LEADERSHIP

LEADERSHIP AS AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION

A leader is someone who is able to recruit followers who will work towards achieving same objective. It can also mean someone who can move followers. Drucker, P. (2006) says that leadership is not having friends and influencing followers but the supporting of one’s vision to higher limits and raising personality beyond the normal limitations. Leadership is also the process of persuading a group of people in a definite situation at a given time and environment to strive to achieve common organizational or institutional goals.

Leadership guides organization on direction and motivation. Leaders are the main people who are supposed to direct their teams and also motivate them to achieve organizational goals. This is the main leadership function. Directing of employees refers to a way of inspiring, instructing, guiding, counselling and leading a group of people to accomplishment of organizational goals. Directing is a continuous process.  Motivation is the act of directing, energizing and sustaining employee efforts in performance of tasks.

Leadership is the link between management and workers. A leader represents his/her subordinates and presents their interests to the management and also interprets rules, policies and programs of management to the subordinates. A leader is always the link between subordinates and the management. He solves the conflict aspect between the two parties. This makes it easier for employees to work towards achievement of organizational goals and makes processes within the institution easier. Communication protocols and organizational structures are also enhanced by effective leadership.

Leadership initiates action for companies. A leader always starts a project and comes with ideas that will help in achievement of the project. Leaders lay down a foundation, proposes ideas, plans and gives an outline on how to go about it as well as provides timelines. Leaders always are the first to take action for their subordinates to follow what they are doing.

Leadership helps in setting organizational goals that is vision and mission. A leader is always expected to provide a clear mission and vision for which subordinates should work towards. The goals founded by leaders should have the qualities of simplicity, understandability, proper timelines, specific, clarity, abstract, challenging, measurable, brevity and futuristic.

Leadership is also responsible for organizing and coordination of functions within companies. Leadership creates and shapes organizations by delegating roles to appropriate individuals with the required skills and abilities to excel in them. This enhances the achievement of company’s goals as operation efficiency is enhanced. Leadership also serves to reconcile interests of individuals with that of the company itself. They have to ensure voluntary cooperation from employees to achieve a common goal.

Leadership is therefore an essential function of a company. It will help it in achieving both its long term and short-term goals. A company with effective leadership is likely to prosper compared to the one with inadequate leadership. Leaders should innovate, inspire, motivate, be role models and possess relevant skills to guide subordinates in achieving a common goal.

REFERENCES

Bennis, W.G. (1961), "Revisionist theory of leadership", Harvard Business Review, Vol. 39

Carpenter, M. (2010), Principles of Management, Irvington: Flat World Knowledge, p273

Drucker, F.P. (2006) The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done.

Drucker, P.F. (1995) Managing in a time of great change, Truman Talley Books/Dutton, New York

Mele, D (2007). "Ethics in management: exploring the contributions of Mary Parker Follett". International Journal of Public Administration. 30 (4): 405–424

Peter. D (1973), Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices' (New York: Harper & Row)

Sapru, R.K. (2010). Administrative Theories and Management Thought. PHI Learning. pp. 160–163

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