A leader is a key person in any team. Leadership involves balancing and coordinating the conflicting interests of all members, establishing a clear vision, providing the information, methods, and knowledge to realize that vision, and sharing it with the other group members so that they will willingly follow it. I wrote about this at my essay on problem solving Leaders take the lead in difficult situations and are able to act and think creatively in crisis. Unfortunately, not all leaders can do that. Thus, an effective leadership is a complex issue that includes a clear perception of how a company should work, positive atmosphere and communication inside the team, and knowledge of all team members.
Mr. N who holds the position of CEO in the Reader’s Company is an example of a poor leader. Among many other things, he is responsible for managing the working process, choosing strategies, identifying the expected outcomes, and collaboration inside the team ensuring that all members are following all processes. However, Mr. N does not perform his job well. Under his rule the company has missed the market shifts, which is the reason why it continues to lag. Consequently, just because a person holds a key position, does not mean he/she is a good leader.
The analysis of Mr. N illustrated that this person has a number of qualities and character traits making him a poor leader and a bad team player. Firstly, Mr. N has no sense of humor. However, it is an important element of successful leaders showing that they enjoy their job. Secondly, Mr. N always blames the other team members for failure; on the other hand, he considers any success of the team as his own. Thirdly, Mr. N makes decisions first and then asks for feedback. Therefore, employees do not feel that they have any part to play in the company’s decision making process. Fourthly, Mr. N treats all areas of the company’s business as secrets. Fifthly, he does not give employees a clear picture of what exactly is expected from them, as a result, they have unclear understanding of their responsibilities and roles. Sixthly, Mr. N is focused on the tasks and not the employees. He is only interested in completing the work. Finally, Mr. N is watching employees’ every move. He spends much time examining what others are doing. Thus, there are seven qualities that make Mr. N a poor and ineffective leader.
To improve leadership skills, Mr. N should develop a clear and achievable vision and share it with others. It is a crucial step as a lack of vision usually causes leaders to fail. Secondly, Mr. N should concentrate on people first and then on tasks they perform. He should know the team members: their talents, their interests, their strong and weak skills. A good leader should know his team members better than anyone else. Thirdly, Mr. N should improve his communication skills to be able to clearly explain his perception, goals, and expectations to others. It is considered to be one of the key qualities of great leaders. Thus, these three simple pieces of advice could make Mr. N a better leader.
To conclude, Mr. N, CEO of the Readers Company, is an example of a poor leader. It can be assumed due to both external (company’s overall success) and internal indicators (atmosphere in the team). He is an ineffective manager and a bad team player. Having a clear and achievable vision, knowing the team and improving communication skills are three steps that Mr. N should take to improve his leadership skills.