The Function Of Leaders Essay Research Paper

The Function Of Leaders Essay, Research Paper

The Function of Leaders: Techniques and Tactics

At the top of the corporate hierarchy of today, decisions are constantly being made. In turn, these decisions affect all employees further down the pecking order. To be successful, these high-ranking members must know how to accomplish tasks by leading the people with lower accountability. These elite individuals share the distinct quality known as leadership. In the following paragraphs, a deeper understanding of the way leaders function will be assessed, specifically, the tactics and techniques they use to

accomplish their goals.

Fundamental Leadership Qualities

Before business leaders can successfully communicate and direct others, they must have their own set of ideas, values, and other key characteristics. Leaders know what needs to happen in order to win in their area of the marketplace. They are able to adapt and update their ideas when circumstances change, and also help others develop their own ideas. More importantly however, leaders carry and transmit values that provide a foundation for business ideas and, they have the ability to modify these values under changing circumstances (Tichy, 1997). For example, a leader may abandon old bureaucratic values in order to keep up with a fast paced industry requiring new, updated ideas. According to Noel Tichy, “Establishing or revitalizing values is one of the most crucial and toughest jobs of leaders” (1997, p. 20). Energy and risk-taking are two other critical qualities that leaders use to confidently direct and push their ideas and values. To motivate others, leaders must be highly energetic and motivated themselves. By radiating positive emotional energy, they are able to influence other employees to follow the example. Leadership also involves risk-taking. Leaders make hard decisions with conviction and urge others to do the same (Tichy, 1997, p. 21). These fundamental attributes provide a basis for many techniques and mind-sets that today.s leaders use.

Leader.s Vision

Leaders must always have a clear vision of the business.s direction, and purpose. But, Robert Rosen points out that, ” a vision is only as good as its execution.” That is why leaders must always be thinking about outcomes, results, and about what it will take to translate the vision to reality (1996, p. 30). One technique, labeled “beginning with the end in mind” coined by Steven Covey, is useful to leaders who have a vision. Covey observed that peak performers and business leaders see, feel, and experience their visions before they actually begin to realize them. They begin with the end in mind. Before a sales confrontation, speech, or any daily challenge, leaders repeatedly visualize it clearly. They create an internal “comfort zone” to carryout any task with ease (Covey, 1989, p. 134).

In most situations, leaders must share their visions before they can actualize them. Rosen proposes a four-step process to create a shared vision. First, he must know exactly what he, as leader, wants to accomplish. Second, he must communicate his vision to everyone involved in an inspirational way which builds commitment to accomplish his goal. Third, he must enable the lower members of the pecking order to be heard and, weave them together into a collective whole that is bigger than the sum of its parts (Rosen, 1996, p. 37). Max DePree compiles a list of rights that leaders and other workers are entitled to. The eight principles are: (1) Right to be needed (2) Right to be involved (3) Right to a covenantal (written or understood) relationship (4) Right to understand (5) Right to affect ones own destiny. (6) Right to be accountable (7) Right to appeal (8) Right to make a commitment (1989). According to DePree, a leader must keep these eight rights in mind whenever a new concept or vision comes into play, especially in the business world (1989, p. 35-42). The principles behind these techniques are recognized by leaders and are used day-to-day when visions arise. However, leaders do not limit themselves to purely vision sharing and self mind-setting.

Leaders Exhibit and Expect Trust

According to Douglas G. Myers, executive director of the San Diego Zoo, “Upward communication only takes place when leaders are trusting — and trustworthy.” Trust is the highest for of motivation because it brings out the very best in people (Covey, 1989). But, it takes time and patience. On the other hand, distrust leads to many drawbacks – possibly to a great degree (Kotter, 1999, p. 42). Rosen states that successful leaders must be genuine, believable, dependable, predictable, and benevolent (1996). It is important for people to touch and feel leaders as real people. Their word, spoken or written, is credible. Leaders make good on their promises, whether declared or implied. Predictability is about being the same person in all situations so people can predict how leaders react. As Myers says, “I like to have my people understand what I.m thinking, and where I.m going with it. If they know we are not going to change direction every day, that we are not going to grab every new management philosophy that comes along, it gives them a sense of comfort. It give them a sense of security.” Leaders are generally consistent, which encourages safety for employees to work together. Leaders also have the capacity to put aside sel