Mankind’s innate desire to continuously seek a source of guidance and answers to various questions that arise from his circumstances and the environment, have always led him to look towards a figure who answers to his call and needs. Throughout the human history we have seen men and women rise to the occasion to lead their fellow human beings. Continuous economic and social changes over the decades have given rise to the need for leaders who are both effective and capable. We need effective leaders because they give us a sense of direction and vision for a better future.
Lately, there has been a lot of discussion on whether great leaders are born, or made. Along with many born leaders like the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who has been universally acclaimed as the greatest leader of all time, many leaders have honed their leadership skills over time and with practical experience and hard work. Leadership requires a person to be decisive and firm. Quaid-e-Azam is the perfect example of a courageous and bold leader who led the effort for an independent nation for Muslims in the Indian sub-continent. Effective leaders not only lead their followers diligently but also inspire them with their commitment, vision and hard work. A good leader oozes confidence and understands human limitations, strengths and weaknesses.
Many leadership skills like motivation, planning, team building, and communication need a lot of practice along with dedication and only a person with effective leadership traits can accomplish this task. In order to become a good leader a person must not only be a good speaker but a patient listener as well. Setting achievable goals is a major task for any leader and an effective leader needs to tell his or her people that where are they going, why they are going and how they are going to get there. There are many common traits that great leaders share and chief among them are optimism, action, confidence and integrity. Good leaders juggle the roles of facilitators, task masters and role models for other people. Motivating and building a support network for a team is a major trait of effective leaders and they delegate authority so people under them get to learn and polish their own leadership skills too.
In the contemporary era, we have examples of Steve Jobs and Michael Dell who took their respective companies to new heights with their dedication and commitment to hard work. Today, Germany and Japan are two prime examples of countries being led by effective leaders after a disastrous war that destroyed their economies and now both countries are considered as economic and industrial powerhouses only because they had good leaders. Nelson Mandela freed his native South Africa from brutal apartheid because he was an effective leader who inspired generations of people not only in his country but people all over the world.
Engaging followers is the toughest job for any leader and the need for bridging trust deficit and proving personal credibility is no easy feat. This is only possible if a leader is honest, candid and forthright as people want integrity from their leaders. To become an effective leader, one must never be afraid of failures and must learn from the outcomes. A little humbleness along the way will only help and yield fruitful results in the future. A leader must remember that there is no substitute for hard work. The more you work on becoming an effective leader, the more likely you are to get there.
MAVRA MANSOOR, HASSAAN SHAHID
PU, Lahore
