Leadership – FatRank

We are a product of our own experiences, education, and self-development.

Do we have the mindset and skills to be great leaders?

If you do not have the mindset of leadership then this role can still be contracted and managed by the staff you employ.

Understanding your personal skills and what you are good at it is key to guiding your multiple companies forward.

As an entrepreneur you need to truly be honest about your weaknesses and hire the right people around you that is better than you.

Let’s dive into many questions related to leadership.

What is a good definition of leadership?

Leadership is the ability to motivate a group of individuals to work together to reach a common goal, typically within a company or business.

What is a good definition of a leader?

A leader is someone who can encourage, guide, and inspire followers.

A leader within a business visualizes a goal and makes sure that their employees have the tools and the support to reach such a goal.

Why leadership is important?

Leadership is one of the most crucial parts of management as it is what encourages and directs employees toward the company’s goals.

Effective leadership is important for the following reasons:

Boosts Morale

A successful leader is someone who can create clear visions and goals, remain open and honest with subordinates and keep staff informed with open communication.

Research has proven that effective leadership can help keep staff satisfied and loyal to the company, meaning they are less likely to switch jobs.

Having high morale at work is important as staff with higher esteem tend to be more productive.

Encourages Engagement

Having a trustworthy and encouraging leader within the workplace has been proven to improve levels of engagement among staff members.

Employees that frequently interact with engaged leaders tend to be more engaged with the work themselves.

Builds Trust

Trusting relationships between leadership and their employees help to create an open and trustworthy environment and work culture.

If an employee feels they can have an honest dialogue with their leader, then they will be more likely to discuss any issues they are experiencing or suggest new and potentially beneficial ideas.

Cultivates Confidence

Motivational leaders can help to encourage their workforce to be confident in themselves and the work that they can produce.

Instilling confidence in employees can help to improve their productivity and produce better quality work.

Improves Work Culture

Leaders set the tone for the working culture of their company, so having a well-liked, effective, and trusted leader can make the working environment a much more enjoyable place.

Having a positive working culture will encourage new and qualified workers to seek out employment at your company.

How do you become a leader?

There are many traits and actions that will help you become a successful leader.

Some of these include:

• Be empathetic.
• Be an attentive listener.
• Embrace change.
• Learn to deal with failure.
• Radiate positivity.
• Communicate your expectations.
• Express a clear vision.
• Continue to educate yourself.

Many attributes create a strong and respected leader and the list above mentions a few, but not all, of the characteristics that many leaders possess.

Keep reading to learn more about historically respected leaders and how to deal with difficulty as a leader.

What are the 4 types of leadership?

Here are the 4 types of Leadership Styles:

• Autocratic
• Democratic
• Laissez-faire
• Transformational

The different leadership styles can be taken on by any leader and may be beneficial for different reasons or different situations.

It is up to the individual leader to decide which leadership style works best for them and their organisation.

Keep reading to learn more about what leadership style is best suited to you.

Autocratic Leadership

Under autocratic leadership, one person leads the company and gives out all directions.

The singular leader will decide on all strategies and procedures of the business, and they will give out all instructions and assignments to their subordinates.

Authoritarian leaders tend to be disinterested in the thoughts, input, and feedback of others, and often prefer to hold all of the power.

An authoritarian system can work in situations that require quick decisions, however, sometimes employees working under an authoritarian leader may feel micromanaged and as a result, they may lack drive.

Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership, otherwise known as participative leadership, is when every member of the company or team works together to make decisions, allowing everyone to have an input.

The final decision is still made by the democratic leader, however, allowing all employees to have a say lets subordinates feel engaged within the business and contribute potentially beneficial ideas.

Democratic leaders allow open and participative environments that encourage their workers to explore new ideas. In a democratic environment, there tends to be positive morale.

Problems within democratic leadership can arise if the employees feel their ideas are disregarded or if the ideas being suggested are from unskilled employees.

