There has never been an appropriate time for great leaders in the world than now. The population explosion over the past decades has necessitated effective and result-oriented leadership to steer affairs in all forms within societies. Tom Peters said “leaders don`t create followers, they create more leaders”. When you think of Martin Luther King Jr, Mohandas Gandhi, or Nelson Mandela, they created more leaders to help others find and create their own destinies within society.
The “golden rule” in leadership has it that leading others is a privilege that is earned, not a right. Leaders, who understand this phenomenon, understand that, leading first and foremost is about service. However, being the leader does not mean you deserve to be the leader. Leadership therefore is seen to be not an end in itself but a means to an end. It is often necessary to execute an idea or achieve a goal that requires more than just yourself; a goal that requires you to motivate a group of people that wouldn`t ordinarily be motivated on their own. The following are ten unmatched characteristics of effective and result-oriented leadership:
- Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing less:
Leaders and would-be leaders need to understand and embrace this as quickly as their leadership`s survival and aspirations are concerned. In order to create more leaders and not just followers, a leader`s influence should be non-negotiable. Influence, according to the Oxford dictionary; is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself. Leadership therefore has the capacity to affect or impact the totality of mankind by influencing them. - Leaders who develop people, win their fierce loyalty:
The best leaders develop others by coaching. A perfect example of such leaders is the life of Bill Campbell, a successful former football coach for Columbia University who later became an executive and advisor to many of the prominent leaders in Silicon Valley.In his obituary, the New Yorker wrote: “Bill was known throughout the Valley as ‘the Coach,’ the experienced executive who added a touch of humanity as he quietly instructed Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, the founders of Twitter, Sheryl Sandberg, and countless other entrepreneurs on the human dimensions of management, on the importance of listening to employees and customers, and of the power of partnering with others.” Bill was an exemplar of the term “servant leader.” There is also a great example of how Prophet Elijah developed Elisha and won his loyalty.
- Leaders increase their power when they share it with others:
Good leaders build a powerful team by sharing power, not by building themselves up falsely by imagining they can hoard power personally. These are leaders who sit across the table and make people feel they are equal. They meet people on the staircase or in the elevator and share casual conversation with them without making them feel inferior. In return, they receive absolute power and “vote of confidence” without ‘pushing’ for it. The story of leadership in Africa however, leaves much to be desired; as most leaders hang on to power with their lives and rather incur the wrath of electorate, instead of winning a “vote of confidence”. - Effective leaders keep first things first:
“Keeping first things first means doing the most important things in life. It means being clear about your priorities and acting on them.” Stephen Covey. Effective leaders set priorities and they focus on the most important to achieve them. Many people fall into the trap of getting caught up in non-important things. They neglect the larger life priorities until it becomes too late to act on them. To become a master of your time, you need to first be aware of your priorities in the larger context of your life. Effective leaders keep it simple and straightforward and do not set themselves up for failure, as long as they keep first things first. - Leaders who last are marked by humility:
Leaders can move from gratitude to entitlement by believing their position or their performance entitles them to certain things. It is impossible to be filled with humility and a sense of entitlement at the same time. Whenever we feel we are owed something it is because we have forgotten that God is the One who gives all good things. Humble leaders believe all they have received is from the Lord, including the team they lead and their work ethic and intensity. All is from Him. When we walk in humility, we are grateful for all He provides. - Great leaders expect to pay a price:
Leadership sometimes becomes an elusive concept, because it is defined by many but achieved by a few. Amongst the many sacrifices, there is the emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial cost to great leadership. A great and effective leader must be willing and able to pay the price no matter the consequences. There have been great religious leaders and political leaders who paid the price of effective leadership and their names and works have never faded off. There is always a price to pay for every action under the sun, and great leaders must be sensitive to this at all time.
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About the Author:
Ebenezer Asumang, MCILG
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