Good leaders often have unique opportunities for achieving personal and professional success. Typically, leaders have a large supply of resources for productivity—resources such as time, the capacity for work, and the ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm of a whole group of people. The synergistic effect that the leader and team enjoy produces more than the sum of the results that could be achieved by each individual team member working alone.
Most leaders are concerned about two types of results: Their own personal success and success of the organization. Although the two areas may seem distinct, in a practical sense they cannot be separated. The purpose of a leader is to achieve results through the activities of other people. Those “other people” together with the leader make up the team or organization. If this group of individuals fails, the leader shares in that fate. If the leader fails, the organization’s goals are not achieved. On the other hand, when the leader succeeds, the organization benefits directly; and when the team reaches its goals, the leader shares in the rewards.
The rewards of effective leadership begin with the most personal areas and extend outward to the professional arena
and to the entire organization. Some personal rewards may include:
• An adequate income for the needs of your family with some left over for luxuries and enjoyment
• A position of prominence that brings acceptance and respect from others
• The satisfaction of knowing you provide a product or service that benefits people
• The sense of fulfillment that comes from seeing other people grow under your leadership
• The fulfillment that comes from contributing to the overall success of the organization
• The spirit of team pride, knowing that you have helped make success possible
The demand for effective leaders is heard throughout the business world, and the rewards are unlimited. Effective leaders often have the ability to make decisions, to set goals, and to achieve a level of success far above the average.
But achievement through leadership is always based on sound planning and persistent effort in addition to knowledge and skills. The development of those skills – and the cultivation of the knowledge and attitudes required to use them– is vital to your success as a leader.
LMI Journal
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