Leadership

Before I get started, let me define leadership according to all the books and journals I have read. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive, coherent and run like a fine tuned engine. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as vision, beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills. Although your position in an organization as a manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority by virtue of the position to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization, this power does not make you a leader...it simply makes you the boss by the position. Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals, rather than simply bossing or directing people around.

Leadership is said to be everything and nothing. It is everything because it can be found at all levels in organizations, not just at the top (Martens, 1987). Leadership is everything because it is infused in all that we do, it is not sacred. All individual behavior has leadership implications, some more than others. Because leadership is based on action, it emerges as a function of participation and interaction within the organization. Given this description, how can leadership be nothing? Leadership is nothing in the sense that it seems impossible to define completely. Decades of scientific study have yet to yield a single definition that fully captures the nature of leadership, much less articulate a definitive approach to developing it. Perhaps it is impossible to define leadership in words, but we agree that we know it when we see it.

Leaders must possess the qualities they are trying to incorporate into their team. For example, if you want members to be confident, have self-control, be disciplined, etc., then you must first possess all these traits. One of the most powerful things you can do is lead by example. You serve as an influential role model for your players and everything you do will be watched. Vince Lombardi says, "Leaders are made, they are not born; and they are made just like anything else has every been made in this country - by hard work" (Dowling, 1970, p. 179).

Murray & Mann stated that a proficient leader "has a vision, an intense focus on outcome and results, a realistic strategy to carry out the vision and the ability to communicate the vision and rally support of others" (Williams, 1993, p. 87). Leaders are there to coach, direct and nudge players in the direction of the goals. They have a strong ability to pass their intensity along to their others. They are always "in the game" right along with the players.

A leader guides a team, not rules a team. He or she charts a course, gives direction and develops the social and psychological environment (Martens, 1987). The leader--either the coach or a player with leadership qualities--provides an atmosphere where others can learn and grow. A coach must give some responsibility to the group and have the courage to foster independence. Otherwise, the members will feel that they are not trusted to take care of themselves and will be irresponsible. There must be a balance where the coach accepts his or her share of responsibility and gives some back to the team members.

Are leaders born or made? This has been a debated question for a long, long time. I believe a person can be born into a family of leaders and the things that his or her parents do with the child at a very early age will influence the child down the leadership path. For example getting your child involved in the different school programs, being a Cub Scout or Brownie and then going on into the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts will have a direct influence on their becoming a leader. What about in high school and being on a team and chosen as the Team Captain. This again is putting the teenager into a leadership role. We also have the many high school ROTC programs that teach the young person what a structured environment is. Oh, I also almost forgot to mention the many military schools and academies the teenager can attend. All of these are ways that a child can be put on the leadership road at a very early age.

Bass, (1989 & 1990) theory of leadership states that there are three basic ways to explain how people become leaders. The first two explain the leadership development for a small number of people. These theories are:

Some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles. This is the Trait Theory.

A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person. This is the Great Events Theory.

People can choose to become leaders. People can learn leadership skills. This is the Transformational Leadership Theory. It is the most widely accepted theory today and the premise on which this guide is based.

When a person is deciding if he or she respects you as a leader, they are not thinking about your attributes, rather, they have observed what you do so they can know who you really are. They use this observation so they can make their on decision to tell if you are an honorable and trusted leader or a self-serving person who misuses authority and sometimes the power of the position to look good and be promoted. Self-serving leaders are not as effective because their employees only obey them, not follow them. They succeed in many areas because they present a good image to their seniors at the expense of their workers.

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to the organization. In the employees' eyes, your leadership is everything you do that effects the organization's objectives and their well-being. Respected leaders concentrate on what they are such as beliefs and character. What they know such as job, tasks and human nature and what they do such as implementing, motivating and providing direction.

What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they honor, respect and who have a clear sense of direction. To gain honor and respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved good leaders are self-made, not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training, experience and learning from their employees. To inspire your workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be, know, and do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills; they are NOT