Have you thought about what it takes to be a great leader? And, where do you start? Here, in Part 2, we'll continue to discuss the foundation of genuine leadership development. Remember, authentic leadership is about developing your character first and foremost rather than climbing a 'positional ladder'.

As we discussed in Part 1, the first element we need to consider in developing into a leader of integrity is our Individual Attributes or Characteristics. This is a combination of your natural ability, your learning and potential. It also encompasses your methodologies and your conduct. In any type of organization, these attributes are vital to effective leadership. Let's take a look at the rest of these attributes:

Develop Effective Teams: You need to welcome the commitment of others, at all levels in the organization; ensure that people and groups are kept informed of developments, improvements and issues that will impact them; ensure that individual and group development plans are given appropriate priority; give individual support to the use and maintenance of development of activities for people and groups at all levels. 

Passionate Assertion: You need to comprehend and respond to individual roles and responsibilites; take a leading role initiating activities and decision-making; assume individual accountability for decisions and activities; prepare for participation in activities and events; exude confidence and professionalism in managing change and difficulties; decline unreasonable requests; safeguard and shield people and groups from discriminatory and unfair activities; remain professional and composed at all times. 

Focus On Results: As an effective leader, you'll need to contribute to the foundation of an organizational structure that demands high standards and levels of performance; concentrate on objectives and intended results at all times; manage issues and problems when they emerge; plan and arrange individual work and the work of others in ways which make the best use of accessible resources; delegate properly; give personal attention regarding the crucial issues and events. 

Pursue Self-Reflection: To be a trusted leader, you'll need to frequently reflect on personal performance and progress; actively request feedback for personal performance; change individual conduct in the light constructive feedback; take charge of your own personal development.

Present a Positive Picture: To be an effective leader, you'll need to embrace your key role in initiating action and decision making; conduct yourself professionally at all times; be open and receptive to the needs of others; work towards individual and vocation improvement objectives; receiving a moral way to deal with all individual and hierarchical movement; being strong to partners; exhibiting decency and trustworthiness at all times. 

In Conclusion: All of these vital characteristics are and can be difficult to consistently maintain, yet they're the essential traits required by, and expected of organizational leaders. Whatever the capacity of your organization, the business sector you may be in (whether public or private) makes no difference. Leaders of all organizations must be role models for others, be unmistakable champions of professionalism, high standards and ethical conduct, be leaders whom others can appreciate and respect, and be pioneers that competitors desire to emulate. Not many of these characteristics are instilled in leaders as a matter of course. Leaders must educate themselves, be open and willing to continuously develop and improve. With these personal characteristics in place, displayed through conduct and action, you, as a leader, will be more powerful and more effective. 

Have you thought about what it takes to be a great leader? And, where do you start? Here, in Part 1, we'll discuss the foundation of genuine leadership development. Authentic leadership is about developing your character first and foremost rather than climbing a 'positional ladder'.

The first element we need to consider in developing into a leader of integrity is our Individual Attributes or Characteristics. This is a combination of your natural ability, your learning and potential. It also encompasses your methodologies and your conduct. In any type of organization, these attributes are vital to effective leadership. Let's take a look at these attributes:

Ethical Action (Moral Behavior): You need to discover and learn about the moral issues and concerns that effect your organization; adopt a receptive way to deal with the moral concerns of others; consider the moral issues and ramifications of all personal and organizational activity; raise and discuss ethical issues before proposing choices or consenting to decisions; resist pressure from your organization or its partners to accomplish objectives by deceptive/unethical methods. 

Strategic Thinking: You need to learn and see how every layer of your organization must work together. You also need to understand the complexities of your organization and the changes occurring in both the inner and outer environments. You must consider how your organization can best respond to these changes; comprehend the strengths and shortcomings of your organization, and the opportunities and threats confronting it; see how the organization's objectives are affected by all the current and potential influences that will impact the organization; understand that the operational objectives and targets must be in accordance with and support the mission of your organization; monitor and respond to the conduct of present and potential competitors. 

Support of Organizational Objectives: You need to help create and communicate a vision which can be understood and upheld by individuals at all levels. You also need to help others to comprehend and add to the key objectives; give noticeable personal support to the strategic direction and particular objectives set by the organization. 

Effective Communication: You need to respond to messages and flags from both the inner and outer environments; utilize correspondence channels from and to all levels inside the organization; effectively empower the exchange of information inside the organization, and also among suppliers, clients and partners; listen to others, carefully and thoughtfully incorporating those with opposing views; select individual correspondence styles that are fitting to the distinctive circumstances and audiences. 

Information Gathering: You need to help set up various channels and systems which create a steady stream of data, from inside and outside the organization; reliably assemble, examine, test, and use the data that's been accumulated. 

Decision Making: You need to build consistent methods to deal with the analysis of data; draw on individual experience and learn to recognize present and potential issues; consider a variety of solutions before selecting the conclusive one; ensure that the selected decision is plausible, achievable, and reasonable; consider the impact of the decision on all partners, at all levels, before approving implementation. 

See Part 2 HERE