Definitions

Leadership:

•  Is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.
• Effective leadership is based upon ideas, but won't happen unless these ideas can be communicated to others in a way that engages them.

Leader:

You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed. Also you have to be:

• Able to delegate
• Organized 
• Brave 
• Honest
• Responsible
• Passionate
• Great listener
• Charismatic 
• Popular
• Respectful

Leadership starts from Confidence.. 
             Confidence leads to Self-respect..
                         Self-respect leads to Decisiveness..

                                   Decisiveness leads to Rationalism..
                                              Rational leads to Success.
                                                                                                    By: " Salah Metwaly"     

What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future.

Clue to be a successful leader

No one is born a leader!! Everyone can develop leadership skills and everyone can benefit from using them.

First, analyze yourself:

1. What kind of leader am I? 

2. What are my goals, purposes, and expectations in working with this particular group?

Second, Identify areas for improvement; Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I try to be aware of how others think and feel? 

2. Do I try to help others perform to the best of their abilities? 

3. Do I accept and appreciate other perspectives and opinions? 

4. Am I willing to try new ideas and new ways of doing things? 

5. Am I able to communicate with others effectively? 

6. Am I a good problem solver? 

7. Am I willing to accept responsibility? 

8. Am I aware of current issues and concerns in my community?

Third, take actions.

Quotes

"Leaders are leaders no matter what the title is"

"Becoming a leader is like learning to play the violin in public " Anonymous                                                                                                   

"Never take a person’s dignity: It is worth everything to them, and nothing to you." Frank Barron

"Education is power" Frederick Douglass

 

Leading an effective team needs better skills

Many years of experience in Exploring have shown that good leadership is a result of the careful application of 11 skills that any post leader or officer can learn to use. With practice, these skills can become a part of the adult’s or youth officer’s leadership style and will prove helpful in exploring and all other leadership situations.

1. UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POST
2. KNOWING AND USING THE RESOURCES OF THE GROUP
3. COMMUNICATING
4. PLANNING
5. CONTROLLING GROUP PERFORMANCE
6. EVALUATING
7. SETTING THE EXAMPLE
8. SHARING LEADERSHIP
9. COUNSELING

10.EFFECTIVE TEACHING

Common leadership competencies

Common leadership competencies – how do you rate your competency levels?

• Do you avoid tackling difficult situations?
• Are you frustrated that you’re not getting the most from your people?
• Would you like to generate and encourage more creative ideas from those around you?
• Are you unaware of the triggers that cause your stress levels to rise?

"Human Relations" 

• The seven most important words: “I don't know but I’ll find out."
• 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 important word: "I"

Acquiring Leadership Skills

Effective leadership is something that needs to be developed with time.  The reason why some of us find it very difficult at times could be because, at some stage we have overlooked the underlying qualities that a good leader needs to have, and how we could develop those qualities, but we have begun more to focus on what we need to get done, and the easiest possible way to do it.


Regardless of whether you reside near the top of the financial career ladder or near the bottom, youll need additional leadership skills before reaching the next rung. Jeff Thomson, president and CEO of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), speaks to Business Finance editor in chief Jack Sweeney about how finance executives can develop and acquire leadership skills. 

Leader Capabilities

Remember: improving your leadership capabilities is one of the most effective ways to improve your business performance.

Leading People Capabilities                                  Leader Skills

·       Passionate about people                                Presentation Skills

·       Performance management                            Verbal Communication 

·       Building effective team                                  Running Meetings

·       Coaching                                                        Written Communication

·       Touch points                                                   Negotiation 

·       Giving feedback                                              Listening                                     

http://www.whatmakesagoodleader.com/

Developing Strategies for leading an effective team

Devise a strategy for upgrading your skills. Here are a few strategies to consider:

Communicate effectively:

Speaking down to people is a talent, if your focus is winning the argument or if you react defensively to criticism, you’ll create fear of openness and hinder the organization’s growth. So try these steps to effective communication:

1. Listen actively-ask open questions. Be genuinely interested in what other’s say. 
2. Thank people for their openness and show how much you value it, even if you don’t like specifically what is being said.
3. Point to areas of agreement before jumping on areas of disagreement, this reduces defensiveness; members won't fear being “attacked.”
4. Set aside your authority to create an atmosphere of partnership to reduce fear in-group members.
5. Promote a culture of constructive dissent-though not to the point of paralysis.
6. Portray disagreement as simply a difference of opinion. 
7. Get rid of the “I’m right, you're wrong " attitude.

