The importance of understanding the elements or factors that make a good leader

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie

Published: 15-October-2014

Introduction
A review of literatures will show that there is a shift from just management to leadership in the modern business setting and this shift has been triggered by a new understanding that “leadership is the way to manage.” Effective leadership will produce quality management that is capable of meeting company’s set objectives. Thus, this paper seeks to discuss why it is important to understand the qualities of a good leader and highlight the elements that make up effective leadership.

What is the importance of understanding the elements or factors that make a good leader?

In accordance with Du Brin, et al. (2006) pointed out the fact that an Australian Entrepreneur, Bussau, who influenced, inspired and motivated people into achieving a constructive change has actually exerted a leadership. Du Brin (1998) also made the proposal that in order to be a good leader, one must make difference and facilitate positive changes. Common characteristics of good leaders include their ability to inspire and stimulate others towards achieving goals that are worthwhile. In essence, people that are capable of accomplishing these important deeds are practicing leadership. Leadership is the ability to inspire confidence and provide necessary support for people in order to power them towards achieving set organizational goals (Chan and Maubourgne, 1992).

Although they are numerous outcomes expected from effective leadership, the question still remain why it is important to understanding the elements of good leaders in an organization. Marc (2005) presents a general answer to such and it is to “ensure that the person being recruited or selected into the leadership position has the right skills to effect corporate goals.” However, I see this view as being limited because it doesn’t cover cases where the leader has already been selected into the leadership goal without the company knowing qualities of a good leader. For instance, let’s assume that an entrepreneurial business employees a new leader without knowing the qualities of a good leader, will they necessary remove the leader when they understand the qualities of a good leader? The answer is obviously know. Thus, I think that it is important to understand the qualities of a good leader because:

1.      It will help to determine the right training to be given to leaders in order to ensure that the can effectively undertake designated tasks.

2.      It helps to determine the right leader to keep and the ones to drop.

3.      It helps to measure performance because the more a leader meets the qualities, the better the leader will perform.

Thus, the above three points adds up with the views of Marc (2005) as reasons why it is important to understand the qualities of a good leader.

How do the approaches that you have covered this week seek to explain what comprises effective leadership?

In the modern business world, organizational effectiveness is no longer a necessity as it has become mandatory. This week, we have been able to understand why it is important to know the qualities of a good leader and such has positive influence on effective leadership as noted by Harter et. al. (2002) in terms of understanding what effective leadership is all about.

In essence, it can be said that the approaches covered this week has made known that effective leadership involves having a leader that can motivate employees, have a clear vision, execute strategies easily, focus on corporate goals, and deliver profitability to the company through proper alignment of the business with its internal and external forces (Harter et. al. 2002).

For instance, effective leadership in SIX 12 Investments Nigeria Ltd involves ensuring that the leader understand corporate goals and delivers these goals as needed. Thus, understanding qualities of a good leader is the right start towards ensuring that the person being erected into the leadership position has necessary elements to deliver corporate goals.

References

Chan, K. W. & Maubourgne, R. A. (1992). Parables of leadership. Harvard Business Review, July-August, 123-128.

Du Brin, A. J. (1998). Leadership. Rochester Institute of Technology, USA.

Du Brin, A. J., Dalglish, C., & Miller, P. (2006). Leadership. John Wiley & Sons: Australia.

Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L. (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between employee engagement, and business outcomes: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268-279. 

Marc, F. (2005). What is leadership. available at; around the Globe5.htm.