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How would you define 'leadership'? What does it mean to you? How do you achieve it? What does it take to be a 'leader'? Be it a word, a couple words, a phrase, or a paragraph, how would you define something that is so important, but at times seems to be in short supply? Thanks for your input!
This may not be complete - but off the top of my head....
Leadership....the ability to make decisions and stick with them - but also willing to listen to others and evaluate and decide if any changes need to be made. Willing to do/perform what they ask others to do (talking about Fire Service here)....forward thinking, assertive.....
Almost forgot....RESPECT!
There are plenty of definitions of leadership, but for me personally, it is standing up for what is right.....EVERY TIME no matter what!!
I'll take this from what a national guard recruiter told me. I think this happens to be the army values? Maybe a member can provide greater insight, but here it is.
Loyalty
Duty
Respect
Selfless Service
Honor
Integrity
Personal Courage
Then of course if you look at the first letters it spells LDRSHIP. That's how I define it now.
Just from a personal point of view, leadership is summarised in two words.
" Follow Me!"
This definition is quoted from Army Field Manual 6-22. It is what I have been trying to live by for my career in the Army as well as my time in the fire service. It has worked well for me in the last 16 years of my Army career and the five years as a volunteer in the fire service.
"Leadership is the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization.
BE-KNOW-DO
Leadership begins with what the leader must BE—the values and attributes that shape character. It may be helpful to think of these as internal and defining qualities possessed all the time.
Knowledge that leaders should use in leadership is what Soldiers and Army civilians KNOW. Leadership requires knowing about tactics, technical systems, organizations, management of resources, and the tendencies and needs of people. Knowledge shapes a leader’s identity and is reinforced by a leader’s actions.
What leaders DO, or leader actions, is directly related to the influence they have on others and what is done. As with knowledge, leaders will learn more about leadership as they serve in different positions."
A leader is someone that enables your to do your job. They provide direction and guidance as needed.
I try, with pretty good success to follow these:
1) Achieve professional competence
2) Evaluate your own strengths and limitations and pursue self-improvement
3) Seek and accept responsibility
4) Lead by Example
5) Make sure that your followers know your meaning and intent, and then lead them to the accomplishment of the mission
6) Know your soldiers and promote their welfare
7) Develop the leadership potential of your followers
8) Make sound and timely decisions
9) Train your soldiers as a team and employ them up to their capabilities
10) Keep your followers informed of the mission, the changing situation and the overall picture.
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There are brief descriptions or captions for each of the above. Or in an nutshell what CGITCH said! :D
I can't do "edit" from work. One last thing I should have written:
"Leadership is the art of influencing human behaviour in such a way as to accopmlish the mission in the manner as desired by the Leader."
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I think that one is actually my true favourite.
All very good responses and nothing that I can disagree with. A supervisor at work told me once that his job was to remove obsticles and provide the tools that I needed to do my job and then let me do my job. To me that is part of leadership as will.
One thing that I've noticed is that you can't learn or teach leadership in a classroom. You can teach people to become managers, but not necessarily leaders. I've become convinced that most people are either natural leaders or not. You can do some things to improve leadership skills like communication and how to deal with different personalities, but I'm not convinced that you can turn someone who is not a leader naturally into a leader.
I think this is sooooo true.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eng34FF
I've always been told that leadership is an artform that you either have or have not. I'm still trying to find out if I have it or not.
Say what you mean, mean what you say.
Never put your crew in a situation you aren't prepared to go into yourself.
Don't be a slacker of a f/f and then crack the whip as a leader... it won't work
Earn respect, don't demand it
Be their leader in the firehall and their buddy outside work...I have seen too much buddy buddy stuff at work with some, while others are left on the outside looking in. (Regarding discipline and general work ethic)
Just my two cents...but what do I know...I only have 10 years on...I am still learning but I have hopes of being a leader one day before I retire
Quote:
Originally Posted by MalahatTwo7
There you are the best said.
Many people with leadership qualities don't like to be in charge... they are afraid of coming across as "bossy" or as dictators... While they may be fit for leadership, they end up not pursuing leadership roles.
On the other hand, many people who don't possess good leadership qualities are attracted to being a leader, because they crave authority, or the feeling of "being in charge", commanding respect.
But what they don't realize is, being a good leader is not about commanding respect, but earning it.
A real leader's position is nominated by others because others recognize the qualifications, not because the person himself feels or says he is qualified.
Not being aggressive, but assertive. A leader doesn't have all the answers, but knows where to go to find them. A leader has the good will of those he is in leadership of.
Quote:
A leader doesn't have all the answers, but knows where to go to find them. A leader has the good will of those he is in leadership of.
Thats where your Subject Matter Experts come into play. If you know someone else in the team has specialist knowledge or experience, USE HIM! Or at least ask him for his "considered opinion".
A Leader must...
Be True to his Command,
Serve those he/she Leads,
and must Lead by Example.
I would define leadership as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. In defining leadership as a process rather than a trait, it implies that leadership is something that can be learned rather than a trait that resides in select indiviudals. Leadership is not a one-way linear event but an interactive process that focuses on creating a vision, setting strategies, communicating goals, seeking commitment, building teams, and inspiring, motivating and empowering others.
Zig Ziglar, a motivational speaker, wrote that a good leader and communicator can get his her employees to do what they want because they, the employees, want to do the work. Whereas, a poor leader/communicator gets employees to do just enough not to get in trouble or lose their job.
Communication and mutual respect are the keys.
I've had leadership roles in the past and honestly don't like them. The problem with being a leader is dealing with peoples personal problems and the slackers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shwaybo77