A renowned thought leader on the topic of leadership, John C. Maxwell, once said that a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. The essence of great leadership therefore lies more in influence than in authority.
We all know that leadership is necessary for many facets and endeavours of life, from the workplace to family life, from governance to the society at large. The importance of great leadership cannot be overemphasized. In building and sustaining a successful business, great leadership must play a forward role and in fact, must become a crucial necessity.
I’ll point it out here that leadership in business is the ability to set, manage, and achieve a company’s goals and aspirations. It also involves making wise decisions that are both well-thought-out and timely. Impact is also a key factor when it comes to leadership in business; this means that as leaders, we must be able to inspire others to work at their best and highest capacity in order to deliver premium performances.
Understanding the impact and place of leadership in business is imperative to providing needed direction for the company and its employees. As I earlier mentioned, a leader must know the way and must therefore be able to lead the workers in the right direction. This direction is towards a destination which features the achievement of the company’s goals, visions and missions.
The result of great and effective leadership is evident in the positive atmosphere created in the workplace; an environment where every worker and stakeholder sees only possibilities and are graciously clothed in optimism. In this environment, there exists proper motivation for work, innovation and growth. With great leadership, amazing work culture is built leading only to stellar performances and achievements.
It must be noted that effective leadership becomes possible when the leaders have the attributes that distinguish them as capable of their unique roles. Such effective leaders exhibit very strong yet endearing characters. Traits of integrity, truthfulness, incorruptibility and trustworthiness are some of the values that must be present in them. These leaders are very clear about what they stand for and act in accordance with their principles and ethics.
Leadership must also involve a skill set of effective communication and emotional intelligence. As leaders, we must be able to speak and at the same time listen to those we are leading. There must be an adequate display of empathy in all our relations. Great communication is an important skill which must be present in any leader whose goal is to move the company to greater heights of achievements.
In business, strong leadership features a clear picture of the future. This means that the goals and direction of the company are in very clear view. This vision must be adequately communicated to all stakeholders of the business. The leader must know where the company is headed and be fully equipped to ensure that the company arrives at this destination.
Another key point I’ll like to mention is that leaders must be aware of trends in their respective industries, and be able to draft out a plan that keeps the business afloat and always relevant whilst blazing ahead of the competition.
Note that the process of moving any business forward would surely involve a lot of risk-taking. As leaders, we must never be afraid of taking risks, rather, be ready to make informed decisions that would take the business to higher levels of growth.
Finally, great leadership always leads to great productivity. A great leader is one who is able to drive co-workers to achieve maximum productivity and give the best possible result at all times.
