The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." It is also vital that the leader doesn't just appear to be a great leader, but truly has the capabilities of being a great leader (Gladwell, 2005, p. 72-98). In order for a leader to understand whether he or she possesses the qualities of a good leader, a leader should also follow Boyatzis's (2006) Intentional Change Theory. This will guide in finding his or her strengths and weaknesses as well as self-identity and plan for the future. As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explain, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggest, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
Compared to my previous definition of leadership, I have added that a good leader should follow Boyatzis's (2006) Intentional Change Theory to find out their real self and ideal self. This is because when a leader follows the five steps into discovering who he or she is, who they hope to be, his or her weaknesses, strengths and how to improve as well as identify the supportive relationships, it can guide the leader to evaluate his or her own capabilities of being a good leader. They can ask the question, "Do I have what it takes to be a great leader?" Once the leader is confident in his or her own qualities as a leader, it can become a strong foundation into developing and improving into a better servant leader. For example, in my own leadership journey, the first step was to find who I am as a leader today and how I came to be one. In order to do this, I identified what kind of leader I am and what shaped my leadership (i.e., important people in my life, personal experience, etc.). Then once I understood who I am, my strengths and weaknesses, the next step was to identify what kind of leader I aspired to be. Once I am able to understand my real self and ideal self, I am able to become a new and improved leader who can be of better service to my followers.
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). An Overview of Intentional Change from a Leadership
Perspective. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 607-623.
doi:10.1108/02621710610678445
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Gladwell, M. (2005). The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and
handsome men. Blink: The power of thinking without thinking (pp. 72 - 98). New York: Pushkin Enterprises.
New Definition
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." It is also vital that the leader doesn't just appear to be a great leader, but truly has the capabilities of being a great leader (Gladwell, 2005, p. 72-98). In order for a leader to understand whether he or she possesses the qualities of a good leader, a leader should also follow Boyatzis's (2006) Intentional Change Theory. This will guide in finding his or her strengths and weaknesses as well as self-identity and plan for the future. As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explain, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggest, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
I have kept the same definition as my previous one, because the communication problems that may arise as suggested by Saphiere, Mikk and Devries (2005) can be covered in my existing definition. The article by Saphiere, Mikk and Devries (2005) suggests that a leader is needed in order to help the group members take a moment and gain a big picture of their actions and how it affects the outcome. In my previous definition, I mentioned that a leader should be able to see the "big picture" as suggested by Heifetz and Linsky (2002). Also, Saphiere, Mikk and Devries (2005) mention the different types of communication problems, such as self-concept (circus music) and goals. Some leaders have trouble understanding their own goals or idea of the self and thus have difficulty relating to their followers. Even though it is worth mentioning that someone with good leadership should have good communication styles, my definition of a servant leader who possesses quality attributes and can see the big picture, seems to cover the area of communication. In other words, a servant leader who can see the big picture in a situation can effectively take all their followers into account. Thus, they can serve their followers and provide them with a common goal and vision. In addition, a servant leader also possesses the ability to provide a clear guideline of what each group members' roles are to reach the common goal and vision (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2007).
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). An Overview of Intentional Change from a Leadership
Perspective. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 607-623.
doi:10.1108/02621710610678445
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Gladwell, M. (2005). The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and
handsome men. Blink: The power of thinking without thinking (pp. 72 - 98). New York: Pushkin Enterprises.
Saphiere, D. H., Mikk, B. K., & Devries, B. I. (2005). Factors affecting communication
style: Starring acts in the circus. 47-82. Retrieved from http://www.download-it.
org./free_files/Pages%20from%20Chapter%2003%20-%20Factors%Affecting%
20Communication%20Style-c2c273a32ce590fe42518fa48db05.pdf.
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." It is also vital that the leader doesn't just appear to be a great leader, but truly has the capabilities of being a great leader (Gladwell, 2005, p. 72-98). As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explain, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggest, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is I have added that a great leader should truly possess the characteristics and abilities of a great leader. As Gladwell (2005) mentions, "the Warren Harding Error" seems inevitable and it happens when we base a person's physical characteristics and appearance to a profession. As much as I hate to admit, I have made "the Warren Harding Error" many times throughout my college career. I have picked the wrong types of friends and group members based on who they appear to be, only to find that they were not who I expected. In this respect, a leader should not just appear to be a "leader," but someone who truly possess the characteristics of what makes a great leader.
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Gladwell, M. (2005). The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and
handsome men. Blink: The power of thinking without thinking (pp. 72 - 98). New York: Pushkin Enterprises.
