I have already written 2 articles on leadership. The more I read books and hear audio cassettes, the more I would like to know about leadership. The more I come to know about leadership, the more I would like to share with my colleagues.
Leaders are made, not born. You become a leader in your business in the world around you by practicing the qualities, attributes and behaviors of leaders who have gone before you. Like any set of skills, leadership is developed by practice, perseverance and repetition, over and over again, until you master it without being weary.
The Laws of Leadership have been identified and discussed over and over throughout the centuries. They are taught in military schools, colleges and education institutions. They are taught in business schools and practiced every day in the businesses and organizations of our society. These laws and principles are followed by men and women everywhere who emerge to assume positions of power and authority whenever the situations demand it.
The more you get to know about the laws of leadership and the more you deliberately make an attempt to exercise the qualities of leadership in small matters, the more you will be given an opportunity to be a leader in larger matters. The better you fulfill your responsibilities today, right where you are, the greater the responsibilities that will be entrusted to you in the future. It is in your hands. LET US FOLLOW THE LAWS OF LEADERSHIP.
' The Law of Integrity.
GREAT BUSINESS LEADERSHIP IS CHARACTERIZED BY HONESTY, TRUTHFULNESS, AND STRAIGHT DEALING WITH EVERY PERSON, UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
Integrity lies at the core of leadership, at the heart of the leader. Everything you do revolve around the person you really are inside. And the person you really are inside is always remonstrated by your actions, the things you do and say.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Resolve to live in truth with yourself and with every person and situation in life. Listen to your body and trust your intuition. Identify the main stress points and people problems in your life and then ask yourself, What is the right thing to do in this situation to resolve this problem and alleviate this stress?
Ask yourself: What kind of a company would my company be if everyone in it was just like me? What personal habits or behaviors would you need to change to answer this question in the affirmative? Whatever they are, do something today toward becoming the very best person you can be.
' The Law of Courage.
THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS AND ACT BOLDLY IN THE FACE OF SETBACKS AND ADVERSITY IS THE KEY TO GREATNESS IN LEADERSHIP.
Leadership is not lack of fear or absence of fear. Leadership is control of fear-mastery of fear. Everyone is afraid; leaders are simply those who face their fears and take action in spite of their fears. And you develop the habit of courage by acting courageously whenever the situation is called for.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Imagine that you could wave a magic wand and achieve any goal you set for yourself. What actions would you take in your business, what changes would you make, if you had no fear of failure at all? What goals would you set if you were guaranteed success? Whatever the answers to these questions, begin acting today as though your success were guaranteed.
Identify a specific fear in your life, such as public speaking or confronting others, that may be holding you back from realizing your full potential. Whatever it is, resolve today to deal with it and overcome it. As Dorothea Brande wrote, 'Act as if it were impossible to fail, and it shall be!'
' The Law of Realism.
LEADERS DEAL WITH THE WORLD AS IT IS, NOT AS THEY WISH IT WOULD BE.
Your ability and your willingness to be completely realistic in your life and work are among the most important qualities of leadership. Concentrate on getting the facts. Facts don't lie. The more facts you gather, the better will be the picture of reality that you can develop. The quality of your decisions will largely determined by the quality of the information on which those decisions are based.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Identify your major weaknesses, in terms of either personality traits or specific skills. What is your weakest personal quality? What is your weakest important skill? Whatever they are, identify them clearly and then make a plan to correct them.
Identify and analyze the realities of your company, your products, your services, and your methods of operation, as they are today. What are the weaknesses or areas of vulnerability in your business? Whatever they are, decide today to take some specific action to compensate for your weaknesses and to maximize your strengths.
' The Law of Power.
POWER GRAVITATES TO THE PERSON WHO CAN USE THE MOST EFFECTIVELY TO GET THE DESIRED RESULTS.
Power is the ability to influence the allocation of people, money, and resources. It exists in all human relationships and situations. It is essential for the effective functioning of human life and society. It is neither good nor bad. It just is.
There are four kinds of power you can develop. The first is expert power. The second type of power you can develop is personal power. The third type of power, position power, is the power that goes with the job title. The fourth is ascribed power. This is the power you have when the people around you willingly grant you authority and influence over them because of the person you are.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Identify the individual in your organization who have power of one kind or another-expert power, position power, personal power, or ascribed power. What are some of the things that you could do personally to develop your power in one or more of these areas?
