Leadership
Effective Leadership Literature Review
Patrick Carter
Dr. Dale Mancini
Solutions Leadership
August 10, 2009
Effective Leadership
Effective leadership is crucial to an organization’s success. There are several common characteristics that effective organizational leaders share. Without these characteristics, initiatives and change can fail. Leaders can take many different steps to help keep projects from failing.
Leaders need to be self-aware of how their actions are perceived by those they manage (Moment, 2007). Employees will sometimes mirror the behavior of managers. Aghdaei (2008) talks about the philosophy of “shadow of a leader,” where the leader demonstrates the wanted behavior (p. 16). Leaders should model hard work for employees (Weiss, 2000). Aghdaei (2008) states that “when you repeatedly demonstrate meaningful, positive behavior, people are motivated to follow” (p. 16).
Leaders must have enthusiasm for their work so that it spreads to those whom they supervise. That involves leaders believing in the company in which they work. “The ability to inspire loyalty and build relationships is a key component of leadership” (Newcomb, 2005, p. 35). “The CEO who wants to be a true leader must be the most vivid example of the culture at work. Only then can the CEO inspire passion in the rest of the team” (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, & Somerville, 2002, p. 124). To get the best out of workers, leaders need to be able to motivate them (Moment, 2007). Leaders should look to all of their employees for new ideas and solutions (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, & Somerville, 2002). Leaders should also “cultivate, champion, and then support” new ideas and “provide an environment for the development and expression of the entrepreneurial spirit (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, & Somerville, 2002, p. 88). Leaders create the organizational climate to which followers react (Hrebiniak, 2005).
Strategic planning is crucial to guide leadership (Choen, 2008). Leaders
Patrick Carter
Dr. Dale Mancini
Solutions Leadership
August 10, 2009
Effective Leadership
Effective leadership is crucial to an organization’s success. There are several common characteristics that effective organizational leaders share. Without these characteristics, initiatives and change can fail. Leaders can take many different steps to help keep projects from failing.
Leaders need to be self-aware of how their actions are perceived by those they manage (Moment, 2007). Employees will sometimes mirror the behavior of managers. Aghdaei (2008) talks about the philosophy of “shadow of a leader,” where the leader demonstrates the wanted behavior (p. 16). Leaders should model hard work for employees (Weiss, 2000). Aghdaei (2008) states that “when you repeatedly demonstrate meaningful, positive behavior, people are motivated to follow” (p. 16).
Leaders must have enthusiasm for their work so that it spreads to those whom they supervise. That involves leaders believing in the company in which they work. “The ability to inspire loyalty and build relationships is a key component of leadership” (Newcomb, 2005, p. 35). “The CEO who wants to be a true leader must be the most vivid example of the culture at work. Only then can the CEO inspire passion in the rest of the team” (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, & Somerville, 2002, p. 124). To get the best out of workers, leaders need to be able to motivate them (Moment, 2007). Leaders should look to all of their employees for new ideas and solutions (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, & Somerville, 2002). Leaders should also “cultivate, champion, and then support” new ideas and “provide an environment for the development and expression of the entrepreneurial spirit (Hesselbein, Goldsmith, & Somerville, 2002, p. 88). Leaders create the organizational climate to which followers react (Hrebiniak, 2005).
Strategic planning is crucial to guide leadership (Choen, 2008). Leaders