According to leadership theories, leadership traits are usually determined by a person’s lifestyle and cultural background. A trait can neither be right or wrong, but a person’s leadership strength can be determined by how that person controls that trait for the benefit of their development. When one becomes a leader in a culture different from which he or she was raised, one must adapt to the current environment if they want to be a successful leader. Often, both cultures are combined to create a comfortable middle ground in which is suitable for everyone.

Leadership Traits That Determine Success Or Failure

There are certain characteristics that employees expect their leaders to possess. There are also traits that a leader can have that will also make it difficult for their employees to follow them. Any leadership theory would tell you that a leader cannot be selfish. Selfishness does not help create a productive environment; instead it will produce the opposite of which.

Some people have explosive tempers and have a difficult time controlling them. Being an effective leader means not letting your temper get the better of you in front of your subordinates. A good leader knows that they need to take the time to calm down before confronting someone who has done something wrong.

Leadership theories often emulate leadership traits that lead to success such as enthusiasm and self-assurance. A true leader is genuinely enthusiastic and this enthusiasm eventually filters down to their employees. Employees will possess emotional stability and become determined to achieve success. They will become confident with themselves that they can get the job done. They will be strong-willed, but approachable and open to suggestions at the same time.

For a leader to be successful, they must have a concept of leadership theories and leadership traits to know how to lead. Someone who is too set in their ways will probably fail because they do not possess the capacity for change. Good leaders also know how to empathize with their employees. Not caring about the well-being of your employees do not make them motivated to do their jobs well.

Leadership is something has to be earned. While the principles of charismatic leadership can be taught, the desire for learning has to come from you. Being a charismatic leader means you have to care about your tasks, about the people you are leading and about setting a good example for others to follow.

Setting A Good Example

If you don’t set a good example, you are not exhibiting qualities of a charismatic leader. For instance, if you forbid your subordinates to take smoke breaks, then you go out and have a smoke break of your own, what does that say about you as a leader? You have to practice what you preach. They may continue to follow your orders because they want to keep their jobs but they will not have any respect for you. They’re probably start talking badly behind your back and then the entire organization will become involved.

Respect

Respect is a huge part of leadership. Just as leadership is earned, so too is respect. Respect is from others is not something you can force other people to do. Many people think that by instilling fear you can force other people to follow your leadership. Sure, people will do what you tell them to do but they will ultimately end up resenting you. They’re going to fear you instead of giving you respect.

Good Leadership

You need to believe in whatever goal your team is trying to achieve. Charismatic leadership means being firm but fair and being capable of setting a good example. Practicing these tenets shows your subordinates that you truly have passion for what you’re doing, then your organization or whatever else your leading, is sure to succeed. For further references, think back to a charismatic leader that you had worked with in the past and try to follow their example. You can be become a charismatic leader, it takes a little time but it will be worth it.

The Beginning

Robert Greenleaf coined the term servant leadership. In his theory of servant leadership, the leader plays a much more important role than just leading a group of people towards a common goal. Instead, the leader becomes much like a parent figure. The leader is the person who regulates the resources for the project, giving out what is needed when it is needed. But it doesn’t mean that the leader in this category is not subject to the responsibilities of a common type of leader. By using SWOT analysis, the leader can monitor the progress of the project and make sure the group is meeting their deadlines. In servant leadership the leader is obligated to uphold the standards and values of the company to complete the project.

The concept of servant leadership has been around for as far back as a thousand years, although Greenleaf is generally credited for coining the phrase. It is an ingrained concept that people take mostly through a type of Christian spirituality. Although servant leadership is a concept that works well in religious settings, it can also be utilized in business and education to teach compassion to the followers. By having a leader that care for more than just the bottom line, people are happier and more willing to work towards that common goal. Inspirational leaders make better leaders because the followers feel more towards the leader than just an obligation to get the job done. They feel like they are making a difference, and that makes them work harder to achieve their goals.

Servant leadership is a good concept to utilize whenever possible. SWOT Analysis reveals that compassionate leaders and followers that are dedicated to achieve a common goal not for oneself but for the entire team in general. It helps people to know that they are working for each other, and not working under someone. Effective leadership starts with caring about the people as well as the end product. When people are happier about what they are doing, your company SWOT Analysis will reveal more strengths and opportunities, rather than weaknesses and threats.

Defining the Concept

Transformational Leadership is otherwise known as Bass’ Transformational Leadership Theory. According to Bass, there are three ways in which leaders can motivate their followers, which are by encouraging them to focus first on organizational and team goals as opposed to their own interests, by increasing their awareness of task importance and value, and by activating their needs for higher order.

Causing A Transformation

Bass’ theory sounds good, but how can a leader use this theory to cause change in the followers? Bass has identified seven components of transformational leadership that allows the theory to become a reality. The first four of these components are related to or have something to do with charisma. Charisma is a trait seen is being important in a transformational leader. The four charismatic components are individualized consideration, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, and intellectual stimulation.