Define the most important results expected of you in your position. How could you increase the quality and quantity of your results? Identify one thing that you could do differently right now to be more effective.
' The Law of Ambition.
LEADERS HAVE AN INTENSE DESIRE TO LEAD; THEY HAVE A CLEAR VISION OF A BETTER FUTURE, WHICH THEY ARE DETERMINED TO REALIZE.
People may work steadily for a paycheck, but they will perform at high levels only when they are inspired by a vision of some kind. The development and articulation of this vision is a key responsibility of leadership.
Most of all, leaders want to lead, to be in charge, to be responsible, to make things happen. They are willing to endure the risks and the sacrifices that are required to make a real difference in their worlds.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Determine a clear vision for yourself and your organization. Where would you ideally like to be in three to five years from now? Define it clearly. Write it down, share it with others. The more clear and specific you are about your future vision for yourself and your organization, the more you will accomplish and the better and more effective leader you will become.
Decide what it is that you really want to do with your life. This is the great question of leadership. If you had no limits whatsoever in terms of time, money, and resources, what would you be the most excited about achieving for yourself and your organization? Begin today to think in terms of how you can accomplish it, and then take action on it immediately.
' The Law of Optimism.
THE TRUE LEADER RADIATES THE CONFIDENCE THAT ALL DIFFICUTIES CAN BE OVERCOME AND ALL GOALS AND CHALLENGES CAN BE ATTAINED.
Difficulties come not to obstruct, but to instruct. You can become an irrepressible optimist by practicing the habit of optimism whenever they are called for. Optimism is the ability to find something worthwhile in every situation. It has been best defined as 'a generally positive and constructive response to stress.'
The only things you can control in your life are your responses to the inevitable problems and difficulties you face each day. How you respond to a situation; or how you interpret the situation, determines how you feel about it. Your feelings, your emotions, then determine the clarity and effectiveness of your thoughts and your responses. The more optimistic and positive you are the calmer, more positive, and the more creative you will be.
How can you apply this law immediately?
List your three most important goals in life, right now. Then, write down one step that you can take immediately to move you in the direction of each of those goals. This simple exercise will give you an increased sense of control and personal power.
List your three biggest worries for today. Decide on at least one specific action you can take in each case to begin solving the problem or resolving the worry or concern.
Identify the most valuable lesson that could be contained in the biggest single problem you are wrestling with right now. When you begin to identify and capitalize on the lessons contained in every difficulty you face, you will begin to move ahead at a more rapid rate than ever before.
' The Law of Empathy.
LEADERS ARE SENSITIVE TO AND AWARE OF THE NEEDS, FEELINGS, AND MOTIVATIONS OF THOSE THEY LEAD.
Leaders have high levels of 'interpersonal intelligence.' They are constantly aware of the thoughts, feelings, and possible reactions of others to the things they do and say. They take time to think about the effects of their decisions on their people before they make them. They recognize that how people feel will largely determine how well they perform.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Make a list of the people who report to you and then consider the kind of direction and supervision they need from you to perform at their best. How could you adjust your leadership style to be more effective with each of them?
Be a good and aggressive listener. Practice asking more questions of your people and then listening quietly and attentively to the answers. Remember that you do not need to comment or to reply to everything that people say. You only need to listen well.
Ask the people around you for their advice, ideas, and input. Encourage people to be open and direct with you. Think of how you could improve your relationships with your people by being more relaxed and receptive to the different ideas and viewpoints they might have.
' The Law of Resilience.
LEADERS BOUNCE BACK FROM THE INEVITABLE SETBACKS, DISAPPOINTMENTS, AND TEMPORARY FAILURES EXPERIENCED IN THE ATTAINMENT OF ANY WORTHWHILE GOAL.
Life is a continuous succession of problems and difficulties. There is no success without temporary failure. Setbacks and disappointments are inevitable and unavoidable. Your ability to respond positively and constructively to adversity will prove how far you have come as a person. Keep reminding yourself, 'It's not how far you fall, but how high you bounce, that counts!'
How can you apply this law immediately?
Identify the three worst things that could go wrong in your business life, your job, or your career. Develop a contingency plan for each one. Imagine that what can go wrong, will go wrong and begin making provisions against possible problems immediately.
Engage in 'crisis anticipation' regularly, looking down the road and imagining the problems that could occur. Discuss the subject with others. Brainstorm different countermeasures you could take in the case of any eventuality.