Laissez-faire Leadership

Laissez-faire leadership is when the leader takes a hands-off approach and entrusts the employees to produce quality work and innovative ideas.

The leader’s main role is to provide feedback or constructive criticism and assess the standard of work being created by their subordinates.

Laissez-faire leadership has many benefits, for example, decisions tend to be made quickly as employees don’t need to seek approval from management before starting a project.

However, this kind of leadership may be problematic if the employees are not properly trained, as they may lack the skills needed to produce quality work that will benefit the company.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is when the leader idealises the main goal for the company and the rest of the business rallies to reach that specific aim.

Transformational leadership encourages employees to develop both personally and professionally to achieve the company’s overall goal.

This kind of leadership is beneficial as it allows every employee to have a vision of where they need to be heading professionally. Having a joint vision can help create a supportive and harmonious work environment.

However, with a constant goal in mind, sometimes employees can burn out and feel underappreciated by the individuals in charge.

What are some qualities of an effective leader?

There are many qualities that make an effective leader, such as integrity.

Other important qualities include:

• Delegation
• Effective communication
• Honesty
• Trustworthy
• Self-awareness
• Confidence
• Strategic
• Vision
• Decisive

An effective leader acts with both their company and their employees in mind, as they are aware that without their workforce, their company would fail.

What is a good example of leadership?

One good example of leadership is taking the lead role in a project or presentation within the workplace, community, or any other outlet for change.

For example, if you recognise an area that requires improvement, implement a strategy, cultivate a team, set goals, and successfully create positive outcomes, then you are showcasing your leadership qualities.

What is the most difficult part of being a leader?

One of the most difficult parts of being a leader is to ensure that everyone has a say, and allow compromises to be made so that everyone’s voice is heard, while still ensuring effective and strong decisions are made.

It is up to the leader to acknowledge and address any concerns or queries team members have about a decision.

Ultimately, the leader has to showcase all sides of an argument and finalise the decision that they think is best for the collective.

However, this can be difficult as there may be times when the final decision isn’t a popular one, so the leader has to act accordingly to justify the final choice for the company.

How do you handle a difficult situation as a leader?

Every leader will have to diffuse difficult scenarios once in a while, they can do this by using the following techniques:

• Remain transparent and honest about the situation.
• Express consistent communication with those impacted.
• Convey empathy for the nature of the situation.
• Remain optimistic and positive throughout.
• Have conversations that address the situation purposefully.
• Make decisive decisions to try and amend the situation or appease those that are not satisfied.

At the end of the day, not every decision will be the right one, but it is how a leader handles difficult situations that determine how effective their leadership really is.

What is the difference between a leader and a manager?

The difference between a manager and a leader is simple, a manager has individuals work for them, whereas a leader has individuals follow them.

Individuals have to listen to their manager or their director as part of their job, whereas people listen to and look up to leaders of their own choosing because they believe in what that leader stands for.

In business, managers should strive to take on the role of a leader, alongside their managerial role, in order to motivate their staff.

How is leadership used in everyday life?

Leadership is used in everyday life in the following ways:

• Initiate a project to progress social change.
• Mentor or assist someone else’s development.
• Speak up for a collective voice.
• Volunteer in the community.

Everyday leadership is the title awarded to individuals that manage to influence and motivate individuals toward a collective aim, regardless of what authority or power they hold.

As anyone, anywhere can be a leader, leadership activities can be carried out at home, in communities, and in the workplace by any individual that possesses strong leadership qualities.

Why is everyday leadership important in the workplace?

Everyday leadership is crucial within a company as every business thrives when its employees take initiative to build upon communication, culture, and quality.

Having each individual in the working environment take on some form of leadership will build confidence and productivity.

Rather than having the leadership fall down from the top and have the ‘subordinates’ in the workplace follow instructions, having everyday leaders ensures an all-around motivated team.

What are the four A’s of leadership?

