Leadership skills can be collaborative.
Modern ideas on leadership skills are often based on earlier military or political models. The oldest military text is Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" from 400 BC which refers to the leader as "the arbiter of men's fate." Today, business leaders guide a company's destiny. The skills of leadership are required in times of change or crisis when a new approach or goal is needed. If nothing is changing, then it is supervision, not leadership that is required. The different styles of leadership -- authoratitive, collaborative, delegating and participatory -- all call for five essential skills.
Vision
Create a vision of what you want the group to achieve. Decide where you want to be in terms of purpose, what it is you want to be doing, and put that within a time frame. Determine the direction you are taking so that it is clear what things are going to be changing and why, according to leadership theorist John Adair.
Communicate
Tell the people you are leading what the vision is. Make it real and measurable -- a sales or turnover figure, for example. Encourage them to have this vision too. Use your imagination and eloquence, or just say it often and loud -- depending upon your own style. Deal openly with questions and doubts. It is not a question of railroading people but appealing to them on a level they can respond to. This may be rational, or it may be an emotional issue. Show yourself as involved and sincere in order to communicate the vision fully, according to "Learning for Life."
Motivating
Get your your team moving to achieve the goal by offering a reward. Adair recommends giving them a financial incentive, appealing to their moral sense, or doing whatever it is that you think will influence them to make the necessary effort . Do not expect selfless sacrifice for the common good; it is natural for rational people to want reward or recognition, and leaders must provide it.
Organizing
Plan what you have to do to achieve the goal and organize your material, financial,and human resources. Do this using the particular skills of your team members and keep them involved to maintain motivation . Co-workers represent an important knowledge base and would expect to give input on the means to achieve company objectives.
Finishing
Execute the plan through to the end. Use all your resourcefulness to overcome external difficulties and obstacles as they arise. Anticipate problems within the group by monitoring the progress of tasks and keep up momentum toward the objective. If you have faced and overcome doubts and difficulties yourself you will be better placed to give a positive lead when your team raises them. Mark important milestones with congratulations or celebrations -- this encourages everyone on the journey -- but keep the big celebration for the end result.