New Definition
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." It is also vital that the leader doesn't just appear to be a great leader, but truly has the capabilities of being a great leader (Gladwell, 2005, p. 72-98). In order for a leader to understand whether he or she possesses the qualities of a good leader, a leader should also follow Boyatzis's (2006) Intentional Change Theory. This will guide in finding his or her strengths and weaknesses as well as self-identity and plan for the future. As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explain, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggest, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
Compared to my previous definition of leadership, I have added that a good leader should follow Boyatzis's (2006) Intentional Change Theory to find out their real self and ideal self. This is because when a leader follows the five steps into discovering who he or she is, who they hope to be, his or her weaknesses, strengths and how to improve as well as identify the supportive relationships, it can guide the leader to evaluate his or her own capabilities of being a good leader. They can ask the question, "Do I have what it takes to be a great leader?" Once the leader is confident in his or her own qualities as a leader, it can become a strong foundation into developing and improving into a better servant leader. For example, in my own leadership journey, the first step was to find who I am as a leader today and how I came to be one. In order to do this, I identified what kind of leader I am and what shaped my leadership (i.e., important people in my life, personal experience, etc.). Then once I understood who I am, my strengths and weaknesses, the next step was to identify what kind of leader I aspired to be. Once I am able to understand my real self and ideal self, I am able to become a new and improved leader who can be of better service to my followers.
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). An Overview of Intentional Change from a Leadership
Perspective. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 607-623.
doi:10.1108/02621710610678445
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Gladwell, M. (2005). The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and
handsome men. Blink: The power of thinking without thinking (pp. 72 - 98). New York: Pushkin Enterprises.
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explains, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggests, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have added the ability for a leader to see the big picture. As Heifetz and Linsky (2002) mentions, a leader who takes the time to "get on the balcony" and see the big picture from a distance as an observer, can gain a deeper understanding of what is really going on and what is needed at the moment. In my personal experience as a new follower of yoga, I have come to realize the importance of mindfulness. When I take a short moment to look at the situation, including my own self, as an observer on the outside, I find it easier to understand the situation and plan accordingly in a responsible manner. In this respect, I find it valuable for a servant leader to "get on the balcony" so that he or she is able to understand the needs of the followers and how better to serve each member for the betterment of the community and everyone involved.
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
New Definition
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." It is also vital that the leader doesn't just appear to be a great leader, but truly has the capabilities of being a great leader (Gladwell, 2005, p. 72-98). As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explain, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggest, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is I have added that a great leader should truly possess the characteristics and abilities of a great leader. As Gladwell (2005) mentions, "the Warren Harding Error" seems inevitable and it happens when we base a person's physical characteristics and appearance to a profession. As much as I hate to admit, I have made "the Warren Harding Error" many times throughout my college career. I have picked the wrong types of friends and group members based on who they appear to be, only to find that they were not who I expected. In this respect, a leader should not just appear to be a "leader," but someone who truly possess the characteristics of what makes a great leader.
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Gladwell, M. (2005). The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and
handsome men. Blink: The power of thinking without thinking (pp. 72 - 98). New York: Pushkin Enterprises.
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader. As Barbuto an Wheeler (2007) explains, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on what the followers need and what the future seems to hold. A servant leader seems to be someone who focuses on the betterment of their followers and the community by listening to their followers and realizing what they are in need of. By doing this, the leader is able to show compassion and make ethical decisions for the betterment of all.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have grouped compassion and ethical reasoning skills into a single label of a servant leader. My previous definition of leadership was someone who has compassion and ethical reasoning skills, which is what a servant leader displays. For example, a servant leader has a natural calling to help and serve others, is a good listener, has empathy, power to heal, awareness of what is going on around him or her, has an ability to persuade others, has conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, growth and a strong community spirit (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2007). These characteristics all show a leader who has strong compassion for his or her followers and the ability to make ethical decisions, for the betterment of the followers and the community at large. Therefore, by grouping the main two characteristics from my previous definition into a single label, I can better explain what leadership is.
Reference
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
New Definition
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader and has the ability to "look at the big picture." As Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) explains, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on the big picture he or she sees. In addition, as Heifetz and Linsky (2002) suggests, a leader should "get on the balcony" and see the big picture of the entire group and understand what his or her role is in the team and what the members need. This way, the servant leader is able to be of better service to his or her team.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have added the ability for a leader to see the big picture. As Heifetz and Linsky (2002) mentions, a leader who takes the time to "get on the balcony" and see the big picture from a distance as an observer, can gain a deeper understanding of what is really going on and what is needed at the moment. In my personal experience as a new follower of yoga, I have come to realize the importance of mindfulness. When I take a short moment to look at the situation, including my own self, as an observer on the outside, I find it easier to understand the situation and plan accordingly in a responsible manner. In this respect, I find it valuable for a servant leader to "get on the balcony" so that he or she is able to understand the needs of the followers and how better to serve each member for the betterment of the community and everyone involved.
