Irrespective of who you are, we all will, at some point, play the role of a leader. Being an effective leader is a core life skill that allows individuals to flourish in their personal lives and their professional lives.
We'll discuss the "transformational leadership" model proposed by James MacGregor Burns and further developed by Bernard Bass. This model defines a leader as someone who fills the following roles:
1. Creates an inspiring vision for the future: In any competitive environment, may it be a business or a football team, there needs to be a vision. The idea needs to be a realistic, convincing, and attractive depiction of where you want to be. It should be something that inspires people to rally with you and for you.
2. Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision: Creating a compelling vision is just the beginning because most people are lazy and uninspired. It is easy to have a lot of enthusiasm for a project initially, but as time goes on, and more challenges show up, it gets harder to stay as attached to the idea. A leader should be able to help them see the promised land and motivate them to works towards that vision.
3. Manages delivery of the vision: An effective leader knows how to make the best use of the people working with them. This means creating an effective chain of command, space for new ideas, quickly resolving issues, among many other things.
4. Works on building a team to achieve that vision: A good leader is only as good as the people they lead. A leader should be good at spotting talent and knowing how to apply it to their advantage. A leader gives back as much as he/she gets. He works on individual and team development.
Being a leader is a difficult task as you're responsible for the livelihood of many people who rely on you. It requires a certain level of determination and confidence to lead a group in times of difficulty and distress.
