you to move closer to the leadership position.

Task management
In managing the process, the leader leads his team with finesse. He becomes adept at dealing effectively with people. In acomplishing a task, he strives to give constant attention to the human aspect, be it in the confines of a family, business or in the corporate sector. A good leader learns to be appropriately accessible. He listens attentively; is open to suggestion and is always ready to adopt usable ideas. By openly acknowledging the strengths of his team members, he motivates his team to successfuly accomplish tasks.His acceptance of view point of others, help in bringing about organisational change.He needs not to be threatened by his subordinate’s contribution and achievement as if his position is under threat.Many incumbent leaders have destroyed rising stars under them by word of mouth in order to safeguard their positions. By responding rather than reacting, he emerges as an expert on task management. Leaders create enabling environment by harnessing and releasing human potential for actualising organisational goals.

Problem solving skills
A leader needs to develop problem solving skills. A leader knows that learning from life’s positive and negative experiences nurtures self-growth. It builds an inner resiliency, an ability to bounce back after any crisis. He has the ability to turn any catastrophe into a positive learning experience. He is resilient. He demonstrates courage and self-discipline. He creates a solid belief system in his team with “you can do anything” to develop an “I can” attitude. This brings about positive reinforcement resulting in higher performance. The renowned Bill Gates of Microsoft, the second richest man in the world regarded problem solving as highly challenging and motivational.

Communicative skills
Good communication is vital for a leader’s development and begins with good preparation. Effective communication reaps a rich harvest. Right listening techniques keeps the leader informed of the latest developments and conveys the message of good will to his subordinates. Through a variety of ways like posture, clothes, grooming and life-style, a leader can wield a powerful influence on his team mates. By demonstrating the value of self-education, a good leader helps his team mates to develop and succeed. Being aware that their leader is genuinely concerned about their welfare, they willingly trust his judgement and look forward to his encouragement.

Ability to inspire
This is another important skill a leader can acquire. An effective leader empowers his subordinates to succeed under any circumstance. He is ever ready to extend a steady hand to someone who is reaching out or just trying to hang on. He gives constant attention to the human aspect whether in the confines of a family or business or in the corporate sector. He actively demonstrates to them how to achieve their very best and inspires them to achieve their goals. He does not demand respect but earns it. The future belongs to leaders all around the world, who have the power and passion to bring about change in the right direction. It is these leaders who look not to receive but to give; to contribute. It is these leaders who have the power to lead the way to peace and prosperity. Leaders today, face gigantic challenges and intensive scrutiny, while shouldering tremendous responsibility. These leaders need to gear up their forces to wipe human destruction from the face of this earth.

Leadership is not simply about making money. It is about creating inner wealth. It is about uplifting humanity and serving others. It entails giving joy to others. For this, one needs a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love. The true test of any civilisation in any organisation is the kind of leaders the organisation produces. Let companies all around the globe, produce the finest leaders the world had ever seen.