The term ‘leadership’ is commonly perceived as a power to lead others.

But this power is sheer positional leadership. True leadership is more than just an authority over others; it is a responsibility to bring out the best in others to accomplish the task. The focus of the leader is ‘Let’s do it’ than ‘Do it’. The leader develops the leadership in others.

WHO CAN BE A LEADER?

Every one who has the desire and the will power to be a leader can become an effective leader. Kindle the desire and nothing can stop you from becoming a leader in life. Believe in yourself!!!

Looking at the life of the great leaders like Gandhi, Hitler, Napoleon we find many characteristics which are common among them like the degree of their influence on others, clarity of vision etc. These are the leadership traits which can be acquired by continual practice and self improvement.

The essence of leadership is to have a goal directed vision with the ability to communicate it effectively. Vision is different from visualizing. One may see the details but miss to see the big picture. One may see the tree but miss to see the wood. A vision is a clear picture of the goal to be achieved. The clarity of vision empowers the visionary to foresee the obstacles and derive the solutions. Without vision leader is no leader.

All great leaders have had a vision of what can, and should be, done. Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation envisioned free India, directed the people of country and launched the biggest mass movement in history to liberate our country from foreign rule and establish democracy. Our independence is the culmination of his vision.

The articulate communication of the vision pumps in the energy behind every effort put in for transforming it into reality. Leaders have two characteristics. First, they possess the vision of what they want to accomplish and second, they are able to persuade others to work in unity to realize the vision into reality.

• Widen your horizons and see with your utmost aware fullness, what is the purpose of the task and how would you like to achieve it. Paint a clear picture of it in your mind.

• Bear in mind the past experiences pertaining to a similar task.

• Brainstorm the ways to realize the vision.

• Establish a course of action.

• Follow the vision.

Own a vision even for the simplest task to be accomplished and gradually, it will just happen to you.

John C Maxwell has mentioned in his book ‘Develop the leader within you’: “Followers find the leader and then the vision. Leaders find the vision and then the followers”.

So, capture the vision and take the ownership to accomplish it with joint efforts; you are a leader!!!

SUPPORT OF VISION - RELATIONSHIPS

Vision needs support of others to be accomplished, as great goals are achieved only when united efforts are made. Accept that you cannot do it all alone. The famous proverb, “People buy into the leader before they buy into his/her leadership” is the reason why your performance varies when working with different leaders. Give others the warmth you desire.

DO’S

• Cultivate relationships with your colleagues, nurture the trust.

• Everyone in this world wants to feel important, accepted. Develop your skills in making people feel important.

• Learn to give genuine compliments. Appreciate! Appreciate!! Appreciate!!! Don’t let go any opportunity of appreciating the worthwhile.

• Develop your motivational skills. Motivate the people around you by knowing the factors which motivate them.

• Always wear a smile:, it’s contagious.

Remember, it’s ‘We’ that produces results, not ‘I’

PRIORITIES

Discipline to prioritize and to act on is essential to a leader’s success. In other words, it’s working in order of importance. Once you learn to prioritize your work, you get the key to unlock the doors of your best performance.

The famous ‘Pareto Principle’ which is also known as 80/20 rule is an effective tool for determining priorities in one’s life. The 80/20 Rule means that in anything a few (20 percent) are vital and many (80 percent) are trivial. Of the things you do during your day, only 20 percent really matter. Those 20 percent produce 80 percent of your results. Identify and focus on those things. Focus 80 percent of your time and energy on the 20 percent of your work that is really important. Don’t just “work smart”, work smart on the right things.

Indeed, we often have to cope with too many priorities and take decisions accordingly.

Just follow 4 simple steps given below.

• List your key responsibility areas.

• Bear your vision in mind and prioritize the tasks accordingly.

• If you discover a tie between two options, break the tie by taking your decision based to benefit the organization.

• Now, place them all in order of priority in your priority list.

Keep priorities in place by reviewing them as and when required.

CAUTION

• The list will produce results only when acted upon. Mere making of a list will not render you any result.

• Whenever you find yourself exhausted of work, it’s a signal to set your priorities right.

DEALING WITH CHANGE

Change gives birth to growth. This attribute of change is not visible at the initial stage when it is introduced. The common response to change is resistance, but changes will continue to happen, whether you like it or not. When you resist change you hinder your success. Be receptive to change and think in terms of the advantages of changing vs. the disadvantages of continuing with the way things are.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Obstacles are conditions of success, this law holds true in human life.
To be a leader you must develop the capacity to turn the stumbling blocks into stepping stones. You cannot determine every circumstance in life but you have the choice to determine your attitude towards every circumstance.

Here is the tool to transcend over your problems

• Identify the problem.

• Define the problem. Time, energy invested in solving the vague generality that ’something is wrong’ is all waste.

• Collect all solutions. There’s solution to every problem you face and seldom is there just one way to solve a problem.

• Prioritize the solutions and choose the best course of action.

• Begin to act on it.

• Never talk about the problem again, only the solution. Talking about the problem repeatedly tends to aggravate it.

Leader is seen as a trouble shooter by others. Hence, you must equip yourself with the tool to shoot the trouble.

Handy tips to be an efficient leader

The six most important words:

“I admit I made a mistake.”

The five most important words: “You did a good job.”

The four most important words: “What is your opinion?”

The three most important words: “If you please.”

The two most important words: “Thank you,”

The one most important word: “We”

The least most important word: “I”

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