The Definition of Leadership Essay

The Definition of Leadership Essay

Instructions/Descriptions

The Definition of Leadership Essay

1. Write your own definition of leadership.
2. Write your definition for personal leadership skills.
3. Write a definition for group leadership skills.
4. How do you define the difference between technical skills and leadership skills?
5. Several short articles and videos regarding leadership and motivation have been provided to you. Identify a concept from one of the articles or videos that is most significant to you and discuss its importance.

Flying High on Accountability

DOI: 10.1309/RMXQP2HX7L20AV04

Meeting someone on an airplane often provides an oppor- tunitytoexchangestoriesaboutlifeexperiences.Inevitably,the “whatdoyoudo?”questioncomesup.IsaythatIteach accountability.Themostcommonresponsetothatis:“Wow! Everyone can use that.”

It seems they see in their minds’ eyes what it would be like if everyone around them were being ac- countable—and there is an intuitive feeling that it would be great!Ifindtheresponse“everyoneneedsaccountability” intriguing.Iask“doyouneedit?”and“whatexactlydoyou think it is that everyone needs?”

“No, I don’t need accountability, but the people I work withsuredo—especiallytheleadership.”AsIexplorefurther, itturnsoutthereisalotoffingerpointingandblamingwhen thingsarenotgoingwell.Iexplainthataccountabilitymeans answering for and owning your results, whether the results are good or bad, without fault, blame, or guilt.

“Our culture doesn’t, or wouldn’t, support that” is the most common answer. Yet an- other fascinating response: “the culture of my organization does not support being accountable.”

Leaders of organizations everywhere say they want an ac- countable work force. Managers complain that the work ethic
of younger employees is not like their own, and that an entire generation has learned not to be accountable. Younger employ- ees feel that when baby boomers say “accountable” they mean punishment.

Meanwhile, when accountable folks in an organiza- tion maintain their example of being accountable and answering for their results, they are often rewarded with more work. In essence, good performers are punished. By behavior, they are told “you are doing such a good job, here is more.” Meanwhile, the culture supports working around, or avoiding, underperformers.

So, how do we turn the tide so accountability becomes the culture? I experience examples around personal accountability
as being the best teacher. Leaders may want a more accountable workforce, but is it demonstrated top down? For many, the problem comes when they have to personally live it.

As leaders, some may think their excuses are valid and justified. They can use these commonly-heard justifications: the pressure is different at the top; market conditions cannot be predicted; there are workforce shortages. This may all be true, but so what? Isn’t the role of a leader to accept and deal with all of that in exchange for higher pay?

The leaders are the culture of the organization. If there is a lack of accountability in the organization, then discuss the barri- ers to accountability that leadership is creating. Make a contract of commitment among leaders to take down these barriers. The contract would then be published for everyone in the organization.

Relationships

[Order Now]

Under the Microscope

All employees would be invited to hold leadership accountable. Leaders have to be ready to accept the input in the spirit of accountability. The contract items can include:

• Wewillholdeachotheraccountable.
• Wewillcommunicatetheprioritiesclearlyandconsistently. • Wewillprovideclarityandleadershiponconflicting

priorities.
• We will make quicker decisions and communicate in a timely

and uniform way.
• Wewillpublishresults.
• Throughouttheorganization,wewillrewardhigh

performers and hold low performers accountable. No

“work arounds” for low performers will be tolerated.
• Wewillhavetransparentcalendars.
• Wewilltalkto—neverabout—eachother.
• Taketheproblemtothepersonyouarehavingitwith.

Leaders, check if there is fear around attempting to hold leaders, managers, and coworkers accountable. Is there an indica- tion that employees have been punished for “insubordination” when attempting to point out problems and solutions? If so, managers may need more positive examples to learn from.

If you are not in the leadership ranks, ask yourself about your part in the lack of accountability in the organization. If you had to speak directly with your leader about a mistake you made or a missed target, what would you say? Would you immediately give a reason why it did not work out, or would you begin by owning your role in what happened and explain how you can do it differently next time to ensure the mistake does not happen again?

It starts with you, I, me. Everyone in the organization is re- sponsible to understand what they signed up for and be account- able to it. When this mindset starts with leadership, look out! I’ve seen many organizations transform from finger pointing, blaming, complaining, gossiping individuals into committed, high-performance teams that work.

In essence, these organiza- tions are flying high, and sometimes it all starts with that plane ride and a conversation about accountability at 30,000 feet.

Linda Galindo is President of Versera Performance Consulting based
in Park City, UT. Her best-selling video, Accountability That Works! can be pre- viewed by going to www.verseratools.com.

Linda Galindo

The Definition of Leadership Essay

PLACE THE ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!