Identify the major source of worry or stress in your life today. What is it? Now, ask. What is the worst possible outcome of this situation? Once you have determined the worst possible outcome, begin immediately to make sure that it does not happen.
' The Law of Independence.
LEADERS KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, AND THEY THINK FOR THEMSELVES.
Leaders tend to be independent in their thinking. They are very clear about their values, their goals, and their personal missions. They are clear about what they stand for and believe in. They don't deviate from their values for any reason, especially the core values of integrity and responsibility.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Decide for yourself what you really like and enjoy. What activities make you feel the very best about yourself? How could you organize your work so that you are doing more of these activities more often?
Be clear about your most important values and beliefs. Decide exactly what you believe in and what you stand for. Then make sure that everything you do is consistent with your highest values and your innermost convictions.
' The Law of Emotional Maturity.
LEADERS ARE CALM, COOL, AND CONTROLLED IN THE FACE OF PROBLEMS, DIFFICULTIES, AND ADVERSITY.
Leaders recognize that all you can do is your best. If a situation doesn't work out, then so be it. You do not go into fits of anger or recrimination when things go against you. You have a calm, healthy view of yourself. You can strive for higher goals and objectives, yet accept failure along the way.
Emotional maturity requires that you like and respect yourself. You have a positive self-image. You are able to endure the criticism and disapproval of other people without being bothered too much. You are able to do without either appreciation or rewards if they don't come immediately.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Think of the biggest challenges or difficulties facing you today. Ask questions to keep control, both of your emotions and of the situation. Some of the best questions are: What exactly has happened? What is the true situation? How did it occur? What do you think we should do? What is the next step?
Refuse to criticize, complain or condemn, no matter what happens. Imagine that this difficult situation has been artificially created to test you, to see what you are truly made of. Act as if everyone is watching to see how you handle the problem and as if your future prospects are going to be determined by how calmly and relaxed you behave.
' The Law of Superb Execution.
LEADERS ARE COMMITTED TO EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE OF THE BUSINESS TASK AT HAND AND TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
Leaders set standards of excellence for everyone who reports to them. They are ruthless about weeding out incompetence and poor performance. Leaders demand quality work and insist that people do their jobs well. They have punishing schedules and derive thrill and happiness by setting high standards for themselves and completing the assigned tasks.
Leaders identify their core competencies, the vital tasks they do that are responsible for them being in business. They continually look for ways to upgrade these core competencies to assure that they maintain a competitive edge in the market place.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Identify your personal 'area of excellence.' What is that you do exceptionally well that makes you uniquely valuable to your organization? What should it be? What could it be?
Identify your personal core competencies. What are the essential skills of your job, the abilities that make you valuable, if not indispensable? What core competencies do you need to acquire if you want to be the best in your field in the years ahead? Make a plan today to develop the key skills and core competencies you need tomorrow.
' The Law of Foresight.
LEADERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO PREDICT AND ANTICIPATE THE FUTURE.
Foresight is the ability to analyze the current situation and to accurately predict what is likely to happen as a result. The best leaders are those who continually look down the road and prepare carefully for possible reversals well in advance of them taking place.
How can you apply this law immediately?
Look into the future and imagine the most exciting opportunities that could occur for you in the next few years. How could you begin preparing today to take advantage of them?
Identify the greatest difficulties or reversals that could take place in the next one, two, or three years. What could you do today to make sure they don't happen?
CONCLUSION.
Leaders are made, not born. They are usually self-made, as the result of long, hard work on themselves. And everyone has leadership qualities waiting to be developed.
Leadership emerges in response to situations that require the very best you have to offer. When you think like a leader and behave like a leader, when you accept the mantle of responsibility without making excuses, blaming, looking to others, or running for cover, you become a leader.
AND THE WHOLE WORLD OPENS UP TO YOU.
The author of this article is Iyer Subramanian working with Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry as Joint Director-HR. E Mail: iyerpdkgnm@yahoo.com.
About the Author:
My name is Iyer Subramanian. My qualifications are as under. Bachelor of Arts, Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, Diploma in Labor Laws & Labor Welfare, Diploma in HRM, Diploma in Training & Development.
I have around 25 years of experience in HR and write for Express Hospitality, Hospitalitybiz, Business Manager regularly on HR.
Author: Iyer Subramanian