References
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Get on the balcony. Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp.51-74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
]]>
The definition of leadership is when a leader displays compassion along with well- developed ethical reasoning skills (Paul & Elder, 2006, p. 4-36). A leader whose core value is compassion and reflects it in his or her leadership style shows the followers that each individual matters, which can also increase trust between a leader and followers (Lee & King, 2001, p. 31-54). Just by showing compassion, followers feel supported, hopeful, and trusting of their leader. This is because compassion puts people at ease and helps them to feel understood and cared for in times of need, which can further instill hope for a better future. However, it is also important for a compassionate leader to make ethical decisions, no matter how hard. By doing this, he or she can refrain from egocentric types of thinking that is by nature, present in all human beings (Paul & Elder, 2006, p. 4-36).
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have included ethical reasoning skills. As a support group facilitator for rape and sexual abuse survivors has helped me recognize that many situations call for my co-worker and I to make difficult ethical decisions that both seems "right." For example, a group member who brings up the information that she may have beat her child once. It is up to us, as facilitators, to determine whether we need to report the information to child protection or keep it confidential, since the support group is focused on rape and sexual abuse victims and all information shared is kept confidential. As Paul and Elder (2006) suggests, I find that my egocentric types of thinking, such as prejudices, are difficult to refrain from when making decisions like the one above and can keep me from making decisions for the betterment of my followers. I find the topic of ethical reasoning skills to be valuable in terms of how I view leadership, because a good leader should make ethical decisions (Paul & Elder, 2006, p. 4-36). By refraining from egocentric types of thinking that are present in every one of us, a good leader will be more understanding and make ethical decisions for the betterment of their followers.
References
Lee, R. J., & King, S. N. (2001). Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision. In Discovering the Leader in You: A guide to realizing your personal leadership potential (pp. 31 - 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). The function of ethics-- and its main impediement. In Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning (pp. 4-36). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.
New Definition
The definition of leadership is someone who is a servant leader. As Barbuto an Wheeler (2007) explains, a servant leader is someone who possesses 11 characteristics, which includes compassion and having good ethical reasoning skills. However, I think that the different characteristics of a servant leader can be summarized into having compassion for followers and the ability to make good decisions, based on what the followers need and what the future seems to hold. A servant leader seems to be someone who focuses on the betterment of their followers and the community by listening to their followers and realizing what they are in need of. By doing this, the leader is able to show compassion and make ethical decisions for the betterment of all.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have grouped compassion and ethical reasoning skills into a single label of a servant leader. My previous definition of leadership was someone who has compassion and ethical reasoning skills, which is what a servant leader displays. For example, a servant leader has a natural calling to help and serve others, is a good listener, has empathy, power to heal, awareness of what is going on around him or her, has an ability to persuade others, has conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, growth and a strong community spirit (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2007). These characteristics all show a leader who has strong compassion for his or her followers and the ability to make ethical decisions, for the betterment of the followers and the community at large. Therefore, by grouping the main two characteristics from my previous definition into a single label, I can better explain what leadership is.
Reference
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). Becoming a servant leader: Do you have what it takes? Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have included ethical reasoning skills. As a support group facilitator for rape and sexual abuse survivors has helped me recognize that many situations call for my co-worker and I to make difficult ethical decisions that both seems "right." For example, a group member who brings up the information that she may have beat her child once. It is up to us, as facilitators, to determine whether we need to report the information to child protection or keep it confidential, since the support group is focused on rape and sexual abuse victims and all information shared is kept confidential. As Paul and Elder (2006) suggests, I find that my egocentric types of thinking, such as prejudices, are difficult to refrain from when making decisions like the one above and can keep me from making decisions for the betterment of my followers. I find the topic of ethical reasoning skills to be valuable in terms of how I view leadership, because a good leader should make ethical decisions (Paul & Elder, 2006, p. 4-36). By refraining from egocentric types of thinking that are present in every one of us, a good leader will be more understanding and make ethical decisions for the betterment of their followers.
References
Lee, R. J., & King, S. N. (2001). Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision. In Discovering the Leader in You: A guide to realizing your personal leadership potential (pp. 31 - 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). The function of ethics-- and its main impediement. In Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning (pp. 4-36). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.
]]>The definition of leadership goes beyond that of giving orders, making wise decisions and leading followers. In fact, a study shows that followers look for compassion, trust, stability and hope in someone they consider a good leader (Rath & Conchie, 2009, p. 79-85). When followers trust their leader, it provides a strong bond in their relationship, leading to a more efficient working environment. Likewise, a leader who has great compassion for his or her followers can not only increase trust, but also show that each individual matters. Also, a leader who displays stability in their ability to provide for his or her followers can assure a great sense of security and trust in them. Finally, a leader who can provide the followers hope for the future by utilizing compassion, trust and stability, can be powerful. This is because as human beings we need something to look forward to. It gives us a reason to live for and it provides us with a sense of security and contentment. All in all, someone with good leadership must possess these four qualities, especially that of compassion.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have added what followers look for in a leader. As Rath and Conchie (2009) suggests, in order to gain a deeper understanding of what makes a great leader, it is important to look at why people follow a leader. Knowing what makes people choose to follow a leader is valuable in terms of how I view leadership, because it gives me a direct look at what is valued in a leader from the viewpoint of the followers, rather than the biased leaders themselves. I agree with Rath and Conchie (2009) in that followers look for trust, compassion, stability and hope in leaders. I think that compassion, stability and hope is tied together by trust. A compassionate leader will gain trust from his or her followers and paired with stability, it will instill hope in people. Without trust and all the other traits that follow, it is difficult to put our faith in that person.
