Business Leadership

                  BUSINESS LEADERSSHIP

                      BUSINESS LEADERSHIP 

                                     BIBLE

                    

                          

                             INTRODUCTION

Napoleon once said: “One bad general does better than two good 

ones.” It takes a moment for the sense of this to register, but it is 

the same as our modern saying that “too many cooks spoil the 

broth”. Having one set of instructions, even if they are flawed, is 

preferable to having two sets of perfect directions that, when 

enacted together without reference to each other, cause havoc.

This is the principle of leadership in a nutshell. It is all about 

maintaining focus and creating positive outcomes.

          The same can be applied to individuals who strive to become 

leaders. There needs to be focus and determination. Advice can be 

given, but does not have to be heeded. History is full of leaders 

whose beginnings were disastrous, and had they listened to the 

naysayers of this world, the world would be a poorer place today.

Leadership can be learned. Some people are certainly born with 

leadership skills, but this is not a prerequisite for becoming a leader. 

More important is dedication to the art of leadership. Leadership 

involves understanding how to inspire, influence and control how 

people behave. It is not a simple matter of shouting, or having a deep 

and booming voice; or being great in physical stature; Gandhi

possessed none of these attributes, but managed to lead a 

nation and inspire millions around the world.

Sometimes, leadership may be no more than having a poignant 

message for a receptive audience at an opportune moment. 

Of itself, leadership is neither good nor bad; the world has known more 

than its fair share of evil and charismatic dictators.

In the world of business, the perception of leadership has 

changed from its early days when it largely mirrored the military 

model of leadership from the top down, with powerful individuals 

dominating large groups of less powerful people.

Nowadays, leadership in business is far more knowledge-

driven. The lowliest employee may end up effectively leading the 

direction of a vast corporation through his or her innovative 

ideas. Anyone with critical knowledge can show leadership. This 

is known as thought-leadership. In other situations, leadership 

can be about taking a stand for what you believe in, and trying to 

convince people to think and act differently.

Leadership has been variously described as the “process of 

social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support 

of others in the accomplishment of a common task”; “creating a way 

for people to contribute to making something extraordinary 

happen”; “the ability to successfully integrate and maximize 

available resources within the internal and external environment for 

the attainment of organizational or societal goals”; and “the capacity 

of leaders to listen and observe, to use their expertise as a starting 

point to encourage dialogue between all levels of decision-making, 

to establish processes and transparency in decision-making, to 

articu-late their own values and visions clearly but not impose them. 

         Lead-ership is about setting and not just reacting to agendas, 

identifying problems, and initiating change that makes for 

substantive improve-ment rather than managing change”.

There is truth to all of the above definitions, but they all apply 

to the ideals of leadership.

So what of leadership gone awry?

 

            1.UNDERSTANDING THE DARK SIDE

The dark side of any individual when allowed to go unchecked 

can create a rigid and dysfunctional personality that stifles 

creativity, and taints or ruins relationships.

When such characteristics are given reign in a leader, a self-

righteous and bombastic person can result, who alienates the 

very people they are meant to inspire.

   THE COMPULSIVE LEADER

Compulsive leaders feel like they have to do everything them-selves. 

They try to manage every aspect of their business, often 

refusing to delegate, and cannot resist having their say on everything. 

As they lack trust in others, they cannot let anyone else take responsi-

bility, therefore they restrict personal growth in their team.

Compulsive leaders have many other traits. They are perfection-

ists who must follow highly rigid and systematized daily routines, and 

are concerned with status. 

Thus they strive to impress their supe-riors 

with their diligence and efficiency and continually look for reas-surance 

and approval. This can lead to them becoming workaholics,

and think like they do. Such productive narcissists have more 

perspective, and can step back and even laugh at their own 

irrational needs.

THE PARANOID LEADER

Paranoid leaders are exactly as they sound: paranoid that 

other people are better than they are, and thus they view even 

the mildest criticism as devastating. They are liable to overreact 

if they sense they are being attacked, especially in front of other 

people. This can mani-fest itself in open hostility.

This attitude is the result of an inferiority complex that perceives 

even the most constructive criticism in the wrong way. 

The paranoid leader will be guarded in their dealings with other people 

because they do not want to reveal too much of themselves in case 

they display their weaknesses and are attacked or undermined. 

They may be scared that their position is undeserved, therefore can 

be deeply suspicious of colleagues who may steal their limelight or 

perhaps challenge for their position.

This is not always a wholly negative trait, however. 

 A healthy dose of paranoia can be key to success in business, because it 

helps keep leaders on their toes, always aware of opportunities 

not to be missed. 

It is the opposite end of the spectrum to being 

complacent, and can make for a very successful venture.

