Leadership, with all its facets and complexities, is constantly being examined and defined. With the challenging organizational changes facing today’s leaders, the concept of leadership is critical to organizational health and success. Therefore, focused scrutiny of leadership concepts and themes is invaluable in discovering and nurturing the seeds of leadership in an organization. Some important themes have emerged from this quest to understand what is sometimes the obvious but often elusive idea of leadership.
“Everyone is a leader.” Studies have shown that there are many types of leaders that come from all levels of the organization. Every person has a leader within them and it is a matter of circumstance when and where those leadership skills will be called upon. Remember that leadership is a process and many variables influence the emergence of a leader. But each person must be seen as their next potential leader.
“Bring out the best of each one”. In the past, leaders have used non-empowering techniques to get results from their people. But today we see that not only people have changed but also the rules have changed. What worked yesterday no longer works today. Today’s leaders find that a mentoring, responsive and shared approach is most effective. They guide their followers toward mutual goals rather than forcing them to achieve imposed goals and allow members to share in the feeling of success.
“Leadership versus Management”. In today’s world of constant change and complexity, organizations are looking for leaders who can not only cope with these variables, but thrive on them. It’s easy to teach someone the rules of the organization with its protocols and procedures and have them manage those programs. But it is no longer practical when new protocols replace old ones overnight and procedures change every day. Embracing new challenges and inspiring others to do the same is what defines today’s leader.
“Sensitivity in Leadership”. Due to the global and cultural demands of today’s business world, leaders need to be intuitive and proactive in how they approach management. Along with an increasingly diverse workplace, leaders must embrace experiences and backgrounds that are different from their own. They must move from accommodation to empowerment and then they will witness the best in people. Being a sensitive leader used to be considered a weak leader, but today’s best leaders show that sensitivity is the way to build a strong organization.
“The Holistic Leader”. The image of the “all together” leaders will be replaced by that of the “lifelong learner”. Areas that used to be light and black and white have now become shades of gray. Leaders can no longer rely on historical values and judgments. A new compact has been formed between leaders and followers and is not based on historical perspectives. We have evolved into a day where people are valued and appreciated for their intrinsic characteristics and uniqueness. An effective leader has to accept these differences and find creative ways to build an organization from a group of people.
“Leaders as Masters of Change”. The ability to embrace change with enthusiasm and challenge is the hallmark of today’s leaders. It has become an essential part of the “leader persona.” Where change used to be a burden, change is now a way of doing things better. When each day is different from the day before, complacency is gone forever. There is no such thing as routine in today’s business world and a new sense of excitement has emerged. Twenty-first century leaders are blessed with this new atmosphere of encouragement and must accept it as a blessing, not a burden.
These themes are some of the new ideas emerging from leadership studies. They define the requirements that are now essential for today’s leaders. Companies are no longer looking for good people to manage their business assets, but rather leaders who will maximize their company’s assets to the greatest extent possible. Making the most of available resources and making those resources the best they can be is the standard leaders hold themselves to. Getting things done is no longer good enough, just as meeting goals is no longer good enough. Doing your best and exceeding goals is the direction today’s leaders are headed.