What would you say are the most important characteristics of effective leadership?

Answer 1

Listening to your team! They are the ones performing the day to day and understand the position better than anyone else. Get their feedback, acknowledge their contribution and be open to new ideas.

Answer 2

OK, in the past year, I have been asked to joined this big leadership program, so I might be able to help. If you want effective leadership, you need to know how to say "NO", to people. It also helps if you have bright new ideas. In school, keep your grades up, that way people will look up to you and being the leader will be a whole lot easier.

Answer 3

William Howard Taft who never wanted to be president had few if any leadership qualities. He wanted to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and was finally named to that post in the 1920's, where he did a so-so job, expanding the Court into areas the Founders of the Constitution never intended.. A thoroughly second-rater and machine politician, who was obese and dull to boot.

Answer 4

A leader:

1. plans,

2. leads,

3. organizes,

4. controls.

Answer 5

Being firm in your convictions but willing to listen and change if someone has a good idea. Giving credit where credit is due. Most importantly, DO NOT play favorites.

Answer 6

Standing up strait and having good eye contact. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks of you, It's what you think of yourself. How strongly you believe in yourself that your the right one to get the job done.

Answer 7

Clear establishment of expectations; both up and down the chain of command.

People need to know what they can expect from you and what you expect from them.

Answer 8

Stress management
Effective delegation
Communication
Motivation of staff
Knowing when to control and when to step back

Answer 9

I think you need to be...
Firm
Fair
Hard-working
Innovative
determined
A good communicator

Answer 10

NO EGO. NOT a BULLY. PEOPLE SKILLS, CREATIVITY AND ORGANISATION. Careing about your staff... see below

You are there as a mentor and as you know the most or as you can organise those who know the most.

ie boss how do I do this, how do I do that, I want to learn to be as good as you.

You protect those under you.

This inspires them to be loyal to you. Think Fonzie in happy days or others who are the tough guy who aint a bully but sticks up for those under him. Like a teacher who won't let his kids be bullied and batters the crap out of an abuser or kid beater.


So thats Mentor, teacher and hero


Never be a bully, as you will be pounced on the monent you get weak. Everyone will hate and fear you. but if you catch fire they wont pee on you to put it out. if you are a real leader they would take your place.

You have to be innovative and creative and be able to think on your feet in a crisis organising people...


Ie major accident what do we do. panic, panic... your job is to tell them swhat to do, end the panic, organise with clear instructions and that includes being VERY RESOURCEFUL and NOT going by a book. YOU are the leader you make up the book.

Know your crew they are not numbers or drones... learn how they feel, what are they good at, what are they not good at. Wha specail skills beyonf their jobs do they have. What do they need, what motivates them, where do they live, what do they want to be. Not just what they say they need what do they need.

This may be confidence boosting ie helping someone loose their fear of heights, putting the goodie goodie nurd with the party crowd to give him confidence and social skills and to lighten up, and dirty them selves a bit (ie naughty but nice, not criminal but more so they are not stuck with rules that dont help).

Likewise the opposite somone may be to much a goofer and need responsibility. Others may be have talents which are never used or knowledge not used and want to show what they can do, others may need a challenge to prove themselves or get confidence or show them what they can do...

Mostly these are your resources... not good keeping the flirt with computers they hate put them in sales, no good keeping the nurd in sales and watching them struggle then sacking them when they are a computer whizz.

If someone is on the south side of town give them south assignments. Likewise if someone needs short hours and someone needs long hours sort them out accordingly. Mr long hours will work hard. This makes sense.

If there is paperwork to be done let them do it. they want the change and more hours.

If someone is agile get them to climb and the creative clubby type could help with the office party.

****

Thats maximising efficiency not by bullying, but getting people to want to work as being what they can be and becoming better then they are.... This gains loyalty.

***


Always note the lowest person can have the best ideas never treat people as they should know their place. and let them suggest things and listen to them and reward.

Those on the ground often know more then those on top as they are doing it. they may be able to suggest a little thing that could save a fortune.

ie Cif cleaner normally is not good as leaves a resedue but can disolve gloss paint on brushes in seconds like it was powder paint.

Or maybe the kids can show a business opertunity as you out of touch.


So encourage staff to be upfront.


****

Come down like a tone of bricks on bullying, bitchiness and 'office politics' behavour.

You want a team not suck ups and back stabbing and team members preying on others. This means there is no team and work time spent fighting and boosting egos... clear out these troublemakers...

'Yes men' are usless if something is **** or you are wrong you need people to say so... this is not so much an opportunity to tell tales either. Ie they wont say if you try this it will be a disaster

example. Dell computers gets the most business as they are the most reputable and reliable. If people don't say whats wrong this won't occur and customers go elsewhere.

While pettyness in tail telling to score points and screw others is to be discouraged ie you don't need to know who was 2 minutes late or who stole a pen.

Whistle blowing in regards to serious bullying, harrasment, endangering staff or customers is to be rewarded and publiclally so. It shows integrety and customers should seethat. You will get more respect if you are open with a problem and show you deal with it.

Allow some mischief to be got away with, boosts moral thinking they are getting one over the boss but keep it within reason.

Likewise say if one collegue is running late and phones a mate to sneak out and pick him up in a car taking 5 minutes which is not will take him 30 minutes to get to work...




You got the worker there and working and they helped each other out... Thats teamwork, Thats to be encouraged as is covering for each other except when its serious endagering or criminal behavour.

Have a policy on drink and drugs thats realistic. ie you accept the young lot to go out and go clubbing, get drunk, do ecstasy or dope (as you may have done) and pull... however they have to be sober at work for safety. If they come to you saying they have a problem you can help. This is fair without allowing drunk at work.

Likewise if they turn out to be doing part time Playboy modelling or eamilin gwhat they will do to girlfriends let it go its not hurting and say publically that you let this go as not hurting , that others should grow up.

Likewise the boys checking out a little 'normal' porn on the net.

As long as aint disrupting work (ie not taking the piss) or being pushed on those who dont want it, its a little light relief and stops people getting tired and slowing down.. However pushing it on those who dont want it is a serious bullying offence.

If you find workers dating... Leave it be... Better still put it to use... Ie reach targets they get 5 mins in the store room... CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER MOTIVATOR? (you could double the targets).

Don't be petty ie mobile phones... Tell them to switch to silent and can be answered or ideally texting if no customers arounf and not disrupting work. But has to be put down when customers come in.

If its quiet let staff relax and socialise (boosts teams) and makes them more efficient when needed. Likewise if the work is boring and repeatative let them kill the boredom with activities or make it fun.

Ie be fair, see staff as resources to be managed and developed and as people, be their hero, their mentor, their protector, their organiser, their guide, teach independance and creative problem solving. Stamp down on infighting and bullying and pettiness. Get them to be a team helping each other out and contributing. Show you care about them and they care about you.

You do this well they follow and stick up for you and you have a loyal hardwroking army.




Do this well and they take care of themselves. Giving you a break
They start to manage themselves cutting down your workload

A team should be a family, not a bully and slaves or drones.

Learn from Star Trek, Hornblower, Babylon 5 programs like that.

And pay decent.