The final three components of transformational leadership concerns the moral aspect. These includes the moral character of the leader, the values that can be found in the leader’s vision and program, as well as the morality of the processes and action of the leader’s team.

The Difference It Makes

The major differences between transformational leadership and other forms of leadership theories is that transformational leadership focuses mainly on the goals and aspirations of the group itself. Other forms of leadership may tend to focus on opposing groups in order to unite the group and create a stronger sense of unity.

If you work for a transformational leader, the major difference you will notice is the level of excitement and passion that they themselves possess and that they inspire in all of their followers. This is a characteristic that is not unique in transformational leadership, but that is most common in this area.

Inspired Devotion

A leader requires only two things including a goal and people to help him or her reach that goal. If you are passionate about the first and have the ability to make others feel the same way, then the second will not take long to follow.

Although there are some skeptics who will disagree, the fact is that leadership can, indeed, be taught. When one hears of leadership training exercises, they think of business seminars and teamwork activities in company retreats. However, these types of events are geared more towards developing management skills rather than leadership. Leadership can only be taught through specific types of leadership training exercises.

One example of leadership training exercises is possibly the most common — college! Though this may seem too typical to be true, the fact is that many institutions offering college education offer leadership classes as a part of their curriculum for political science departments. Other schools, such as West Point, offer students opportunities to become real life leaders early on. This is a type of leadership training that is something you cannot get from anywhere else.

Hands-on experience is another extension of leadership training exercises. Internships and job experience can provide excellent training in leadership. However, since you are still under the supervision of the actual leader, there is no pressure and there is plenty of opportunity to learn from them. This kind of training provides the best of both worlds.

Guidance Makes All The Difference

While some skills like organization, extroversion and people skills are inherent, these alone cannot make a good leader. What makes all the difference is undergoing leadership training exercises. Leadership training exercises will give you the opportunity to not only refine these skills, but also add and develop new ones that can also be useful in real-world situations.

The development of these skills provides you with a more broad knowledge of leadership, the benefits of which far outweigh those of specific topics. The knowledge of specific topics is necessary for a follower, as the knowledge of how followers should work together is also important for a leader.

Leadership training exercises can help those who were born with natural leadership abilities to become excellent leaders, and for those who were not, to develop the necessary leadership skills that they will need. Training is not a guarantee of success but rather it ensures that those born with the potential to lead are given proper guidance on how to maximize that certain potential.

Although there are quite a number of leadership theories that exist, there are about six main leadership theories that describe the qualities of both leaders and their particular followers. These leadership qualities can be inherent, learned or could emerge in specific situations. Here are some examples of leadership theories that are relevant in the business world today.

The Great Man Theory

Theories in this category postulate that leadership is an inherently natural ability. In other words, leaders are born, not made. These theories puts further the fact that natural born leaders are more efficient in any given situation than are trained leaders.

Relationship Theory

Some leadership theories can be explained by comparing the role of the leader to that of the role of the followers. Making these distinctions between the two allows you to identify the set of traits that differentiates the leader from the follower. This relationship is usually applicable in the workplace where a leader has to be appointed in order to lead the team towards reaching a set goal. Some leaders are chosen for the reason that they are exhibiting characteristics that reflect a capacity for leadership. Employing this type of leadership theories usually creates the moral and ethical type of leaders who are proud to serve as a leader and help the followers through their tasks, in effect creating a solid team.

Other common leadership theories take into consideration the outside variables that affect the dynamics of a particular group to determine the particular style of leadership that is best suited for them. These theories take into account the attitude and behavioral patterns of the leader as well as the collective behavior of the followers.

Knowing what kind of a leader you want to be and being familiar with common leadership theories can only be beneficial to you and your team. Whether you believe in natural born leaders or in leaders who are made, it is important to understand all the concept of leadership theories in order to become an effective manager.

Effective Leadership Styles

How do you define good leadership? Employee satisfaction measurement is an accurate gauge of good leadership. Are the employees happy in their various roles in the team? Do they believe in what they do and have passion for their work? More importantly, do they show genuine respect for their team leader? Answering yes to all these questions simply means that the leader is exhibiting excellent leadership skills. But how do you define good leadership? An excellent leader is one who leads by example, is firm but fair, knows how to empathize with the team members and respond to their needs accordingly. A great leader is someone that employees look up to for example and guidance.

Leadership Styles That Don’t Work

There are also leadership styles that are not very effective. Leaders in this category typically lead by fear, serve as poor examples, and really have no empathy for the team nor for the entire organization. They are merely doing their jobs for the paycheck and the recognition and couldn’t care less what other people think. Who would want to follow that type of person? More importantly, who would want to emulate that kind of leadership style? Studies in employee satisfaction measurement shows that people who lead by fear do not get any respect. People who set a bad example have followers who do not perform well. And people who empathize with their subordinates also lead people who do not care about their jobs. It is this type of leadership that causes businesses to fail.

