HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

BY Lyndon T. Nkomo

Deaf Zimbabwe Trust

Leadership

•Leadership potential must be developed into finished skills.

•Those who work hard and intelligently to hone their leadership skills may be far more effective than the person born with natural leadership ability but no desire to develop it to the highest level of performance.

• Leadership is not the same as authority. A title alone does not make one a leader

Purpose of leading is to take followers to a specific goal

How to be an effective leader

Must have a vision

It is your dream which inspires the followers to stand and fight with you

Following the Dream

Map the direction towards the goal or vision

Be Assertive

As a leader, you have requirements for your team and goals that must be fulfilled. When team members aren’t meeting expectations, a leader must feel comfortable being assertive.

Assertive leaders are firm and bold, unafraid to go after what they want. Such a level of certainty and confidence will serve both you and your team well as you tackle larger challenges and go after new goals

Lead the change. Effective Leaders lead from the front not the back

Lead by example

Martin Luther King Jr leading by example 1965 demonstraton

Do not be a Task Master

Demonstrate Confidence and Courage as you lead. Your confidence & courage will pass on to your

followers

Courage even to suffer personal injuries for the bigger cause. Your followers will stand with you

• An effective • leader does not fear• opposition to his • mission. •

"If slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong.“ Abraham Lincoln. He was not afraid to say

these words to his political party whose key members were slave owners

Lincoln courage to stand against slavery

• "As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it, "All men are created equal, except Negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read, "All men are created equal except Negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics." When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some other country where they make no pretense of loving liberty - to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, without the base alloy of hypocrisy."

Courage even to go to Jail: Mandela spent 27 yrs in Jail for his beliefs and his legacy

did not die when he went to prison

Effective leaders are prepared to pay the ultimate price and such courage inspires

followers: Mandela’s speech

Make decisions

Leaders are often called on to make big decisions, so it’s also important for you to be decisive. Of course, a decisive leader should never be confused with an impulsive one.

A decisive leader carefully weighs the potential effects of each option and chooses the opportunity that works best for his or her team. To be decisive, you must also feel comfortable taking responsibility for the results of your choice.

Inspire and Energize People towards the mission

Inspiring for Change

Effective leaders inspire followers! These speeches won Obama votes

Barack Obama inspiring Change. Clarity of communication is critical for effective

leadership

Self Aware

It can be tough to retain a strong sense of yourself and the way you appear to others, but focus on being self-aware.

Consider your strengths and weaknesses as objectively as possible and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on your performance.

Empower People. Do not do everything yourself (Jethro’s Model)

‘A candle loses none of its light by lighting another candle.’ Effective leaders create new leaders from

followers

Empower Others to Lead. Effective leaders know their limitations. Leadership is not a one-man show. A compelling vision is too big a burden to carry alone; when you burn out, you burn everything out.

Effective leaders teach.

Develop a passion for teaching and raising up other leaders. The real test of leadership is your ability to reproduce yourself in the lives of others. Inspire your team to buy into your vision until they own it. The Jethro Model outlines 3 p’s for effective teaching:

Principles—teach the principles

Practice—illustrate the principles through examples; allow learning through practice

Processes—teach and demonstrate processes and systems that work

Help your followers to create new leaders and advance your vision

Support and help your followers towards your success.

Be Humble

• Effective leaders are down-to-earth and easy to relate with. People feel more comfortable connecting with a leader who is humble and compassionate.

• Strive to understand where other people are coming from and keep a healthy, grounded perspective on your own achievements

Do not be proud or discourage your followers by being a dictator . Pride

rushes your fall

Be Honest

• Finally, effective leaders are honest. Be upfront with your team members and trust them enough to communicate openly and authentically together.

• It’s important to build a level of mutual trust within your team so that each person feels comfortable addressing his or her concerns with you.

Promote team work: Everybody wins

Involve everyone, Use Team Approachcombined efforts make a difference

Key Issues on Team work

Coaching bring the best in your people

Results of good Coaching/Mentorship is Success

Encourage Group Discussion to encourage ownership of the mission

Monitor Progress and Do not micro Manage

Summary•A leader is expected to do a number of things:

initiate action

maintain discipline

set a positive example

motivate subordinates

build morale within the team

support and back up subordinates

delegate responsibility

inspire confidence

stand up under stress

develop a wide range of skills

be decisive

communicate effectively

develop subordinates

solve problems – lots of them

Conclusion

•There is no formula when it comes to practicing effective leadership. As a result leadership success calls for the blending of one’s personal capacities along with sound leadership principles being applied in a consistent and flexible manner.