New definition:
The definition of leadership is when a leader displays compassion. A leader whose core value is compassion and reflects it in his or her leadership style shows the followers that each individual matters, which can also increase trust between a leader and followers (Lee & King, 2001, p. 31-54). While working as an intern at a rape and sexual abuse crisis center, I have found that by showing just great compassion to victims and survivors, I not only immediately obtain their trust, but also instill hope in my clients. Just by showing compassion, followers feel supported, hopeful and trusting of their leader. This is because compassion puts people at ease and helps them to feel understood and cared for in times of need, which can further instill hope for a better future. Therefore, someone with good leadership must both have and value compassion.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have reduced my definition to include only compassion and incorporated the core value of the leader. My internship experience as a support group facilitator at a crisis center has helped me to understand how powerful compassion alone can be in terms of leadership and how my core value of compassion has greatly aided me in leading the weekly support groups effectively. Just by showing compassion, it can bring me closer to my clients, gain their trust, instill hope for a healing future and provide them with stability. Rath and Conchie (2009) suggests that a leader who shows compassion has followers who are more productive and engaged at their job, for me, this is the most valuable in terms of how I view leadership. This is because I agree with Rath and Conchie (2009) in that a leader who shows compassion lets the followers know that they are cared about, which will create a trusting bond and thus lead to followers who are more engaged and efficient. In addition, as Lee and King (2001) suggests, when my core value is reflected in my leadership value, both my followers and I will share a common value and belief, which will further strengthen our relationship with trust.
References
Lee, R. J., & King, S. N. (2001). Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision. In Discovering the Leader in You: A guide to realizing your personal leadership potential (pp. 31 - 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2009). Understanding why people follow. In Strengths based leadership: Great leaders, teams, and why people follow (pp. 79-85). New York: Gallup Press.
To me, leadership consists of four main elements: ability to lead people (even strangers), ability to make good decisions for the betterment of many, intuition and compassion. A person with good leadership should be able to take the lead and guide everyone to the aimed goal, whether it be in the workplace, school or even a case of an emergency. A leader should be able to look at a set of problems and choices at hand and be able to make a decision that can benefit the majority, no matter how tough it may be. Also, a person with leadership should be able to see the deeper truth in situations and have empathy towards everyone. Through personal experiences and observations, I feel that leadership and being a leader isn't all about being being emotionless and strictly goal-oriented. It's also about being able to share with those around you, to have great compassion and ability to empower others to follow in your example/ways. It's that ability to inspire others around you to follow and trust you as a leader.
New Definition:
The definition of leadership goes beyond that of giving orders, making wise decisions and leading followers. In fact, a study shows that followers look for compassion, trust, stability and hope in someone they consider a good leader (Rath & Conchie, 2009, p. 79-85). When followers trust their leader, it provides a strong bond in their relationship, leading to a more efficient working environment. Likewise, a leader who has great compassion for his or her followers can not only increase trust, but also show that each individual matters. Also, a leader who displays stability in their ability to provide for his or her followers can assure a great sense of security and trust in them. Finally, a leader who can provide the followers hope for the future by utilizing compassion, trust and stability, can be powerful. This is because as human beings we need something to look forward to. It gives us a reason to live for and it provides us with a sense of security and contentment. All in all, someone with good leadership must possess these four qualities, especially that of compassion.
Compared to my previous definition of what leadership is, I have added what followers look for in a leader. As Rath and Conchie (2009) suggests, in order to gain a deeper understanding of what makes a great leader, it is important to look at why people follow a leader. Knowing what makes people choose to follow a leader is valuable in terms of how I view leadership, because it gives me a direct look at what is valued in a leader from the viewpoint of the followers, rather than the biased leaders themselves. I agree with Rath and Conchie (2009) in that followers look for trust, compassion, stability and hope in leaders. I think that compassion, stability and hope is tied together by trust. A compassionate leader will gain trust from his or her followers and paired with stability, it will instill hope in people. Without trust and all the other traits that follow, it is difficult to put our faith in that person.
References
Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2009). Understanding why people follow. In Strengths based leadership: Great leaders, teams, and why people follow (pp. 79-85). New York: Gallup Press.
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