Becoming a Great Leader

Carrying out the examples of good leadership as described above should have a positive impact on your employee satisfaction measurement. Excellent leadership is very vital in making any business organization grow and rise above the competition.

Possessing leadership skills is a prerequisite before you take on any leadership roles and are planning to succeed. Any leadership training module offers information on different leadership styles.

Autocratic leadership – in this leadership style, the leader has complete power over his/her team. Team members are not at all given the opportunity to provide input or offer suggestions. Any leadership training module would agree that this type of leadership only causes resentment in the team members towards their leader.

Bureaucratic leadership – Bureaucratic leaders are people follow the protocol down to the last letter and believes that deviating from them is unforgivable. This type of leadership is better suited for areas wherein there is an increased possibility of danger for the entire team.

Charismatic leadership – a charismatic leader is the type who is a motivator and can inspire enthusiasm and respect from the members of the team. Completing each project given to them would give them a sense of accomplishment. In most circumstances, this leadership style is considered the most effective.

Transformational leadership – a transformational leader is capable of creating inspiration within their group. These leaders do not usually stay cloistered within the four walls of their offices. Instead, they are usually very visible and are constantly communicating with their team. These type of leaders believe that employees should have the opportunity to make suggestions on ways to improve the workplace.

Democratic leadership – while this type of leader is usually the one to make final decisions, they are also open to input from the team members. Employees are then made to feel that they have a say in how to accomplish their tasks. Employees under this type of leadership are usually happier and are more inclined to perform well. This type leadership provides an avenue for employees to develop certain skills which could also lead to future job advancements.

Any leadership training module would inform you that leadership style is actually determined by the type of business or industry you are in. There is not a singular style that is suitable for any given situation. Before you determine what type of leader you want to be you must first look within yourself and honestly assess your thoughts and ideas. You must then determine if you have the qualities and ability to be the type of leader that the situation calls for.

Empathize With Your Team

Part of being a good leader and possessing charismatic leadership skills is knowing how to work with people. A charismatic leader is never abrasive nor bossy. Charismatic leadership is anchored on the quality of being good with people. Charismatic leadership means that you should have an understanding for both individual and group needs, and being capable of responding appropriately to these needs. With this, you will be able to motivate your team to do their best at any task without resorting to the use of force or fear.

Set An Example

Exhibiting charismatic leadership skills also means being able to set an example for your team. You, as the leader of the group acts as the representative for the entire group, which means you have to set a positive example and maintaining a positive image rather than exempting yourself from the rules you want to enforce on your team. Charismatic leadership means having control of the entire group and making sure that they continue to be productive. In charismatic leadership managing people and working well with them are equal in importance.

Resolving Conflicts

Resolving conflicts are probably the most important situations that require charismatic leadership skills. Encountering conflicts is a given once you are put in a leadership role. Sometimes, the conflict may stem from within your group. In cases such as these, charismatic leadership skills will come in handy when you have to step in and play the role of mediator.

At other times, the conflict may arise between you and the leader of another group, or with you and your own superior. Though these kinds of conflicts can be very uncomfortable, your charismatic leadership abilities will allow you to get through them with relative grace.

Doing Your Best

In the case where you are already placed in a leadership role of some sort, learning about charismatic leadership skills will only enhance the skills you already possess. For non-leaders, knowing about the skills that are important in leadership will only give you a better set of criteria when you evaluate your next boss or superior. Either way, charismatic leadership skills are be valuable for both leaders and members of the team.

Quotes on leadership that have been used in the past and have been proven to be effective can be used. Through exhibiting assertive communication skills you should be able to make your subordinates think. Your words should be memorable and powerful enough to make your subordinates want to work hard at improving themselves, resulting in a better production of the team as a whole. Learning assertive communication skills ensures that you can pick the right words to say at appropriate times.

Examples of Leadership Quotes

“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.” This is a quote that has been used by successful leaders in the past. To paraphrase this quote, what it is basically saying is that if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get the same results as in the past. Therefore, if what you are doing results in failure perhaps it is time for you to start trying something new. In other words, change your ways. Trying different and better ways of doing things often produce positive results. This quote is both memorable and is proven to be effective.

“The chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” This is probably one of the most popular quotes on leadership. Everyone has probably heard this quote at one time or another. This quote simply means that the person performing the least can be the cause of an entire organization’s breakdown. Someone on your team who is always tardy or who is always disrupting the work of the other team members can affect the entire team and, in effect, the entire organization. Therefore, it is important for everyone to strive to do their best. No one should be the weak link in the chain. If a person identified as the weakest link isn’t making any efforts to improve, it is for the entire team’s benefit that you, as a leader, let that person go.

Resources on other useful leadership quotes are readily available for you. Once you have mastered assertive communication skills, you yourself could also come up with a few quotes on your own. We have to keep in mind though that knowing what to say takes up only a part of your job as leader. In order for your team to absorb what you say, you have to practice what you preach. By using assertive communication skills you can show your subordinates that each of them is an important part of the team and in the team’s quest of achieving your common goals.