The 4 A’s of leadership are:

• Aligned
• Accountable
• Authentic
• Aware

What are the four B’s of leadership?

The 4 B’s of leadership are:

• Boundaries
• Bonding
• Bravery
• Basic Skills

What are the four C’s of leadership?

The 4 C’s of leadership are:

• Competency
• Commitment
• Courage
• Candor

What are the four D’s of leadership?

The 4 D’s of leadership are:

The four D’s are mainly related to time management because wasted time is worse than wasted money.

Placing a task or project into one of these ‘D’ categories helps you manage your limited time more effectively and stay focused on what matters most to you.

What are the four E’s of leadership?

The 4 E’s of leadership are:

• Energy
• Energize
• Edge
• Execution

What are the four F’s of leadership?

The 4 F’s of leadership are:

• Fair
• Factual
• Firm
• Friendly

What are the four G’s of leadership?

The 4 G’s of leadership are:

• Growth through improvements
• Growth through scaling
• Growth through innovation
• Growth through strategic acquisitions

“When you stop growing you start dying”

I need to keep G for growth because every leader should have one eye consistently on the growth and development of the multiple businesses in November 2022.

What are the four H’s of leadership?

The 4 H’s of leadership are:

• Honor
• Heart
• Humility
• Humour

What are the four I’s of leadership?

The 4 I’s of leadership are:

• Idealized influence
• Inspirational motivation
• Intellectual stimulation
• Individual consideration

There are four factors to transformational leadership, also known as the “four I’s”.

Why should I be a leader?

You should consider striving to be a leader if you possess strong leadership qualities and if you are passionate about creating positive change.

If you are value-driven and want to positively influence society or your community, then a role in leadership could be perfect for you.

Leaders don’t crack under pressure and would never sacrifice their morals or values for a cause they are invested in.

So, if you think you can remain strong and work tirelessly to achieve a collective goal, then you might have what it takes to be a successful leader.

Are leaders born or made?

Leaders are born and leaders are made. Some individuals believe they were born great leaders, whereas others feel their experiences through life made them great leaders.

Research has theorised that 30% of leadership is genetic and 70% of leadership is learned.

However, nothing can be confirmed for sure. It is likely a mix of characteristics that have been passed down through genetics and skills that you learn throughout your journey in life via the experiences you have, and the people you meet.

Can leadership be taught?

Leadership can be improved upon by developing and practising the skills that make a great leader, such as communication and confidence.

While there is a debate as to whether you are born or taught to be a leader, the qualities that are attributed to leaders can definitely be taught or improved upon.

It is important that good leaders constantly develop leadership skills, in order to maintain their leadership position.

What is the difference between assigned leadership and emergent leadership?

Assigned leadership is when someone is awarded a leadership role within a company with an official title and responsibilities, whereas emergent leadership is when someone is perceived as a leader due to their actions, values, and ability to motivate individuals.

Essentially, with assigned leadership, you are seen as a leader due to your position in a company, whereas with emergent leadership you earn the role of a leader through your behaviour.

What is the difference between leadership and teamwork?

Leadership’s purpose is to guide and motivate individuals, whereas teamwork’s purpose is to work together to meet collective objectives.

To engage with teamwork you don’t need any leadership qualities, you can simply contribute towards achieving a group goal.

What is more important leadership or teamwork?

Having one quality leader will never be enough for a company to thrive, as a successful business tends to be compromised of teams of individuals that express some leadership qualities.

Therefore, both leadership and teamwork are inextricably linked and would be useless without the other.

Without a team for the leader to lead, the leader would be useless, and without direction and motivation from a leader, teamwork would be misdirected at times.

Summary

In this article, we have answered the most commonly asked questions about leadership.

If you feel you have the ability to motivate a team to achieve a specific and collective goal, then you could possess the skills to become a successful leader.

Leadership skills can be improved upon with training and persistence, and anyone can be deemed as a leader no matter what title they are awarded.