Encourage enthusiasm and a sense of belonging; Show:

1. Friendliness: others will be more willing to share ideas if you're interested n them as people too.
2. Understanding: everyone makes mistakes. Try to be constructive, tolerant and tactful when offering criticism.
3. Fairness: equal treatment and equal opportunity lead to an equally good effort from all group members.
4. Integrity: members will take tasks more seriously if you show that you’re more interested in-group goals than your own personal gain.

Keep everyone working toward agreed upon goals:

1. Provide encouragement and motivation, by showing your appreciation for their effort. 
2. Harmonize differences and disagreements between group members by stressing compromise and cooperation.
3. Involve everyone in discussions and decisions, even if asking for opinions and ideas means a longer discussion.

Other strategies

Get to know the people around you:

Everyone has different abilities, wants, needs, and purpose in life. To get along with others and get results, you need to get to know them.

1. Interact with group members as often as possible.
2. Become popular with every member of your group.
3. Take note of each person’s unique qualities and characteristics

Treat others as individuals:

Put your knowledge and understanding of each group member to work. Always:

1. Delegate responsibilities
2. Provide rewards recognition by the group is a source of personal satisfaction and positive reinforcement for a job well done.

Accept responsibility for getting things done:

1. Offer help and provide information. Your unique knowledge and skills may be just what’s needed.
2. Make things happen. By being decisive, energetic, and enthusiastic, you can and will help get things done.
3. Know when and how to say “no.” If your time and resources are already committed, turn down extra tasks, but do it nicely.

Problem solve in a step-by-step way:

Whether you are faced with a decision to make or a conflict to resolve, following a logical approach will help:

1. State the problem as simply and clearly as possible.
2. Gather all relevant information and available resources.
3. Brainstorm as many ideas or solutions as you can think of (with others if possible).
4. Evaluate each idea or solution and choose the best one.
5. Design a plan for using your idea or solution. Include a timetable, assigned roles and resources to be used.
6. Follow up on your plan by asking if your idea worked and why or why not.

6 Exercises to Develop your Leadership skills

In this regard, the video gives out steps that will greatly help you to develop and maintain good leadership skills:

• Look at your model then work on those attributes
• Look at your team, identify your needs in your particular business
• Practice: get in-front of people or video for few times a week, practice being yourself
• Seek feedback: ask for honest and real feedback 

Enhance Your Leadership Skills

1. Start Listening

Remember: We have one mouth, but two ears.

2. Ask Questions

Remember: A question not asked is an opportunity missed.

3.Confus Management with Leadership

Remember: Leaders know their followers aren’t after them.

4. “Know Thyself”

Remember: Leadership starts with leading oneself.

5. Results-Oriented Instead of Goal-Oriented

Remember: Goals are long-term.

6. Open the Lines Communication

Remember: Miscommunication is never the mistake of the recipient.

7. Overlook Setting Goals Together

Remember: Without followers a leader isn’t a leader.

Enhance Your Leadership Skills

By: Ada C. Kanu & Frank D. Kanu

Published by Genius One, Inc. Wesley Chapel, FL

http://www.GeniusOne.com

Leadership key notes

• We are not born leaders but we can all develop leadership skills 
• Our points of strength and weaknesses should be identified 
• Developing leadership skills through: 

1. Be a good listener.
2. Appreciate and value people's openness.
3. Point to areas of agreement before jumping on areas of disagreement.
4. Show that disagreement is just a different point of view.
5. Never say "i'm right you're wrong"

• Keep in mind that friendliness, understanding, fairness and integrity are major behaviour of a team-leader.
• Remember that trust takes along time to build, but can be destroyed in an instant.
• For leaders the blame game is never an option.
• Respect is like trust, hard to gain and easily lost.