Leadership Is Absolutely Necessary in

Leadership is absolutely necessary in the management of everything from the home, to businesses and government agencies. The purpose of this discussion is to answer some pressing questions concerning leadership. Let us begin this discussion by providing a definition of leadership. What is leadership? Leadership is defined as the act or process of leading. In every aspect of life there are leaders (Williams). There are school leaders, business leaders and organizational leaders. Leadership is responsible for the management and organizing of people.

As such they are responsible for a wide range of activities. What characteristics does a leader need? There are several characteristics that seem to be present in most great leaders. These characteristics include listening skills, good communication skills, honesty, sincerity and the ability to manage people (Williams). Management within the context of government or industry may also require some specific skill sets. For instance, many of those in positions of leadership within the government are lawyers.

A law degree and the training that law school provides is essential for legislators because they have to possess an understanding of the law and the ability to think critically -- both of which are central aspects of law school training. What is teamwork and how important is it for a person in a leadership role? Teamwork is the act of people working together in groups towards a specific goals. Many companies practice a great deal of teamwork.

The idea behind teamwork is the concept of synergy which espouses that the sum of the whole is greater than the some of its parts (Williams). That is, people tend to accomplish more when they work together than when they work separately. As it pertains to leadership, leaders must be able to communicate with a team so that the team has an accurate and succinct understanding of what is expected of them. What is the difference between verbal and nonverbal communication? Verbal communication is conducted face-to-face.

This communication occurs during meetings or on a one on basis. Nonverbal communication usually includes written communications and also body language. Written communication often includes emailing and text messaging. Body language is an important part of nonverbal communication because it provides the observer with the opportunity to determine what the speaker is attempting to convey in a way that words may not.

What is the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness? Assertiveness involves going after what is important with strength and determination but with respect to others that one is associated with. Aggressiveness involves going after what is important but not respecting others. In most cases assertiveness is the attribute that is expected in a great leader. However, in some cases having an aggressive leader is absolutely necessary. How important are communication and listening skills to a leader? Leaders must be able to communicate well if they are going to be effective managers.

Leaders must know how to communicate what they need and expect from those that they manage. In addition, leaders must have excellent listening skills. Having the ability to listen and comprehend what is said is important because it assist in the solving of problems (Hernez-Broome and Hughes). In addition, when a leader listens well they have the ability to circumvent problems that may arise. How does a leader deal with conflict management? Conflict management is always a significant issue for any type of organization.

With this being understood, leaders must have the ability to manage conflict. For some leaders this means acting as a mediator to help those who are conflicted to resolve their issues (Hernez-Broome and Hughes). In addition most large organizations actually have conflict management procedures in place to assists with conflicts that arise. Leaders are often responsible for making sure that these procedures are followed and carried out.

What is motivation and how does a leader motivate others? Motivation is the act of persuading an individual to perform in a manner that is conducive with the goal that needs to be met (Williams). There are several ways that leaders motivate the people that they manage. These modes of motivation may include everything from reward systems to promotions. Good leaders want those that they manage to be intrinsically motivated as opposed to being extrinsically motivated.

Individuals who are intrinsically motivated tend to perform in a way that is expected without needing any type of external stimulus. In other words people who are intrinsically motivated perform their jobs well because they take pride in their works and they want to do a good job. How important is a positive mental attitude for an effective leader? As with all of the other attributes mentioned in this discussion, it is very important that leaders have a positive mental attitude.

In order to be effective a positive mental attitude is necessary for a leader because the leader establishes the atmosphere within the organization. Therefore, if the leader has a negative attitude, that negativity will permeate every aspect of the organization and stunt the progress of the organization (Hernez-Broome and Hughes). A positive mental attitude is also important because it allows the leader to confront and overcome the obstacles that are inevitable as it pertains to managing people.

If a leader does not have a positive attitude, he/she will have a difficult time being effective. What causes stress and how should a leader deal with it? There are many situations or circumstances that can be stressful for a leader. One of the most stressful things fro a.