Effective Leadership Essay Example for Free

Effective Leadership Essay The delegative leadership style creates a comfortable and inviting work environment, however, the level of authority and boundaries become blurred when the superior does not assert their authority within the office. An analysis as to how I can transcend my leadership skills within a work environment is discussed. And Leader X is offered recommendations on altering her office from one that is geared by the opinions and views of employees, to one that follows and adheres to the direction of one individual; the superior. Introduction In order for one to be an effective and efficient leader, they must possess a variety of characteristics. An effective leader should have vast knowledge of their professional field, superior emotional intelligence, and strong managerial and administrative skills. Extraordinary leaders are not solely expected to guide subordinates in the workplace. Their strengths also rely upon how well they follow the guidance and recommendations of others. Further analysis into the makings of a great leader will explain the importance of these characteristics and how it gears a successful career. Exemplary Leadership Qualities Emotional intelligence, strong managerial and administrative skills are just a few characteristics of a leader. However a leader must strongly have these qualities in order to an exemplary leader and direct their employees to achieve the goals set forth for their positions. As a Secretary, I am in charge of a vast amount of administrative tasks within my office. This is the area in which my leadership skills are put to the test. At any given moment, I could be given three to four tasks that are all important and must be completed in a small amount of time. Prioritizing these tasks can be fairly difficult but I am trusted with this responsibility. Leader X has a strong influence on me and how I wish to conduct myself in a position of leadership. Leader X oversees twenty attorneys and four legal support staff. She has a warm and inviting personality. She is punctual and educated in law and litigation. She encourages her staff to have a lot of input into the day to day decisions made within the office. In the text, Colquitt (2011) defines leadership as the use of power and influence to direct the actions of followers. In order for one to effectively lead, they must possess influence over others. Leader X has been employed within the legal field for more than twenty five years. Her knowledge and experience is what qualifies her as a Senior Counsel within her agency. She possesses all the characteristics of my definition of an effective leader. She has a delagative leadership style which slightly damages her ability to make decisions. Organizational Behavior Another aspect of leadership is the employment of power. Power is the ability to influence the actions and behaviors of others. Colquitt (2011) states an effective form of influence is organizational power. Organizational power consists of legitimate, reward and coercive power. Legitimate power is the â€Å"formal authority† a leader has over others. Leader X is a Senior Counsel and has the ability to direct all the attorneys within our section. Her legitimate authority lies within her position and her responsibility to her employees. Reward power is the capability to compensate others for their work and accomplishments. This power influences others to behave in a manner that will enable them to receive awards. These awards may consist of promotions, pay raises and/or public recognition. Coercive power is not rewarding in anyway. Coercive power is the ability to control another’s actions through the threat of punishment. Colquitt (2011) refers to this method of influence as being founded on fear. An employee can be coerced to behave a certain way if they fear they could be demoted, terminated or suspended for failure to perform to their superior’s standards. Leader X influences her employees to work hard and take responsibility for their actions. Her power creates an increase of productivity from her employees. Contingencies of Power Leaders can often times be hindered within the level of power they possess. Colquitt (2011) labels these situations as contingency factors. There are four factors of contingency that could affect the level and quality of work produced under someone’s command. The four contingencies are substitutability, discretion, centrality and visibility. Substitutability is the availability of alternate resources. When the Leader is the only one with access to the resources, no one will possess a higher level of influence over the subordinates. Leader X has control of her employees’ performance reviews. So, Leader X majorly holds the power to influence the employees work results and behavior. Discretion is the leader’s ability to make decisions regarding any given situation. References Anderson, Mae. (2011). Estee Lauder 4Q up but Shares Fall on Weak Outlook. Associated Press. ABC News. http://abcnews. go. com/Business/wireStory? id=14306228 2011 August 15. Retrieved 2012 April 22. Colquitt, J. A. , Lepine, J. A. , and Wesson, M. J. (2011). Organizational behavior: Improving performance and commitment in the workplace (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Pennington, Sylvia. (2012). Balancing act at the Top. The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www. smh. com. au/executive-style/management/balancing-act-at-the-top-20120424-1xis4. html 2012 April. Retrieved 2012 April 23, 2012. The Staff of the Corporate Executive Board. (2009). The Increasing Call for Work-Life Balance: Work-life balance is now the second most important driver or employee attraction and commitment, says CEB research. Bloomberg Businessweek. http://www. businessweek. com/managing/content/mar2009/ca20090327_734197. htm 2009 March 27[-gt;0]. Retrieved 2012 April 22. [-gt;0] http://www. businessweek. com/managing/content/mar2009/ca20090327_734197. htm