Free Leadership Article Review Sample

Leadership is one of the major aspects that guarantee the success of a firm or company. The type of leadership used can create a good working environment that encourages the workers while a bad leadership would be detrimental to the firm or company. The Leadership Challenge book by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner (2009) outlines the journeys of leaders and how they can handle management, influence, and make decision to achieve set goals. It is evident that leaders do not presume themselves gods who can do extra ordinary things all by themselves. They recognize the need to have partners who bring in different aspect required in a team to achieve the set goals. In this respect, leaders acknowledge mutual respect that is critical in making workers feel in control of their lives and what they do. Such offer a positive feelings hat can increase productivity. The leaders would influence others to go an extra mile to achieve extra-ordinary results, and usually would take pride in the success of the whole team other than heaping all the praises on themselves. Encouraging the hearts of the people and recognizing their efforts acts as a catalyst to focus, and hard work among the workers.
In addition, good leaders know that they ought to accept challenges that are within their means. Accepting challenges is a test of their abilities but that does not include challenges that are outrageous. Good leaders would understand that success is gradual and its a movement from one small success to another. They also note that the input of the workers is the most important as it is the workers with one on one experience with the work, and more than often come up with the best innovations. In this respect, the leaders stay focused for future achievement other than the immediate achievements. Growth is gradual and hence, focusing on the future guarantees the overall growth of the firm. Therefore, taking the long path by setting up clear objectives is no option for leaders. The journey involves many people and hence, as indicated earlier, team play is mandatory in the long journey to success. What then does this long journey require?
The leaders must model a clear way with specific targets and clear values. The leaders then establish a shared vision of the future that helps all the people remain in track to achieve all the objectives. After that, the journey begins with small wins in succession with each difficulty serving as a lesson. In the process, the leader must allow others act individually, encourage them, and acknowledge their successes not forgetting to attribute the success to the whole team.
One of the most critical aspect is that once one success has been achieve, the challenges begins allover again as the focus is on the next level of success begins. Charismatic leaders ensure that they have the positive influence all through the implementation of the projects (John C. Maxwell, n.d.). It is important for the leaders to have good transitional skill from on small success to another with total collaboration among the workers (Jennifer Deal, Sarah Stawiski, Meena Wilson, and Kritins Cullen, 2014). In case there is no smooth transition, the tempo of the work may reduce. Such would have overall reduced effects in the total production. It is upon the leaders to ensure that the right working environment and spirit is maintained throughout.

Works cited

Jennifer Deal, Sarah Stawiski, Meena Wilson, and Kritins Cullen. What Makes an Effective Leader? 2014. Accessed from http://www.ccl.org/Leadership/pdf/research/WhatMakesEffectiveLeaderIndia.pdf on February 14, 2015
John C. Maxwell. The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. Accessed from http://www.ansc.purdue.edu/courses/communicationskills/leaderqualities.pdf on February 14, 2015.
James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. The Student Leadership Challenge: Five Practices for Exemplary Leaders. 2009. John Wiley & Sons, 2009.