THE CODEPENDENT LEADER

Co-dependent leaders do not enjoy taking the lead, and 

instead seek to copy what others have done or are doing. They 

avoid confrontation and would rather cover up problems than 

face them head-on. Planning ahead is not their forte. They tend 

instead to react to whatever comes their way, rather than acting 

to alter outcomes or achieve goals.

Codependent leaders, therefore, are not leaders at all. They are 

reactionary and have the habit of keeping important information to

                          DAVID M. COX

themselves because they are not prepared to act upon it. This 

can clearly lead to poor outcomes because all the pertinent facts 

are not known to those below the leader who may be charged 

with making decisions.

This type of leader avoids confrontation and is thus liable to 

accept a greater workload for themselves rather than respond 

nega-tively to any request. They are also prone to accepting the 

blame for situations they have not caused.

THE PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE LEADER

     Passive-aggressive leaders feel like they need to control 

every-thing, and when they can’t they cause problems for those 

who are in control. However, they are sneaky in their ploys, and 

are very difficult to catch out. Their main characteristics are that 

they can be stubborn, purposely forgetful, intentionally 

inefficient, complaining (behind close doors), and they parry 

demands put on them through procras-tination.

Typically, if they feel they are not firmly in the driving seat, 

they will jump out and puncture the tires when no one is looking, 

then feign horror and pretend to search around for a tire iron.

This type of leader has two speeds: full speed ahead and 

stopped. When situations do not go their way, they will offer their 

full support for whatever has been decided, then gossip and back 

stab, willfully cause delays, and generally create upset. 

When 

confronted, they claim to have been misinterpreted. Passive 

aggressive leader are often chronically late for appointments, using 

any excuse to dominate and regain some control of the situation.

Dealing with passive-aggressive leaders is thus a draining and 

frustrating affair that saps energy. They are not averse to short 

outbursts of sadness or anger to regain some control, but are ulti-

mately fearful of success since it leads to higher expectations.

                  2.   HOW TO LEAD AND              

                  INFLUENCEPEOPLE

Leading people has nothing to do with managing them. 

Too

             many managers are trying to micro-manage their staff, all the 

while forgetting to lead them effectively.

If you want to become a strong leader you need to lead by exam-ple. 

This means you have to show your team that you are perfectly 

capable to set examples. By doing so you will earn their respect and 

create lifelong devotees who would move mountains to please you.

Conversely, a manager who hides behind his office door while 

commanding staff isn't going to gain much respect in the work place.

Ultimately the success of any business venture lies in the 

hands of its employees and NOT the managers. A manager's 

responsibility is to organize and manage business systems, 

systems that will see to the successful finalization of projects.

If your staff are unhappy it will soon show in their lack of produc-

tivity. This will influence your bottom line. Chances are customer 

complaints will start to amass and office gossip will run hot. 

This is 

counterproductive to running a well oiled machine – your business.

No organization can function for very long without the co-

opera-tion of its employees. Unfortunately, the necessity in any 

organization is that there are various levels of status within the 

team, and this can lead to conflicts if not managed properly.

The effective leader has to realize that the team under them 

is there because they have to be. Most employees work to earn 

money, not because they enjoy the daily grind of a nine-to-five.

For this reason, there must be an effort to build healthy 

relation-ships, or life in the workplace can become untenable for 

everyone, and productivity will decline.

Leaders need to make their workplace society function 

positively, with co-operation and respect. In this way everyone is 

working for the common good and towards a common purpose. 

This demands that effective relationships are built upon an 

understanding of each other’s needs. It is no different to how things 

should be in the home; no personal relationship will last very long if 

there is a sense that one or both parties are being selfish.

The most effective way to understand how other people are 

feeling is to listen to what they have to say. This must be done 

without judging, and not as though you are being forced to do so 

by some higher authority. Very often, teams will have the same 

goals as their leaders, but may just want to know that they are 

not seen as automatons that have no creative input.

Quality workplace relationships make people feel happy. One of 

the major reasons why employees move on from a company is 

because of relationship clashes with leaders or other colleagues.

Leaders should also make sure that they create the 

circumstances for understanding within their team, and this means 

asking ques-tions. Assuming that your team will simply pipe up and 

express their feelings is not enough; many people will not feel it is 

their place to speak up unless they are specifically asked to do so.

Listening should be done attentively, not glancing at your watch 

every couple of minutes or trying not to look bored. This means you 

listen without interrupting or fidgeting, and with the correct expres-

sion. Your expression, by the way, should be genuine or you will be

found out very quickly and the situation will become worse than 

had you not asked in the first place.

