LEADERSHIP BLUES

                                                          

            It's undeniable  ,the prestige the word 'leader' radiates .Gazillions of definitions and idioms to recount justifies the colossal nature of this term. With the demand high and the supply less, its a quality that definitely attracts eyeballs ,and nods of approvals from interviewers. So how do we define - 'leader' ? "A leader is one who motivates , and inspires action." We are constantly surrounded by great leaders. Bill Gates, Winston Churchill , Nelson Mandela, Angela Merkel are perfect epitomes , each  of them laid down a strong foundation and raised the bars for modern-time leaders. As the forefront ,you are respected and perceived as eloquent and knowledgeable. But apart from all the shine ,glitz and glimmer  it's a given that ' a double edged sword cuts two ways' and hence the expectations outweigh the popularity at a certain point. On that note , here are some major insights on leadership.

1. DESPOTIC VS DEMOCRATIC.

Traditionally ,leaders in various sectors and domains tend to follow the despotic/autocratic method of leadership. This style is basically the 'authoritative' type. Bill Gates ,the former C.E.O of Microsoft, mainly exercised the 'autocratic' style for quick decision making. However, like many successful leaders he used various other techniques depending on the circumstances. He invigorated innovation and creativity from employees; provided room for thoughts to flourish into reality and also accredited achievements .Subordinates and specialists were asked to present their ideas and findings at regular intervals , and in the process Gates would interrogate and challenge their ideas and assumptions. This led to subordinates pushing their boundaries.

"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."- Bill Gates

It's essential ,as a leader, that you encourage innovation. Don't resist a suitable change ,adopt it and it doesn't matter who initiates the change. Looking down on your peers will get you nowhere as a leader. The best suggestions and solutions come from the ones you least expect. However the adoption of the  'autocratic' style by itself is no longer appropriate in the present scenario. Being a control freak only causes the best ideas to drown out .

2. VACILLATION.

Another dreadful component awaits to hinder a leaders success ,and that is 'Self -doubt' /vacillation. Indecisiveness causes major delay in decision making. Or you could say it's a 'the leader snoozes ,team loses' type of situation. From another perspective ,at the point we're currently at, even perfect is not enough. Its difficult to maintain self-confidence while folks oozing with talent and charisma surround you. In these cases , you begin to falter and endlessly reappraise ,and re-evaluate  decisions because you dread the repercussions. This leads to inefficient decisions.

3. THE KINGPIN.

Being at the forefront at all times is no cake walk .Developing, managing and motivating employees, as easy as it seems the more trivial it is to perform. You must be motivated in order to motivate. Putting up with a myriad of stifling decisions , soaring goals and seamless queries from your peers drain you out ,and perhaps you're the first one to get striked out in the process. Legitimately.

                 Sounds chaotic? well it is. Seems far fetched? it isn't. Leadership is not an 'inborn talent' and can be developed. And this road to development holds countless bumps and challenges. According to me , this so-called development is a continuous process. Having experienced leadership a number of times , every instance I realized I knew less about it than I actually thought I did. Humility and appreciation play major roles on your path to becoming an effective leader. Remember where you began from. Appreciate your employees ,colleagues and peers; it doesn't matter if you're a simple Class representative , the owner of a mere shop/restaurant , or the C.E.O of a prominent company. Inferiority complex is a part of leadership you may or may not encounter .If you do - observe , identify , learn and improvise. John .F. Kennedy rightly said " Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other". Add learning and improvising to your many priorities and become a leader that empowers others!

Thank you for the amazing response to my previous post ! Let me know your views on leadership in the comments. Feedback is appreciated :)