Video response and analysis

¶ … Leaders are very important to business success. They are responsible for the effectiveness of organizations. They are needed in order to define a clear sense of a vision, goals and direction in which an organization want to go. And they are needed in order to establish a sense of integrity within a company. The problem lies in the fact that good leaders seem to be lacking, which has led to a leadership crisis (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997).

The President of the United States has a low approval rating, his Vice President ratings are just as low and Congress is even lower. The leaders in the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan and China aren't doing much better. A lot of religious institutions, businesses, governments and even sports, have been shaken by scandals. The U.S. dollar is at an all time low, our national debt is growing out of control and the price of oil is breaking records all the time. If this doesn't scream bad leadership, then nothing does (a Crisis in Leadership, 2009).

There are several fundamentals and a lot of hard work that has to happen if one wants to be an effective leader. Unfortunately it is very seldom that anyone addresses the fundamentals and basics of leadership. The basics start with a practical definition of leadership, which is to provide direction, process and coordination to a person, a team or organization for the purpose of attaining their stated goals. Leaders often have to figure out how to get people to cooperate and contribute their efforts. They often have to figure out what the best form of cooperation is. Some leaders feel that people should be governed by fear or self-interest while others believe that people accept a common purpose. It is felt that they accept this common purpose not out of fear but for the common good of the organization. Accepting a common purpose leads to the most effective and enduring cooperation (a Crisis in Leadership, 2009).

The impact of a good leader is often profound because the trust that they enjoy is based on an invincible integrity and powerful commitment. Trust is the essential quality that creates a following for leaders and enables them to make a difference. It is the key ability that inspires those who follow a leader to create change and help organizations to be successful. Unfortunately trust is a lot harder to come by than competence, which is why so many people are merely managers and not leaders (Bennis and Goldsmith, 1997).