Thursday, February 28, 2019

Guidelines to become a good and effective leader

Joshua is a newly appointed company president of an information technology related organization. When he was appointed company president. The most senior member of the board of directors told him this: “Be a good and effective leader so that you could lead this organization as it marches forward to the 21st century.

How does one become a good and effective leader of an organization?

1. To be an effective leader a person must have a vision for his organization. If he is a department/division head of an organization.  His vision must not be separated from the vision of his mother organization. It should be closely allied with his mother organization. For example, a big organization always has vision for itself. Therefore, an effective leader who leads one of the departments of the big organization should have a version of his own vision that is closely allied to the vision of his mother organization.

2. To be an effective leader a person should learn how to embrace vulnerability. This simply means that he must learn to accept that even if he is the leader of his organization, he still doesn’t know it all. Vulnerability simply means willingness to accept correction even if you are the leader. Listening to the inputs, suggestions and ideas of others and accept them if need be.

3. To be an effective leader a person should be mindful of the needs of his subordinates. Mindful means being sensitive to the emotions of his subordinates. Mindful means to always be ready to have a listening and attentive ear to the valid gripes, opinions and complains of your subordinates.

4. To be an effective leader a person must always lead by example. Remember the principle of the Domino Effect? A domino effect is the collective effect created when one occurrence results to a chain of similar occurrence. For example, a leader who tells his subordinates to report for work early should be the first one to report early. The occurrence/event is the leader’s coming to work early. The effect of his coming to work early results to a chain of similar occurrence towards his subordinates.

5.  To be an effective leader a person must know how to observe respect so that he will command respect from his subordinates. We have to remember that respect is always earned and not given freely. Imagine a leader who wants respect but doesn’t observe respect? How then will he be respected by his underlings? Imagine a leader who often uses vulgar language in his utterances. Would he earn the respect of his underlings by using vulgar language?

6. To be an effected leader a person should still be calm under a pressure packed situation. This simply means that even under a pressure packed situation the leader should remain calm. And not be rattled by the pressing event that surrounds him. Think of a police/military commander whose detachment is under attack by enemies. Would he earn the respect of his subordinates if he behaves like a headless chicken under that dangerous situation?    

7. To be an effective leader a person must always remain humble no matter how accomplished he is. Have you seen a bamboo tree? The taller it becomes the more flexible it becomes to bow or bend. An effective leader must be like that as well. The higher that he ascends the organizational hierarchy the humbler that he must become.

8. To be an effective leader a person must be a paragon of honestly. Benjamin Franklin once said: “Honesty is the best policy.” It’s still today, honesty is still the bets policy. Whatever we have accomplished in life if its tainted with deceit, corruption and dishonesty amounts to nothing. – Marino J. Dasmarinas

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