Exemplary Leadership Empowers Followers - Essay Example

Exemplary leadership empowers followers Leadership is an integral part of human social behavior which is intricately linked with the followers. Leadership can be defined as a persuasive communication skill which inspires others to achieve a common goal. Leadership in all areas assumes special meaning because it motivates and encourages that target group within the population that plays a crucial part in the future of nation building processes. Indeed, in the contemporary environment of competitive business, the leadership style and leadership initiatives become major propellant of gaining effective leverage against business rivals. Indeed, certain basic assumptions about the leadership qualities especially which relates to the individual approach of tackling issues and objectives, may create a vast difference to the results achieved. While leader is endowed with many qualities but exemplary leaders is one who encourages freedom of choice. Leaders are not pre defined and molded into certain stature. They are people who may be in the position to influence and motivate others to give their best. Organizational leadership assumes special meaning because it motivates and encourages others to strive towards common goals with renewed enthusiasm. It is equally important that certain basic assumptions about the organizational leadership qualities especially which relate to the individual approach of tackling issues and objectives, may create a vast difference to the results achieved. Leadership assumes special meaning because it motivates and encourages that target group within the population that plays a crucial part in the future of nation building processes. Through effective communication and dissemination of information, the leadership promotes empowerment. It is vital for leaders to empower other people so that their decision making power is greatly enhanced through exercising informed choices effectively. Empowerment can be broadly defined as freedom to exert one’s choices for their own good by implementing them. In the contemporary time, empowerment has become one of the most crucial issues among the masses as it directly influences the welfare of the individuals and the society at large. Empowerment facilitates realization of self worth, instilling self confidence in one’s ability to make independent decisions about themselves, especially with relation to their socio-economic and political decisions. Hence, an empowered person has more options and freedom to transform those choices into concrete action plans for the betterment of self and the society at large. In the fast changing socio political environment, which has opened a wide scope of professional and personal growth, it is imperative that one masters the art of communication. Good leaders are able to effectively communicate with others and instill confidence. Effective communication helps to foster good relationship and even make friends of the enemies. It not only promotes cross cultural understanding but also equips people with more information so that they are able to contribute in decision making process with more confidence. Artful communication helps to build bridges and improvise situations which could move towards dangerous outcomes primarily because they are able to use the informed choices. Indeed, effective communication must make people understand and inspire them to act on the basis of understanding of the issues. The leaders make efforts to involve employees in the decision making process. Visionary leadership anticipates changes and recognizes the importance of people’s participation in the overall strategy of having collective goals through shared learning. Thus making it an intrinsic part of the work methodology which is characterized by the stability provided by the system and the integrated approach of the workers. The good leaders are able to inculcate confidence amongst the followers by empowering them to make decisions. Hence, leaders, who are visionary and are endowed with effective communication skill and cultural understanding, have the capability to influence the cultural identity of the group within the institute thus facilitating changes in the institutional culture to adapt to the changing environment. Sjostrand and Tyrstrup (2001), in one of their article, have argued that managerial leadership needs to be approached as a relational, ongoing social construction process rather than as a single clear cut phenomenon. People observe and imbibe qualities that help them to evolve as an individual with strong character. Participatory approach is important leadership principle. The leadership qualities have become vital tools to encourage people’s participation in the overall strategy of having collective goals through shared learning. It was realized that strategies rather than operative planning and decision making, became the main factor of managerial leadership (Chandler, 1977). The leaders exemplify freedom and non discriminatory practices which build relationships based on mutual trust and confidence so that changes are accepted with equanimity. Empowering people is perhaps the most dynamic ideas of the leadership and administrators to improve and greatly facilitate improved performance outcome. The encouraging learning environment and proactive participation promotes and inculcates greater belief in their own abilities to achieve the desired and expected goals and formulate long term mission in life. BY promoting free choice, the leaders also become the link which would promote confidence building and strengthen interpersonal understanding with the group so that each of them becomes empowered and confident of themselves. In the current environment of competitive business, the need to introduce new culture, based on human relationship, is important element of improved performance. The consideration and importance of human interaction in the organizational culture have become crucial factor of success. The various aspects of the interactive elements of the organization, which may comprise of diverse ideologies and personal conflicts of the individuals, work together to produce a cohesive output representing the organizations unique objectives and goals. When the leadership encourages people to exercise their choice, it recognizes the importance of people’s views and opinion. The leaders and administrators nurture human resource and treat it as human capital that has potential to achieve great things. The administration and leadership, together encourage personal dialogues and promote inter-personal relationship to not only resolve conflicts but also to develop effective team and subsequently exemplary teamwork that thrives on mutual understanding, mutual respect, common goals and shared learning. Schwenk says that ‘employee’s absolute commitment to a shared vision of change is seen by many leaders/ change agents as so important for their organization’s continued survival’ (Schwenk, 1997, p4). To develop effectiveness in strategic change, flexible approach to managerial leadership needs to be adopted. Developing joint goals and objectives empowers the workforce. It also fosters mutual beliefs and better understanding of cross cultural understanding to facilitate their integration with the system. Hence, leadership promoting collective decision making, which is conducive to the increasingly changing environment of global competitiveness, is highly successful. It facilitates easy adaptability to changing equations thereby, empowering the workforce and the leaders to recognize the wide scope of emerging opportunities. Hence, it can be concluded that leaders who promote freedom and help empower their followers, greatly facilitate cohesive and improved output. Empowerment is intrinsically linked to the self confidence that boosts the concept of self worth, thereby promoting inner strength and a strong will to act upon the informed choices that would facilitate in exploiting one’s potential to become independent. The informed choices provide the inherent resiliency in decision making so as to meet the challenges of the time with confidence and fortitude. It is important for persons to be able to make independent decision and it is especially true for persons who may be excluded from the mainstream society or those who may have been denied social justice in the name of traditions and socio-economic and cultural compulsions. Reference Chandler, AD (1977). The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Schwenk, Charles, R. (1997). The Case of Weaker’s Leadership. Business Strategy Review, 8 (3), 4-9. Sjostrand, S and Tyrstrup, M. 2001. Recognized and unrecognized managerial leadership in invisible management – The social construction of leadership. S Sjostrand, J Sandberg and M Tyrstrup (eds.). Thomson. pp 1-27. Read More