The purpose of leadership in organizational contexts

¶ … Leadership

SETTING the PATH to FOLLOW

To set the vision and mission of a group

Leadership is the position or function of one who is in charge or in command of others (American Heritage Dictionary 4th edition 2006). A group or team must have a leader in order to function properly (Willging 2004). Accepting the importance of leadership does not go against empowerment of the led or the group. The important thing is for the chosen leader to fulfill his or her responsibilities. In order to do this, the leader must develop a vision and mission. He must establish and recognize the needs so that he and his team can achieve common goals. They must arrive at a common vision and mission for the organization or group. The goals or objectives they set must also be measurable so that they can monitor their progress and if they are achieving their set expectations. They should also set a timetable for the achievement of the goals, whether general or specific. The results the group achieves should also be analyzed and then incorporated into the goals originally set. Then the group can refine their goals according to the results gained. On top of all is the leader who sets the pace and executes the group's mandate through its activities (Willging).

The structural aspects of an effectively functioning organization or group are leadership, committees to back the leadership up, and the team or manpower (Willging 2004). The leader's first purpose is to support the team and the committees or special group set up to fulfill stated objectives. Leadership is still viewed as the primary factor in determining the environment of the team or group and its success (Willging).

To steer the group in crises

It is easy to lead others in quiet times and in times of plenty and harmony. But true leadership is tested in turbulent times, in times of crisis. The objectives of the group remain despite trouble and especially during trouble. It is precisely during hardships that leaders are born or emerge (Philips 2005).These true leaders are not always great generals or high-profile individuals. Many of them are ordinary, inconspicuous and low-profile persons who rise to the occasion and, as a consequence, exhibit their finest qualities just when they are needed. Nobody likes a crisis, but everybody needs it. It is the best shaper of true leaders and other heroes. They are with us all the time. Those firefighters and policemen, for example, risked their lives to save whom they could during the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Centers. The worse kind of crisis, which delivers the better brand of leaders, is the absence of integrity. Consider corporate leaders of America who are now behind bars. Many corporate leaders climb through the organizational ladder until they reach the top. But persistence on their part does not assure that they will become principled leaders. There are many un-noticed and un-rewarded individuals quietly working hard at positions of responsibility. It is those who hold a position of trust who speak well and win others and also make a lot of money (Philips).. But these do not ensure true and trustworthy leadership.

Followers may seek out a statesman to lead them, like the British rallied behind the leadership of Winston Churchill (Philips 2005). They may also choose to gun down their president for betraying them. Nobody wants anarchy, and nobody wants dictatorship, either. People are always waiting to be led right. There is always a demand for a king to set a kingdom right, especially when everything about it seems wrong. A leader who knows and enforces the principles of freedom, respect and integrity is the person of the hour (Philips).

To set the example of adapting to change

These are unsettling times of unprecedented and swift change. It tests the mettle of everyone, especially of leaders. Change is and has to be the fundamental focus and consideration of today's brand of organizations (McLagan 2002). Globalization, swift and encompassing advances in information technology, and developments in the social sciences compel everyone to adjust to sweeping change. Leaders must set the pace by being updated on current changes in the workplace, in the community and the world. In order to be effective as a manager, he has to answer big questions, which surface day after day. Among the biggest questions are how to manage constant change, what aggressive strategies to develop, how to accelerate improvement and innovation, how to spread learning faster in order to cope with the speed of change, how to overcome resistance to swift change, how to accelerate production and services, and how to do more with less. The answers to these and other questions require a leader who can manage change well. New research and insights from social and physical sciences can arm him with the capability to respond to planned change. He can design or re-design the organization in order to make it more adaptive to new and forthcoming changes. However, the task requires a lot of time and special thought, action and investment. The leader has to be aware of these. He must also possess the necessary behavioral adjustments in order to achieve these. The struggle in the outside world alone has been massive in accommodating radical changes and adapting to globalization trends. New theories on how the universe functions must be incorporated into current views and strategies. Some organizations are able to cope by means of radical innovations. On tops of these successful organizations are deliberate change leaders who anticipate the trends and guide the course of change (McLagan).