A great way to foster healthy relationships with your team is by 

meeting them in a more social environment on regular occasions. 

Some companies choose to send their staff to regular golfing 

outings while others prefer to host a monthly BBQ or weekend trips.

Regardless what you end up choosing, the key lies in giving 

your team a chance to connect away from the daily grind.

Building effective relationships means that neither party must 

make any assumptions. As a leader, you cannot expect people 

to understand exactly what we want and why you want it. 

Sometimes it is this lack of comprehension that causes 

problems. As much as you must trust your team members to 

have intelligence, if they are not party to the goals you are 

working towards they can become resistant. As far as possible, 

your team should be conversant with your goals and how their 

actions are contributing to their successful outcome. Humans 

are inquisitive and function better when not kept in the dark.

Respect is the key ingredient of any good relationship, and this 

means respect for yourself as well as others. Genuinely listening 

and understanding are the ways in which you show that you 

respect the person you are talking to. Quickly judging based on 

preconceived ideas or prejudice is the opposite of having respect. 

Bear in mind that not everyone will respond in 100% perfect fashion 

to all that occurs in the workplace.

               Although it is not the leader’s job 

to be a permanent shoulder to cry on, it is important to accept that 

your team is made up of individuals whose lives may not be as 

perfect as their coffee-break banter might lead you to believe.

Whilst creating a healthy working relationship is a crucial 

goal, the smart leader will always bear in mind that conflict is 

inevitable and must be managed, rather than ignored for the 

sake of apparent peace.

Relationships can never improve unless problems are identified 

and confronted. 

Differences between people are inevitable, and 

hearing them aired can lead to some very useful resolutions that

produce ideas beyond the expected. The alternative is highly 

detri-mental: to let problems fester and build, and ruin the 

atmosphere in a workplace, if not productivity levels.

KEYS FOR SUCCES in working relationships:

1. One party at least should value the relationship –

This may start off as a one-way street, but this can 

lead to a meeting of minds later on.

2. Listen effectively, without judging – Listening in this way 

will promote mutual understanding and mutual respect.

3. Have informal chats – Chatting over a coffee can 

encourage a more frank exchange of views than 

meeting officially with a desk between you.

4. Create an open culture – Your team should know they can 

speak freely, no matter if that is to express happiness, joy, 

contentment, anger, irritation, sadness or fear. Negative 

feelings that are hoarded cause significant problems.

CHANGING Mindsets by Empowering Others

Leaders must take responsibility for their team’s performance, 

which means leaders must be happy that the direction of their team 

is one which the leader thinks is best. Although it is useful to have 

creative sessions with team members to bat around a few ideas, 

the overarching goals that the team must fulfill are most often set 

by the leader, or some authority above the leader.

The challenge is therefore to get the team “onside” with the 

given aims, even when some team members may 

wholeheartedly disagree with them, or baulk at the idea that 

these have been imposed on them from above.

Despite the accepted hierarchy of any workplace, for a team to 

work most efficiently, its members – especially higher level ones –

may want to feel they are contributing more then the spade 

work; they may like to feel that they have chosen where some of 

the plots should be dug.

          This presents a challenge for the leader who cannot just let 

his or her subordinates have free play. The team must be made 

to feel involved and motivated. Or perhaps the situation is 

worse, and your team is beginning to show a little disobedience. 

How then to provoke a positive response in them?

The answer is by empowering your team, as far as possible. 

Short of handing over the reigns and heading off home, the 

motivational leader must be able to create a sense that their team 

is actively involved in the process and contributing in a real sense 

to the overall outcome of the project. This can involve learning how 

to make your suggestions appeal to them. This may mean you 

solicit their opinions and take the best ideas on board. Or you may 

have to convince them that your goals are shared and that their 

futures are tied to your overall success. It may be a simple matter 

of making an employee understand that their job will be safer if they 

perform well; reminding them that they are working for themselves 

and their family, and not just for a company.

However, empowering others does not just mean employing 

tactics that persuade other people to your own opinion or goals. It 

can also mean demonstrating leadership qualities that inspire 

others to act at their very best, no matter what is asked of them. 

Such leader-ship qualities would be most in evidence in the armed 

services, where the end result of potentially being killed is rarely 

going to elicit a whoop and a cheer. Soldiers are empowered to 

greatness by the examples set by their commanding officers.

Sometimes, it is just a matter of being an admirable and inspira-

tional human being. Of course, some are born with more of these 

qualities than others, but we can all strive to lead by example, so 

that others will feel empowered to make great things happen.........

This ebook will help you to learn how to motivate and inspire team members to work harder and also how to create harmony between the employees and the owners or operators of an organization and so on for the greater amount of profits of your online business.

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