Analysis of Character of Leadership by Jeff Lorg - Book Report/Review Example

Leadership skills for managers The character of leadership Jeff Iorgs book, The Character of Leadership, investigates what a pioneer ought to be in a simple to-peruse book that is both astute and sentencing. The author argues that a leader is a person who influences a faction or group of people towards the attainment of a goal. It is important to understand the term leader by its significance in that a leader is the one who goes first and leads by example, so that others are motivated to follow him and not just any individual with a position of influence. Visionary leaders have the ability of focusing on their stated vision. A leader as a problem solver should have the ability to devise solutions to challenges facing his followers immediately they arise. A leader as a team builder advises his team and unites them in order to attain a common goal. According to Lorg, leaders need to possess the following characters, servant hood, passion, humility, security, integrity, wisdom, discipline, courage, and purity (Lorg, 2007). A leader, as already stated, is a person who influences a group of people towards the achievement of a goal. To be a leader, one must have followers and these followers must have trust in their leader. His past deeds as an individual might determine his level of influence on his followers and if he is worthy of their trust. He is looked up to as an expert in the field on which he leads on the basis of solving problems, team building, and coming up with future plans and guidelines that will form the roadmap by which his followers will operate with. There are leaders who are task-oriented, goal-oriented and others are people oriented. What makes a leader is not necessarily intelligence or skills though they are threshold capabilities and are attributes that supplement quality leadership. Getting the best leader for the correct field is more art than discipline. A common denominator cuts across all good leaders and that is emotional intelligence. This differs from one leader to another and this pinpoints the idea that different situations call for different types of guidance. Without emotional intelligence, even with the best training, one will not make a great leader (Lorg, 2007). A manager is a person responsible for calculating or administering all or part of a company or similar organization. He or she is an individual who is in charge of a certain group of tasks, or a certain division of a company. A manager often has a staff of people who account to him or her. Leadership and management must go hand in hand and they complement each other. A good leader must have knowledge and skills concerning what he has been delegated to manage and on the other hand, a good manager must have great leadership capabilities in leading his team to achieve the goals and objectives that have been set (Lorg, 2007). Leaders have the aptitude of accessing and holding an idea yet to be manifested and have the familiarity of the inventive process, discipline, strength of will and enthusiasm to sustain that vision via the entire creative course and at the same time lead others into the materialization of that vision. Creativity is about appreciating the concepts overriding the creative process, which governs our creative deeds (Lorg, 2007). They are able to associate the entire globe as it is and the environment that will be influenced by that vision. A good leader is an individual who sustains the vision for the duration of the course and comprehends what it implies to hold that vision. They need to frequently verify to ensure that what is recounting is true to the vision and is not compromised somewhat. A leader as a problem solver should have the ability to devise solutions to challenges facing his followers immediately they arise. When a leader is faced with a problem, he sorts out for answers and solutions with the assumption that it is out there somewhere rather than expressing worry over it. He should collect all details about the problem in order to get the best solution at the shortest time possible. It will be very unwise for a leader to aim at solving problems solely out of his opinion or intuition. At this point, he should be able to decide how best to solve the problem, maybe by breaking it into small steps. He can also assess how bad the problem is altogether (Lorg, 2007). A solution that best fits the state of affairs is picked and implemented. A quick fix solution is needed first followed by a long-term fix. He should finally check and monitor any solutions implemented and not just assuming he is done. In addition, a leader holds a significant role in directing and guiding team members and inspiring them to stay focused. Such a leader should make his team members understand their roles and responsibilities and they should be assigned to them as per their qualification, interest, and experience not just forced on them. He should be impartial or unbiased, treat each team member equally, and not favor one simply because he or she is friend or family. Lorg (2007) asserts that a good leader should also encourage team members to assist each other by establishing a good working environment. He should avoid criticizing or making fun of anyone’s mistakes but rather encourage them to work hard and improve their weak areas. A long way from being a repeat of old administration standards, Lorg figures out how to test a lot of people long held convictions about these nine attributes and captivate them in new ways. Lorg offers functional exhortation on the best way to practice each of these attributes throughout your life, while being genuine about his battles and triumphs in every classification. Whether you have been a pioneer for a long time or are simply beginning your administration venture, you will discover The Character of Leadership to a great degree supportive and useful for individual and service development. You will end up relating to Iorgs heart for initiative and self-awareness, while captivating bible based authority standards crisply in your own particular life. Reference Lorg, J. (2007). The Character of Leadership: Nine Qualities that Define Great Leaders. Boston, MA: B&H Books. Read More