Transcript HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE
LEADER
BY
Lyndon T. Nkomo
Deaf Zimbabwe Trust
Leadership
• Leadership potential must be developed into
finished skills.
• Those who work hard and intelligently to hone
their leadership skills may be far more effective
than the person born with natural leadership ability
but no desire to develop it to the highest level of
performance.
• Leadership is not the same as authority. A title
alone does not make one a leader
Purpose of leading is to take followers
to a specific goal
How to be an effective leader
Must have a vision
It is your dream which inspires the
followers to stand and fight with you
Following the Dream
Map the direction towards the goal or
vision
Be Assertive
As a leader, you have requirements for your
team and goals that must be fulfilled. When
team members aren’t meeting expectations, a
leader must feel comfortable being assertive.
Assertive leaders are firm and bold, unafraid
to go after what they want. Such a level of
certainty and confidence will serve both you
and your team well as you tackle larger
challenges and go after new goals
Lead the change. Effective Leaders
lead from the front not the back
Lead by example
Martin Luther King Jr leading by
example 1965 demonstraton
Do not be a Task Master
Demonstrate Confidence and Courage as
you lead. Your confidence & courage will
pass on to your followers
Courage even to suffer personal injuries
for the bigger cause. Your followers will
stand with you
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An effective
leader does not fear
opposition to his
mission.
"If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.“
Abraham Lincoln. He was not afraid to say
these words to his political party whose
key members were slave owners
Lincoln courage to stand against
slavery
• "As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men
are created equal." We now practically read it,
"All men are created equal, except Negroes."
When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read,
"All men are created equal except Negroes, and
foreigners, and Catholics." When it comes to this I
should prefer emigrating to some other country
where they make no pretense of loving liberty to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be
taken pure, without the base alloy of hypocrisy."
Courage even to go to Jail: Mandela spent
27 yrs in Jail for his beliefs and his legacy did
not die when he went to prison
Effective leaders are prepared to pay
the ultimate price and such courage
inspires followers: Mandela’s speech
Make decisions
Leaders are often called on to make big
decisions, so it’s also important for you to be
decisive. Of course, a decisive leader should
never be confused with an impulsive one.
A decisive leader carefully weighs the
potential effects of each option and chooses
the opportunity that works best for his or her
team. To be decisive, you must also feel
comfortable taking responsibility for the
results of your choice.
Inspire and Energize People towards
the mission
Inspiring for Change
Effective leaders inspire followers!
These speeches won Obama votes
Barack Obama inspiring Change.
Clarity of communication is critical for
effective leadership
Self Aware
It can be tough to retain a strong sense
of yourself and the way you appear to
others, but focus on being self-aware.
Consider your strengths and weaknesses
as objectively as possible and don’t be
afraid to ask for feedback on your
performance.
Empower People. Do not do
everything yourself (Jethro’s Model)
‘A candle loses none of its light by lighting
another candle.’ Effective leaders create
new leaders from followers
Empower Others to Lead. Effective leaders
know their limitations. Leadership is not a oneman show. A compelling vision is too big a
burden to carry alone; when you burn out, you
burn everything out.
Effective leaders teach.
Develop a passion for teaching and raising up other
leaders. The real test of leadership is your ability to
reproduce yourself in the lives of others. Inspire your
team to buy into your vision until they own it. The Jethro
Model outlines 3 p’s for effective teaching:
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Principles—teach the principles
Practice—illustrate the principles through examples;
allow learning through practice
Processes—teach and demonstrate processes and
systems that work
Help your followers to create new
leaders and advance your vision
Support and help your followers
towards your success.
Be Humble
• Effective leaders are down-to-earth
and easy to relate with. People feel
more comfortable connecting with a
leader who is humble and
compassionate.
• Strive to understand where other
people are coming from and keep a
healthy, grounded perspective on
your own achievements
Do not be proud or discourage your
followers by being a dictator . Pride rushes
your fall
Be Honest
• Finally, effective leaders are honest. Be
upfront with your team members and
trust them enough to communicate
openly and authentically together.
• It’s important to build a level of mutual
trust within your team so that each
person feels comfortable addressing his
or her concerns with you.
Promote team work: Everybody wins
Involve everyone, Use Team Approach
combined efforts make a difference
Key Issues on Team work
Coaching bring the best in your people
Results of good Coaching/Mentorship
is Success
Encourage Group Discussion to
encourage ownership of the mission
Monitor Progress and Do not micro
Manage
Summary
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A leader is expected to do a number of things:
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initiate action
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maintain discipline
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set a positive example
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motivate subordinates
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build morale within the team
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support and back up subordinates
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delegate responsibility
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inspire confidence
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stand up under stress
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develop a wide range of skills
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be decisive
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communicate effectively
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develop subordinates
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solve problems – lots of them
Conclusion
• There is no formula when it comes to
practicing effective leadership. As a result
leadership success calls for the blending of one’s
personal capacities along with sound leadership
principles being applied in a consistent and
flexible manner.