Introduction
A leader is a person who acts as a guide and leads others to a similar goal. He does this by creating a good environment to encourage members to participate in the process. The people look up to him because he is a good example. A leader has characteristics like focus, confidence, good listening skills, is decisive, and is available. This paper covers the reason why leadership is made, the link between leadership and motivation, the importance of leadership in art and design, and the qualities of a good leader.
Reasons why leaders are born
The reason why some scholars argue that leaders are born is that leadership requires people who will deliver, those who are results-oriented. At adolescence, a person develops a psychological and character that tends to remain the same throughout their life. These characters are usually of either a leader or follower. These are inborn characteristics. In adulthood, you can tell that one is born a leader by how they choose to lead their life. Do they control their life or do they let things happen to them?
Reasons why leaders are made
A lot of research has been conducted to find out if leaders are born. Those who say that leaders are made say that this is a skill that can be learned by anyone. One of the ways to learn it is by doing it on the job. Others call it by an apprentice. The apprentice learns leadership by watching what the leader does and handles situations. He also finds out how the leader handles difficult situations. A leader is not afraid of failure. The strongest leadership qualities are learned from experience especially when things get tough. They learn from failures and move on. Biologists have said that there is no leadership in the human DNA material.
Relationship between leadership and motivation
Leadership has a direct link with motivation. The extent to which a leader can motivate is what distinguishes a good leader from a great one. Great leaders motivate followers to achieve desired objectives. They share their vision with the followers and make them feel that this important goal is a success for all. This is because the strength of a leader lies with the strength of the group he is leading.
Why is leadership important to art and design
In art and design, you need leadership qualities to make plans about how you will manage whatever you create. For instance, you need to have a vision and plan of how you will sell your items and at what cost. Not all designs are received well by customers hence you will need to re-strategize and motivate yourself and your employees when you encounter difficult times.
Admirable characteristics in a leader
The first admirable leadership characteristic is the ability to motivate others. A leader who motivates others will cause them to work beyond their specified duties, his team members will stick by him when situations get tough. Motivation increases one’s belief to overcome obstacles to achieve desired objectives.
The second characteristic is a desire for growth. A good leader is motivated by growth, this growth starts from within. A leader seeks opportunities to become better and to better others. A leader makes things better by the day. A leader seeks to learn opportunities and desires to apply what they have learned. If the company made a profit of one million dollars this year the leader will aim at making two million the next year. Organizations now require structures that will require employees to learn continuously throughout their work-life (Edginton, Hudson, and Scholl 6).
The third characteristic is being decisive. As a leader one is expected to make many decisions. The leader has to weigh differing opinions and decide what is best. Decisions will please others and disappoint some. The leader listens to the needs of team members and balances those needs with the need to accomplish the task. Some situations need fast decisions, so a good leader should have the ability to think on his feet.
Another admirable quality in a good leader is vision or focus. A leader knows where he is and where he wants to be. A leader does not flow with events but influences the sequence of events. Vision enables employees or team members to know what to expect if they work hard. Vision enables the leader and his team to make concrete plans and direct his team to achieve the vision. Visionary leaders encourage employee commitment and performance.
This is achieved by sharing ideas, acting on feedback, and being proactive in handling crises. A visionary leader lets employees know what is expected of them so that they do not feel lost or just getting by. Lastly, a good leader includes others. This means knows how to utilize the human resource and delegate responsibilities. The leader cannot do everything; he knows his strengths and weaknesses. This means that the leader will choose the right people for the right tasks and consults others when he/she does not know something.
Conclusion
Today many organizations have complained of having inadequate numbers of leaders or poor leadership. Hence there is a need for increased mentorship programs to groom leaders. Good leaders are needed in the ever-changing world of technology and with corporations merging, downsizing and restructuring. A leader will produce happy employees who will bring development to society.
Works Cited
Edginton, Christopher, Hudson, Susan and Scholl, Kathleen. Leadership for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services, 3rd Edition. Illinois: Sagamore, 2008. Print.