What Exactly Is Effective Leadership?

Effective leaders realize there are a number of individuals that have specific skills and knowledge that will make their organization a success.

The workplace is full of intelligent, knowledgeable, and independent employees. These employees do not want to wait for instructions, be led by the nose, or be controlled by a dominant, micro-managing, assertive leader. When working with self-directed, educated employees, effective leaders know when to back off and give the employee less direction but they also don’t let the employee flounder to prove the point they need close supervision. An effective leader will know when to step in to assist the employee when they need more support.

Many leaders have a misconception that they must be extroverted and have a dominant personality to be effective.

This is not the case. Researchers at Harvard found when leaders who are assertive, bold, and talkative are paired with employees who prefer to take initiative and speak their own mind, conflict can result. This type of conflict can make the work environment stressful and unpleasant for both employee and leader. It is up to the leader to not continually butt heads or prove they are right just because they are the leader. An effective leader will  keep an open mind and listen to employee’s ideas.

However, when combining self-directed employees with a leader who is able to take a more laid back attitude, there is less friction between the two. The same is said for introverted employees and extroverted leaders. Laid back employees are more open to a stronger personality type leader. This is not to say two dominant personalities cannot work together or that two introverted personalities will not be successful, but it is for an effective leader to know when to back off or when to step in to offer assistance.

An effective leader will

1. inspire trust and confidence in their employees.
2. communication honestly and clearly.
3. step forward or stay in the background as needed.
4. look toward the future and demonstrate optimism.
5. encourage and guide employees to success.
6. support employees through continued education and learning on the job.
7. make decisions, remove road blocks, and support employees as needed.

Reference materials:

The Leadership Experience by R.L. Daft.  (4th ed.).
Similarities and Differences Between Leadership and Management by M. Young & V. Dulewicz.
Why We Need Leaders by G. Rush

Karen Comfort

Hi, I’m Karen. Welcome to my website! I will show you how to establish the framework for an organized and successful leadership and office management system.

www.karencomfort.com