Leadership is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world today. We often tend to associate leadership with lofty positions of power. This is not so. The world is in dire need of solutions to its numerous problems. Never in history has the world been in greater demand for joy, peace, progress, convenience, wealth, self-mastery, order and so on. Yet the solution to all these can be found in two words:
Effective Leadership.
What then is leadership? Is it the preserve of a few or a skill that can be developed by every one? Perhaps taking a quick look at the characteristics of effective leadership will help to answer these mind-bogging questions.
Who is a leader?
A leader is someone who by reason of knowledge, expertise, experience or character has earned the right to be a point of reference to others. Such a person may not hold a ‘big name’ position yet enjoys the loyalty of his colleagues, friends, associates and family. Just like light, no matter how hard a leader conceals himself, he easily gets noticed and distinguished from the crowd.
Leadership is not a function of position, and position doesn’t make people leaders. True leaders earn or create positions that create the order necessary to multiply their leadership influence. Also, there are no born leaders. Anyone anywhere who develops the qualities required for effective leadership whether at home, work, school, or in a public setting, would naturally earn the respect and followership of others.
Characteristics of Effective leadership
You can become an effective leader. You can take the lead; you can blaze the trail; and you can set the pace for others to follow. Even your enemies will readily submit to your influence when you exhibit the characteristics named below. No one will to follow your lead unless you exhibit influence by developing the skills named below.
All you need is just to show them that you have what it takes to lead.
1. Unusual confidence. No one will believe in you or follow you if you are not sure of where you are going. Majority of people are motivated by the hope of a better future. And as long as you can prove to them that the action they are being inspired to take through you promises increase, they will follow you.
2. Ability to communicate. The success of every leader is a function of his/her ability to achieve great goals through others. For example, in 1960, J.F. Kennedy had a dream for man to reach the moon. Although he didn’t have the professional expertise to achieve it on his own, he was able to communicate the dream to scientists and astronauts who eventually helped him achieve it.
3. Sense of Purpose. Effective leaders carry a sense of purpose visible to everyone around them. They may not be good at everything but they are very good at something. People can feel the passion, commitment and determination that leaders put into their pursuit and therefore want to help them achieve it.
4. Creativity in handling Crisis. Leaders never welcome challenges with despair. They always carry the mentality that anticipates unforeseen circumstances. They understand that if anyone must reach lofty heights that he dreams of, he has to accept the challenges, tests, trials, oppositions and disappointments that they encounter along the way.
5. Willingness to live for others. Effective leaders live for a cause they are willing to die for. They understand that for others to make progress and live better lives in a particular dimension, someone has to pay the price of responsibility.
You can exhibit effective leadership in your family, group or community. All you need is the ability to harness and develop the above qualities in achieving great and productive goals through the people God has placed in your life.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
When Times Are Tough; Which Way Do You Go?
We are currently experiencing one of the toughest times in history. Each day that passes present us with challenges, stress problems, job insecurities, troubled relationships, health issues and so on. But does that mean that these challenges are insurmountable? Certainly not! However, this is only true for those who know how to deal with them. How then do we deal with challenges?
Everyone under the sun has two persons in them: a champion and a loser. No matter who you are and where you come from, your future would be essentially determined by the one you allow to dominate you. If the above title caught your attention enough to read on, then you are likely to be dominated by the champion in you. If you are currently asking, “How can I come out of the challenges I am currently facing?”, then the answers you seek are in the next few lines.
Having worked with various clients and friends, trying to help them to overcome very difficult emotional, career, business and health challenges, I would recommend the following seven-step process for overcoming any challenge you are currently faced with. Let’s start with the first step:
Step 1: Take a Break.
When you are faced with an overwhelming situation, this is the first thing to do: Stop. Sit down, take a deep breath and relax. Give yourself time to temporarily forget about the ‘mountain’ before you. Activity is not productivity. Understand that you are not in competition with anyone. Most of those you see running around, and round the clock don’t even know where they are going. Anytime you feel you are under pressure to ‘perform’ or keep running a failed project, it’s time to STOP. If you don’t, you stand the risk of making too many more mistakes.
The challenge is a pointer that something is wrong somewhere. Therefore take time out to catch your breath, and then you can start thinking. Start by counting your blessings. Thank God for the things that you can be grateful for; it could be a good wife or loved one who will always be there for you; think about that great job, good health, or ever-expanding business you’re blessed with. Think about the gift of life. Think about your past successes and breakthroughs. This would help you to restore your self-worth and gain confidence.
Your “Break” time is also the time to put the problems you are facing in the right perspective. Challenges are not equal to troubles. Seeing your problems as merely challenges makes you want to find solutions to them. But seeing your problems as troubles destroys your confidence and erodes your self-esteem. When you stop to think, your solutions flow to you so easily.
Your “break” time could be a regular time of the day probably in the early hours of the morning or midnight seasons. It could also be in form of a vacation away from a stressful job or project preferably outside your immediate environment. The brain often needs a new environment to capture inspired ideas.
According to Currie Ten Boom, “worry does not empty tomorrow of its problems, it only empties today of its strength”. Take a break and get ready to weather the storms of your life.
Everyone under the sun has two persons in them: a champion and a loser. No matter who you are and where you come from, your future would be essentially determined by the one you allow to dominate you. If the above title caught your attention enough to read on, then you are likely to be dominated by the champion in you. If you are currently asking, “How can I come out of the challenges I am currently facing?”, then the answers you seek are in the next few lines.
Having worked with various clients and friends, trying to help them to overcome very difficult emotional, career, business and health challenges, I would recommend the following seven-step process for overcoming any challenge you are currently faced with. Let’s start with the first step:
Step 1: Take a Break.
When you are faced with an overwhelming situation, this is the first thing to do: Stop. Sit down, take a deep breath and relax. Give yourself time to temporarily forget about the ‘mountain’ before you. Activity is not productivity. Understand that you are not in competition with anyone. Most of those you see running around, and round the clock don’t even know where they are going. Anytime you feel you are under pressure to ‘perform’ or keep running a failed project, it’s time to STOP. If you don’t, you stand the risk of making too many more mistakes.
The challenge is a pointer that something is wrong somewhere. Therefore take time out to catch your breath, and then you can start thinking. Start by counting your blessings. Thank God for the things that you can be grateful for; it could be a good wife or loved one who will always be there for you; think about that great job, good health, or ever-expanding business you’re blessed with. Think about the gift of life. Think about your past successes and breakthroughs. This would help you to restore your self-worth and gain confidence.
Your “Break” time is also the time to put the problems you are facing in the right perspective. Challenges are not equal to troubles. Seeing your problems as merely challenges makes you want to find solutions to them. But seeing your problems as troubles destroys your confidence and erodes your self-esteem. When you stop to think, your solutions flow to you so easily.
Your “break” time could be a regular time of the day probably in the early hours of the morning or midnight seasons. It could also be in form of a vacation away from a stressful job or project preferably outside your immediate environment. The brain often needs a new environment to capture inspired ideas.
According to Currie Ten Boom, “worry does not empty tomorrow of its problems, it only empties today of its strength”. Take a break and get ready to weather the storms of your life.
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