To learn lessons from past leaderships

Aspiring leaders can learn from the examples of past and successful leaderships (Veach 2006). One of them was Abraham Lincoln who selected cabinet members from among his open critics. These critics competed against him for the position. Lincoln said that he chose them because they were the strongest men in the country. He did not want to deprive the country of these men's strengths. An aspiring leader can learn and adopt Lincoln's qualities. He recognized other people's abilities and strengths and reached out to them easily. He shared credit with them. He accepted his failures and errors. He knew how to relax by engaging in restoring activities. These qualities possessed by Lincoln will take courage to develop. But these are the ones, which make true leaders (Veach).

A to teach virtues by example leader is one who shows his followers not only how to do certain things or functions but also how to develop good habits (Sergiovanni 2005). Good habits are called virtues. They establish values, norms and practices for everyday activities. Leadership must be built on virtues in order to succeed. They must work together. If managers become leaders by leading, people become virtuous by practicing virtue. A threatened or derailed organization can be restored only by a leader with solid character. That character is grounded on virtue. A disciplined organization always has a discipline leader behind. He possesses abilities of virtue, which he transmits or teaches to his subordinates. His virtuous habits are instinctive and genuine. He focuses only on what is important and real. He deeply cares for his work, learns from successes and failures, takes calculated risks and can be trusted. His major virtues, which he passes on to subordinates, are faith, trust, piety and civility (Sergiovanni).

The virtue of hope

This is a neglected or overlooked virtue, which is difficult to practice and to teach (Sergiovanni 2005). Management theories are built around hard and concrete evidence and facts rather than on subjective hope. The only reality accepted by concrete evidence is the "now." Yet hope teaches one to look beyond the reality of the present moment. Yet a leader can be realistic and hopeful at the same time. Being realistic accepts present evidence of facts while remaining optimistic. It does not limit the leader to the current situation or circumstances. He can see beyond. Hoping is not wishing. Hope is founded on reality. It attempts to understand concrete reality of the present moment and one's role within it. He uses it on which to base his next actions aimed at achieving the change he hopes for. Hope activates present energies needed to realize the hoped-for change in order to make it the next reality. A leader has the courage to hope.

The virtue of faith

Faith goes with hope. Faith is communicated or transmitted as a set of assumptions. These assumptions, in turn, consist of ways to blend faith and action. A leader has the responsibility of displaying faith or belief in something good. From what he believes as something good and worthy of pursuit, hope develops. Faith and hope are not inconsistent with concrete reality. As a matter of fact, a leader draws faith and hope from that concrete, tangible reality. With what he believes in and hopes for, he can design new options and new actions. Like hope, faith requires self-mastery and courage. These are basic attributes of a true leader (Sergiovanni).

The virtues of piety and civility

Piety is showing loyalty, respect and affection for those closely related (Sergiovanni 2005). Civility is the virtue that deals with the differences found in those unlike one's own. A leader is not limited to established relationships and bonds. He is not blind to other views. Blindness to other shades of opinion prevents learning from them. Piety demands inclusiveness and undivided loyalty while civility accommodates diversity and tolerance. True leadership exercises both in a balanced way. Leadership finds solutions to problems for others. A wise leader values set bonds within his community. But he also relies on others and their resources, which can supplement or replenish his own. He does not exist separately of others (Sergiovanni).

To exemplify responsibility and accountability

Leadership is position not only of prominence and privilege. It is also a position of responsibility and accountability. A leader must answer for his use and exercise of power and privilege to those he rules. As a manager, he is internally and externally accountable. His internal accountability consists of coherence and alignment with his duties and the collective expectations of the organization (Elmore 2005). Accountable leadership possesses certain characteristics. It stresses the importance of at the individual and collective levels. It focuses on the technical and social or emotional aspects of improvement. When it does, it rewards improvement. Accountable leadership is distributed leadership. It is distributed according to expertise. Some managers or employees know more than the rest. Authority follows the organization's contours of expertise, especially in solving problems (Elnore). Leadership is about taking charge, taking responsibility and being accountable for assigned tasks.