What Every Manager Should Know About How to See the Talents of Effective Leaders

An organization of any size, from the family to the department store, the neighborhood grocery store to the largest international corporations, is a reflection of its leadership.

And leadership is only as good as its leaders. What is this thing called "leader"? What constitutes an unusually good or great leader?

Professor John Adair, of Surrey University in England, shared his thoughts on the special talents that set a bona fide leader apart.

"Few leaders," he stated in International Management, "do more than merely coordinate efforts. But the most effective leaders create a sense of esprit de corps, a team spirit that makes even the most arduous or the most humdrum work exciting."

The gist of his piece is that the unusual or great leader has great organizational talents. He also has the ability to inspire others to expend much greater efforts than they would have expended had they been left to their own devices. Both are needed in any true definition of leadership.

Now, if you are a manager, supervisor, or employer, take a good, long look at what you're doing at work.

I encourage evaluating your performance periodically by answering these questions:

* How am I leading?

* Am I leading effectively?

* Do my employees consider me an effective leader?

The answers to these questions are the open doors to where you are and what you have to do to improve your leadership talents. (You may want to take it a step further by having subordinate rate you periodically using these and/or supplementary questions.

However, you can assess your leadership qualities simply by looking at the success of the projects you handle and at the teamwork you have created. Therein lies your answer to your effective leadership.

Remember: When you maximize your potential, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

© Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in ezines, newsletters, and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Although advance permission is not required, please notify us at execandgroup-consulting@yahoo.com when you use this article.

Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant and Trainer, conducts seminars, lectures, and writes articles on his theme: ... helping you maximize your potential. He offers management, marketing, and parenting resources at his Maximizing Your Potential blog.

---

Being Other Focused

In the Wall Street Journal, Franklin Lavin, U.S. Ambassabor to... Read More

The Tao of Leadership

There can be no doubt that the ancient author of... Read More

In Leadership, Identifying Dreams That Lead To Great Results

History teaches that when people needed to do great things,... Read More

Stepping Into Leadership and Being The Source Of Your Success

Why is it that we often wait until we have... Read More

Take the Road Less Traveled

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took... Read More

The Leader Within

Each and every one of you has hidden deep inside... Read More

Your Ultimate Leadership Feedback Loop: Their Leadership

Life on our planet flourishes through feedback. If life forms... Read More

Chris Top 7 Favorite Leadership Books

1. The West Point Way of Leadership.GREAT book by a... Read More

Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 1, General Strategies for Unproductive Behavior

It happens easily. You're conducting a meeting and suddenly a... Read More

Leadership ? Push vs. Pull?

At your next staff meeting consider leading your team through... Read More

A Lasting Leadership Lesson: How One Leadership Talk By George Washington Saved The Revolution

A Lasting Leadership Lesson: How One Leadership Talk By George... Read More

The Leadership Vacuum

In today's fast moving, ever changing, and highly competitive world... Read More

Heres The REAL Reason Bush Won: The Dark Night Of The Leadership Soul

George Bush won the election because he was finally able... Read More

Wanted: A Dictionary-Perfect Leader

Answers are often before our very eyes or in front... Read More

The Three Faces of Leadership

This article was published in the Nov. 2003 edition of... Read More

Leader is Not a Title

There is a steady flow of information in the form... Read More

People or Objects? - - You Decide

"How you think determines how you act. How you... Read More

5 Leadership Power Principles!

95% of Workers Fail Because of This...But They Can Fix... Read More

From Failure To Victory; The Cats Out Of The Bag!

Did you ever think that all of the great heroes... Read More

Characteristics of a Good Leader

It's interesting to hear the responses from executives when I... Read More

What is Leadership?

Leadership is what every organization needs and so few have... Read More

3 Cs Leaders Must Communicate!

"Of every noble work the silent part is best, Of... Read More

Charismatic Leadership

What motivates people to work and to achieve? What circumstances... Read More

Father Knows Best

A good strong example of a family leader would be... Read More

Leaders ARE; Are you?

Identity CrisisIt's not only the knowledge you carry around in... Read More

Getting Things Done, Without the Sweat!

How do you get your people on your side? And... Read More

Weakness, Struggle, Fear, Knowledge, Growth, Courage, Leader

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most remarkable men in... Read More

It Begins Like This

Jonathan was drunk multiple times before ever completing elementary school;... Read More

Four Obstacles to Exceptional Leadership--Part 1

"Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of... Read More

The Seven Army Values - Theyre Not Just For The Military

The Army defines seven values that soldiers should strive to... Read More

Leadership Development and Jumping Out of Airships

A German silent film melodrama depicts an airship bombing London... Read More

7 AAA Ways To Succeed!

[Abounding Abundant Ample Ways To Boost Your Growth!] This may... Read More

3 Dynamic Techniques To Boost Your Executive Leadership!

Here's a really simple way to measure the strength of... Read More