One hardly need to emphasise the role of effective leadership in all spheres of human activity.Leadership is not confined to politics alone ; it is relevant in each area of activity ,on every table in an office,and in every household.Man is a social being.No person can live alone and satisfy all his needs himself.That is why we find group activities and leaders are indispensible for the business of all group activities.We find groups of people in units like family,society,nation etc.At every level from from the family level to national level we need leaders for our success.
Any individual can become a leader by acquiring certain qualiyies .If we study the lives of great leaders like,Ganhiji,Nehruji,Sardar Patel,Indira Gandhi,Rajiv Gandhi ,Stalin,Roosevelt,Lincoln,Churchil and many others we find that they became graet leaders by their personal efforts ,by hard work,and through sacrifice.There are no born leaders.
TWO FACTORS
There are two vital factors which are essential for the success of leadership.They are-1.functional competence.and 2co-ordinating or general ability.Functinal competence implies knowledge of one's job,profession or vocation. A leader must have full knowledge of his chosen area of activity.If he is a doctor aiming at leadership in the field he must have full professional knowledge and he has to constantly keep his knowledge updated by reading medical books and journals.He must also attend professional seminars and conferences to gain knowledge.If he is a teacher and wants to be effective he has to study his subject well and he must also keep abreast of developments in the subject being taught by him.The same is true of all professionals,be they lawyers,chartered accountants,architectsor bankers.The second vital factor is co-ordinating or general ability which is much more important.The ability to co-ordinate,control and guide the activities and work of all individuals in the group the ability to bind the team,or group and the ability to bring about full involvement on the part of all members of the team or group are fundamental for the success of the leader.You can be definitely called upon to lead a group if you are able to influence the group and make it work in the manner you want.
IDEAS RULE
Adequate knowledge of the field or area of activity in which the leader seeks to provide leadership is also vey important.Ideas rule the world.An ignorant man who does not know what he needs may not be able to give effective leadership.He will miss the essentials and instaed cling to useless ,irrelevant and trivial things.For providing leadership you need not be master of everything.It is enough if you have rudimentary knowledge of various subjects.The process of providing leadership involves providing vision,and providing perspective.Therefore the leader must have vision and perspective.A leader need not know XYZ of all things.It is enough if he knows ABC of many things.With such rudimentary knowledge he can make further efforts and acquire further knowledge.
Ability to acquire knowledge depends upon one's grasp which can be sharpened through practice and experience.Grasp and absorption will be quick when you already have some knowledge.Your mind will be alert and you will be quick to absorb.Knowledge gained by wide reading,observation,association,interaction,with others and practical experience and exposure can be good sock of knowledge and this can be called practical intelligence.
PRACTICAL INTELLIGENCE
Practical intelligence is the competence to solve problems.Leaders and executives in leadershp positions need this practical intelligence.Experience,expsure,knowledge and imagination help us in developing practical intelligence.Once you build up practical intelligence within yourself you can form correct and appropriate judgement and take correct and sound decisions.
Adequate knowledge of your job is also very vital.You must have adequate knowledge of your job,,profession or chosen activity.Lack of knowledge will reduce your self- confidence .Poor knowledge,inefficiency,and ignorance will be a serious constraint to our leadership and the same will expose us to ready attack and criticism by rivals.If you are knowledgeable with no negative qualities attached to you others will admire you and come to you for guidance.Therefore for playing a leadership role effectively one must know his job and profession fully.There is no end to the process of learning.we must keep on learning and keep on addinng to to the existing stock of our knowledge.
KNOWING PEOPLE
Apart from knowledge about the job the leader must have knowledge about people he is seeking to lead.He must know people,very well.He must have some knowledge of psychology so as to be able to read the mind of people.Study of psychology will enable the leader to learn and understand human behaviour and the ways in which human-need-satisfaction and motivation can be achieved.As a leader he may have to deal with his superiors ,colleagues and juniors Hence he must learn the art of adaptation.He must learn to adjust himself to the needs and aspirations of all people.Each man has a separate and distinct personality and a point of view of his own.Different individuals will react differently to given situation.Therefore the more a leader knows his people the greater are the chances of his success as a leader.
CREDIBILTY and TRANSPARENCY
Alongside the above qualities a leader to be effective and successful on an enduring basis must also establish his credibilty.If a leader keeps his word and there is no gap between his preachings and doings and he conforms to norms ,rules,and values apart from advising others to show such conformity he will be able to establish his credibility.The leader must ensure that there is transparency in his functioning.The head of an institution like a bank or any other organisation must be transparent in his functioning .Many chief executives of banks in their public sppeeches say that they will follow presribed rules and norms and adopted policies in all matters including promotions.But when it comes to promotions they promote their own people or people who are close to them ignoring many other candidates with merit and good tarck record of performance.Through such action they lose their credibility.Credibility once lost is lost for ever.Leaders must therefore maintain their credibility at any cost.Leaders must also be bold and assertive in times of need and they must themselves take initiatives at the right time instaed of waiting for suggestions to come from below.Leaders who can strike iron when it is hot can achieve results.
PERFORMING LEADERSHIP
Successful leadership is that which absorbs ,builds up and maintains above vital factors and qualities.Such leadership will be an enlightened leadership having attained both functional competence and co-ordinating ability.It will be active,credible,responsible,value-based,and transparent leadership.Through concerted and consatnt efforts in that direction any individual can attain such leadership.
[Source-Canara Times dated 15th December 1996]
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