GenX Education: characteristics of leadership - Part 1

GenX Education: characteristics of leadership - Part 1: Integrity :   Integrity means honesty and more. It refers to having strong internal guiding principles that one does not compromise....

GenX Education: characteristics of leadership - Part 1

GenX Education: characteristics of leadership - Part 1: Integrity :   Integrity means honesty and more. It refers to having strong internal guiding principles that one does not compromise....

Characteristic of leadership - part 2

Relationships : Networking (the art of social “schmoozing”) is also a relationship skill.Relationships develop from good interpersonal and group communication skills but relationship skills also go deeper. A leader who likes dealing with people issues, who can initiate and deepen relationships with others, has a great leadership advantage. This is a leader who can build a team and achieve impressive results. This kind of leadership is based on personal power (the right kind of power), not position power. Relationship-building is an example of an essential leadership quality.

Persuasion : The ability to influence others and cause them to move in a particular direction is a highly important skill in leadership. In fact, leadership is often defined as the ability to persuade or influence others to do something they might not have done without the leader’s persuasion. Your ability to be persuasive is directly related to how much people trust you and how good your communication and relationships are. Persuasion (also called influence) is a good example of an essential leadership skill.

Adaptability : Adaptability and flexibility in not being bound by a plan are important success factors in leadership today. The leader must move easily from one set of circumstances (the plan) to the next (the plan is not going as expected) and take them all in stride, even when the circumstances are unexpected. The good leader has to embrace change and see it as opportunity. The leadership skill ofadaptability is another example of a critical skill.

Teamwork : No one person can do it all. That’s why a team, comprised of others with different skill sets, is essential. A leader must know how to build and nurture such a team. A good leader knows when to be a leader and when to be a follower. The best leaders are good followers when that's what is needed. Building teamwork is another essential leadership skill example.

Coaching and Development : Developing others is an important role for a leader. Encouraging  others to expand their capabilities and take on additional assignments is part of the leader’s responsibility. Leaders who feel threatened by the capabilities of others are challenged in this area. Coaching and development are essential skills all leaders  must cultivate.

Decision-making : A leader must be able to wade through information, comprehend what’s relevant, make a well-considered decision, and take action based on that decision. Making decisions too quickly or too slowly will impede your leadership effectiveness. Decisiveness is another example of an essential leadership quality.

Planning : Planning involves making certain assumptions about the future and taking actions in the present to positively influence that future. To plan means to focus more strategically. Plans are important for guidance and focus, but plans can seldom be cast in stone. Planning is an excellent and necessary example leadership skill.

characteristics of leadership - Part 1

Integrity :  Integrity means honesty and more. It refers to having strong internal guiding principles that one does not compromise. It means treating others as you would wish to be treated. A solid sense of right and wrong and strong guiding principles are the most essential and basic of all leadership skills or characteristics. Integrity promotes trust, and not much is accomplished without  trust.Integrity is a skill to the extent that we see it in action. But it goes much deeper than surface actions. It is based on one’s guiding beliefs and values, and is an important example of an essential leadership quality. Integrity (or lack thereof) is reflected in thinking, attitudes, and actions. People can’t directly see your level of integrity, but they  judge it pretty accurately on a gut level based on your actions and your words.

Vision/strategy : A leader must have a clear idea where his or her organization and unit are going beyond this month’s results or this year’s budget. Where is it going in the long term? Even tactical leaders must be clear about this and need to refer frequently to the vision, mission, and values of the organization in their communications with others.  Vision is another example of an essential leadership quality.

Communication : The chief complaint of employees in nearly every organization of all types,  whether large or small from, is “lack of communication.” Communication in the context of leadership refers to both interpersonal communications between the leader and followers and the overall flow of needed information throughout the organization.

Leaders need to learn to be proficient in both the communication that informs and seeks out information (gives them a voice) and the communication that connects interpersonally with others.

Communication is another example leadership skill that must be cultivated by all leaders.

Leadership...... By Jaideep Varma

"Becoming a leader is the most crucial choice one can make – it is the decision to step out of darkness into light "

Leadership is an evolving journey .First I have laid out the core of what it mean to lead from soul in a convenient acronym ,  L – E – A – D – E – R , with each letter define a key aspect of leadership.

L – Look & Listen

E – Emotional Bonding

A – Awareness

D – Awareness

E – Empowerment

R – Responsibility

S – Synchronicity

Leading is establishing direction and influencing others to follow that direction. But this definition isn't as simple as it sounds because leadership has many variations and different areas of emphasis. The distinction between leader and leadership is important, but potentially confusing. The leader is an individual; leadership is the function or activity this individual performs .

    A good leader therefore …   1)   Has foresight. 2)      Has influence. 

    3)   Communicates effectively. 4)       Naturally commands attention and respect. 5)  Ultimate responsibility for achieving task objectives. 6)   Commands trust and confidence.7)     Has ‘concern’ regarding the needs of his group. 8)   Is sensitive to the task , people and environment. 9)   Builds and manages effective teams 10)  Role models team players attributes. 11)  Has the ability to take decision with vision .

Defining School Leadership :


Since the beginning of the principalship , educators have struggled to define a distinctive role for the position . Theoreticians and analysts have repeatedly dissected the job and its place in the larger social and educational context , urging principals is one decade to be " bureaucratic executive " followed by 
" humanistic Facilitator " and then " instructional leader"

The 6 key themes Must have in leaders are :

1- Facilitating shared vision 

2- Sustaining school culture conductive to student and staff learning

    collaborating with families , and community members .

3- Acting with integrity , fairness , and in ethical manner .

4- Influential the larger political , social , economic , legal and cultural 

    context .

5- Managing the organization for a safe , efficient , and effective learning

    enviroment .

Ten Basic Skills of Outstanding School Leadership : 1)   Integrity 2)   Vision/strategy 3)   Communication 4)   Relationships 5)   Persuasion 6)   Adaptability 7)   Teamwork 8)   Coaching and Development 9)   Decision-making 10) Planning