Leadership

What is the role of the Leader? Few of us are born to lead. Yet most of us will need to lead some group or organization, at some time. Leadership is a role most of us will need to play. Frequently, leadership is a role that we discover we need to assume when we agree to do some other task or job. We may need to lead a group, project team, department, or even a whole organization. We may lead a family, club, association or a whole community. Our leadership role may be formally sanctioned or we may have no actual authority, just a group of followers. The context in which we lead doesn't matter. When we assume a leadership role we have a part to play in shaping the future, or at least some part of it, and a number of important principles apply. First, the leadership role is different to management. Often good leaders are also good managers. But the leadership role is not the same as the management role, even when the same person plays them both, and the two should not be confused. The management role is based on authority while leadership is built on relationships. Where the management role involves responsibility for command and control, the leadership role relies on influence and inspiration for consent. The primary leadership role includes establishing strategic vision, values and direction setting while the management role concentrates on planning, resource allocation and budget to deliver the vision. Both leadership and management are important, but at different times and in different situations. The best leaders know when to assume which role - when to manage and when to lead - and they are comfortable moving in and out of the leadership role as required. Second, leadership skills can be learnt. You do not need to learn these skills the hard way, on your own. Once you develop your leadership skills, assuming any leadership role is much easier, and more effective.

To be considered as a leader means that you have to possess certain...