SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID: A true leader

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 24th April 2018

Introduction

The success of any given organization of nation depends largely on the qualities of its leaders. This is because, the leader predominantly defines what is expected in terms of delivering set goals. If the leader is equip with necessary qualities to effect the desired objective, then both the process of leadership and the people under his care will become clear embodiment of success. This is because, delivering set objectives will set the people apart and position them as clear examples for others to follow.

In recent year, the importance of leadership has grown more than ever. The ability to take a team (or people) from ordinary to extraordinary does imply understanding and embracing the variations between management and leadership(BENINCASA, 2012). This has led to the understanding that management is all about doing things right, while leadership involves doing the right thing. A leader is not someone who seats and commands others to do thing, instead a leader sets the pace by being the first to do things, showing people how it is done and helping them do it even better.

As such, the focus of this paper is to understand the leadership qualities of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, how these leadership has help in building the new Dubai, and what the future holds for both Dubai and the UAE in general, as well as what other leaders can learn from his leadership qualities towards delivering their own set corporate or national objectives.

Leadership style of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

Leadership has been described as less about one’s individual needs and more about the people and organization the person is leading. Leadership styles are not something that involves trial and error towards determining the right one. Instead, it involves clear adaptation to a given demand by the situation facing the leader, certain requirements of the people being lead, and particular challenges facing the organization or people(Martin, 2015).

Traditionally, leadership styles have been described as: democratic – basing decisions on the views of people being lead or autocratic – forcing decisions on the people being lead. However, changes in the global economic setting has forced new kinds of leadership into existence. There are different kinds of leadership styles in the conventional setting, and most of the leaders can move round these styles, adopting the right one wherever the circumstances is considered necessary.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is a visionary leader(Vella, 2014). This type of leadership is most appropriate in a situation where the leaders wants to put the company or country through a new direction. The goal is to move more peoples towards a new shared value and dreams. Visionary leaders articulate where a group is going, but not necessary how the group will get there – thus, setting the group free to become innovative, experiment, and take necessary calculated risks towards reaching their desired goals. In just 10 years following his succession as the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has not only defied global economic recession, but brought the country from it bigger, better, stronger, smarter, and much happier(Langton, 2016). The Sheik is a visionary that desires the continued growth of Dubai and adopts necessary strategies to ensure that such is the case. As a result of his visionary attributes of leadership, Dubai has been transformed into a global heaven where everyone now wants to live and enjoy. His leadership started from the foundation of the emirate airways, which is a clear demonstration of the fact that he had for long foreseen Dubai as a heavenly palace that should be used to set examples for other countries. Thus, he is a visionary that enjoys setting pace for others while benchmarking his own achievements.

Traits of a leader

In his own words, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid noted that “a true leader does not derive power from his own position, but instead from established ethics, the love people have for him, and knowledge, education and excellence in his works.” These words summarizes the traits that differentiates a leader from others.

Honesty(Vella, 2014)is one of the main traits of a leader. He must be credible when it does to all activities, and must be someone that is truthful – which will drew the trust of the crowd towards his direction. Additionally, a leader must communicate(Wall Street Journals, n.d.)with his followers, detailing the directions of his leadership and what is expected from his followers in order to attain such set directions. Unlike normal people, a leader is extremely confident(Martin, 2015)with his abilities even in the toughest of situations. The leader must demonstrate overall confidence by being calm no matter the circumstances facing his leadership, solving problems and providing necessary encouragements to others in order to ensure that set objectives are easily attained. A leader is most be able to delegate(Wall Street Journals, n.d.)tasks to the members. Just as the followers want to trust their leaders, they also want their leaders to trust them by assigning them necessary tasks – and effective leaders are those that are able to delegate certain responsibilities to others. Positivity and creativity(Martin, 2015)are other features of leaders, which imply that irrespective of the circumstances surrounding their leadership, they must always be positive towards new changes and creativity with their solutions (allowing flexibility where necessary). Inspiration and passion(Vella, 2014)are also featured widely as the quality of a leader. A leader must have passion in what he does, and be able to inspire others from his continued positive performance. From these traits, it is obvious that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is a good leader as he possess the traits featured here and it could be argued it influenced his success as ruler of Dubai.

Future of Dubai and UAE

From the case, it was established that the social media is one of the medium through which Sheik connects with the medium world(Langton, 2016). He makes frequent speeches about his vision to make Dubai the Arab world’s first smart City, which will involve every aspect of people’s life being interconnected in such a way that lives will be positively improved. This will include traffic lights that are controlled by a single control center to host of services via a smartphone (such as booking taxi or paying for services)(Langton, 2016). He also envisions making Dubai the global go-to-place for world class health, education, and knowledge based economy(Langton, 2016).

Clearly, these features represent the future of Dubai and the UAE. One would easily expect that the Sheik (who has delivered more than promised in the past decade) will be able to replicate his performance in these area. Additionally, he stands as a clear example for other leaders across the Arab world (and the entire world in general), on impact of visionary leadership on overall economic development. With more people like him coming into power, it becomes evidently clear that the world would become a better place in the nearest future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the success of any given organization or country does depend greatly on the qualities of its leader. This is because a visionary leader that values the outcome of his leadership process will be able to ensure that all aspects of his leadership are geared towards delivering his people to the Promised Land. This has been demonstrated in the case of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, which at present, stands as a good example for other leaders to follow.

References

BENINCASA, R. (2012, 5 29). 6 Leadership Styles, And When You Should Use Them. Retrieved from Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/1838481/6-leadership-styles-and-when-you-should-use-them

Langton, J. (2016, 1 3). A decade of leadership: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and the rise of Dubai. Retrieved from The National: UAE: http://www.thenational.ae/uae/government/a-decade-of-leadership-sheikh-mohammed-bin-rashid-and-the-rise-of-dubai#page2

Martin, M. (2015, 7 21). What Kind of Leader Are You? Traits, Skills and Styles - See more at: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2704-leadership.html#sthash.bQ0kQ8jc.dpuf. Retrieved from Business News Daily: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2704-leadership.html

Vella, D. (2014, 1 9). 15 Characteristics and Leadership Styles of Effective Business Leaders. Retrieved from YFS Magazine: http://yfsmagazine.com/2014/01/09/15-characteristics-and-leadership-styles-of-effective-business-leaders/

Wall Street Journals. (n.d.). Leadership Styles. Retrieved from Wall Street Journals: http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/how-to-develop-a-leadership-style/