Five critical components of effective leadership (IV)

The output of any group, organization or society is greatly connected  to the input of the leader.

“Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts.” Erskine Bowles

Leaders make us better or make it difficult for us to be better.

In this series of articles we have been looking  at five components of effective leadership. If we can master these components our leadership, at whatever strata of life, will take a quantum leap.

These five components are: (1) Curiosity (2) Competence (3) Consistency (4) Communication (5) Confidence.

We have looked at curiousity. A leader who is not curious to get answers to critical questions will be a loose canon, directionless and will lack loyal followers. “The mark of a good leader is loyal followers; leadership is nothing without a following.” Proverbs 14:28 MSG.

Curiosity is a great benefit a leader cannot dispense with.

“I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity”. Eleanor Roosevelt

The second component  of effective leadership is competence. Competece is the  ability to get the job done successfully and effectively. Right curiosity will always result in assignments so once a leader satisfies his curiosity he must develop and deploy competence to get the job done.

Competence deals with the capacity of the leader to successfully perform the responsibilities his curiosity has exposed.

If we will be effective leaders we must be competent. We must acquire the needed skills and competencies to get our job done effectively.

Nobody wants to follow an incompetent leader.

“You can have intelligence without skill, and experience without intelligence. But you can’t truly be competent without three key things:

 

1. Knowledge

Knowledge informs us, so we can make good decisions. Knowledge gives us facts and the theory of how something should work. This gives us a practical understanding of the task, issue, etc. at hand. We build on our knowledge by reading books, or enrolling in workshops or leadership development courses.

 

2. Skill

Skill is the application of knowledge. Skill is knowing what we know and using it over and over again until we become really good at doing it. Effective leaders never stop working to improve their skills.

 

3. Experience

Experience happens when we use (and continually develop) our knowledge and skills repeatedly over time. Wisdom comes from experience.

When we use our knowledge and skills, applying them toward our experiences, our competence grows. With greater competence come a greater ability to successfully accomplish our goals as leaders. Then, as we accomplish more, opportunities for greater challenges open up to us as well.” Crestcom.com

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

FOR ENQUIRIES AND COMMENTS PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO charismokola@yahoo.com

 

Five Critical Components of Effective Leadership Part 5       

 

The output of any group, organization or society is greatly connected to the input of the leader.

 

“Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts.” Erskine Bowles

 

Leaders make us better or make it difficult for us to be better.

 

In this series of articles we have been looking  at five components of effective leadership. If we can master these components our leadership, at whatever strata of life, will take a quantum leap.

 

These five components are: (1) Curiosity (2) Competence (3) Consistency (4) Communication (5) Confidence.

 

Today we will look at consistency, Consistency is the power to keep at it. It is the tenacity that keeps a leader engaging his competence to get the job done which his curiosity has exposed to him.

 

1. a) Consistency is the difference between failure and success.

 

1. b) Consistency establishes the leader as dependable and reliable – that he does not jump ship at the sight of any storm.

 

1. c) Consistency is a habit that when cultivated will keep the leader going.

 

Consistency will get the leader going even when his motivation is low – it will make the leader stay on track even when he doesn’t feel like it.

 

1. d) Consistency will provide momentum – the more the leader engages his competence the easier it becomes to get the job done.

 

The fourth component of effective leadership is communication – the ability to connect with people.

 

The final component is  confidence – the belief in the leader’s competence. Confidence is the inner knowledge and conviction that the leader has the ability to get the job done.

 

Competence – confidence = unrealized potential.

 

Confidence – competence = disaster.

 

Competence + confidence = maximized potential.

 

The absence of confidence is reflected in doubt, procrastination, indecision, skepticism, insecurity.

 

Confidence is the conviction that the job can be done no matter what. A leader’s confidence must be high, however, the leader must be careful not to become over-confident.

 

Over-confidence is:

 

• Assuming a confidence which is greater than you actually have.

 

• Over estimating your ability level.

 

• A bias that you are up to a task which in actual fact you are not.

 

Over-confidence is dangerous.

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

FOR ENQUIRIES AND COMMENTS PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO charismokola@yahoo.com

 

Five Critical Components of Effective Leadership Part 6

 

We have bee looking at the issue of effective leadership.

 

The output of any group, organization or society is greatly connected to the input of the leader.

 

“Leadership is the key to 99 percent of all successful efforts.” Erskine Bowles

 

Leaders make us better or make it difficult for us to be better.

 

In this series of articles we have been looking  at five components of effective leadership. If we can master these components our leadership, at whatever strata of life, will take a quantum leap.

 

These five components are: (1) Curiosity (2) Competence (3) Consistency (4) Communication (5) Confidence.

 

We have looked at the five components and the last time we ended with confidence. Confidence is the inner knowledge and conviction that the leader has the ability to get the job done.

 

We must, however, not go overboard and become overconfident.

 

Overconfidence is daagerous:

 

• It will give you a false sense of security and will depreciate other people’s talents, skills and ideas.

 

“For if any person thinks himself to be somebody [too important to condescend to shoulder another’s load] when he is nobody [of superiority except in his own estimation], he deceives and deludes and cheats himself.” Galatians 6:3 Amplified.

 

• It will make the leader not properly prepare for the task/event he is over confident about.

 

Signs of over-confidence

 

1)     Over simplification of issues and expecting everybody else to see it that way.

 

2)     Over estimating your knowledge, expertise and experience.

 

3)     Over estimating your ability to perform.

 

Solution

 

1. a) Be open to new ideas.

 

“Intelligent people are always open to new ideas. In fact, they look for them.” Prov 18:15. NLT

 

1. b) Listen and carefully analyse constructive criticisms/contrary views.

 

“If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.” Prov 13:18 NLT.

 

“Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.” Prov 29:1 NLT.

 

1. c) Know your limit.

 

1. d) Maximize the input your team.

 

Whenever you fail or fall short be humble to critically analyse why and make amends.

 

CONCLUDED

 

FOR ENQUIRIES AND COMMENTS PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO charismokola@yahoo.com

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• Labour suspends strike after NSA intervention

• Nigeria’s inflation rate hits 27.33%

• Appeal court upholds Sanwo-Olu’s election

• Ex-JAMB Registrar Prof Ojerinde’s money laundering trial stalled again

• Visa Cancellation: Passengers didn’t fulfil entry requirements — Saudi embassy

• Old naira notes remain legal tender indefinitely – CBN

• Tinubu intervenes in Fubara, Wike rift

• PRESSTIME PODCAST: Digital Media, social media, where do we draw the line