Assigning core leadership positions in to incapable hands a vital drive affecting the national growth.

 Leadership is one of the most studied aspects of group communication. Scholars in business, communication, psychology, and many other fields have written extensively about the qualities of leaders, theories of leadership, and how to build leadership skills. It’s important to point out that although a group may have only one official leader, other group members play important leadership roles. Making this distinction also helps us differentiate between leaders and leadership.Owen Hargie, Skilled Interpersonal Interaction: Research, Theory, and Practice (London: Routledge, 2011), 456. The leader is a group role that is associated with a high-status position and may be formally or informally recognized by group members. Leadership is a complex of beliefs, communication patterns, and behaviors that influence the functioning of a group and move a group toward the completion of its task. A person in the role of leader may provide no or poor leadership. Likewise, a person who is not recognized as a “leader” in title can provide excellent leadership. In the remainder of this section, we will discuss some approaches to the study of leadership, leadership styles, and leadership and group dynamics.

Leadership Leadership has nothing to do with seniority or one’s position in the hierarchy of a company. Too many talk about a company’s leadership referring to the senior most executives in the organization. They are just that, senior executives. Leadership doesn’t automatically happen when you reach a certain pay grade. Hopefully you find it there, but there are no guarantees.

Leadership has nothing to do with titles. Similar to the point above, just because you have a C-level title, doesn’t automatically make you a “leader.” In all of my talks I stress the fact that you don’t need a title to lead. In fact, you can be a leader in your place of worship, your neighborhood, in your family, all without having a title.

Leadership has nothing to do with personal attributes. Say the word “leader” and most people think of a domineering, take-charge charismatic individual. We often think of icons from history like General Patton or President Lincoln. But leadership isn’t an adjective. We don’t need extroverted charismatic traits to practice leadership. And those with charisma don’t automatically lead.

However here are the examples of assigning leadership into incapable hands.

An imbalance of independence and direction

To function properly, companies require a clear direction, both for the tasks of individuals and for the company. Sometimes, leaders provide an approximate idea of the company culture, but without outlining how an individual role applies to that environment. Though this can provide a level of independence for the employee, it also risks a lack of understanding.

When employers avoid micromanagement, it's necessary for them to provide clear direction. If leaders don't integrate guidance and specific direction, then it can result in confusion and substandard work products.

Fostering a lack of transparency

While there are usually separations between the duties of teams, departments, and employees, if employees feel unsure or confused about expectations, it can lead to workplace concerns. Naturally, there are aspects of management that either don't apply to certain roles, but if employees sense a lack of honesty or trust, it can result in worsening morale and a sense of insecurity. Encouraging transparency in the workplace involves active communication.

Management being unavailable

Leadership is a busy role in any situation, but using that as an excuse to dismiss employee questions or concerns is an example of poor management. Accessibility is crucial for leaders to communicate with employees, over the phone or through e-mail. An open door policy isn't always the best approach, but if a leader is unavailable, then they're unable to perform their primary job, which is to provide guidance.

Ignoring employee opinions and suggestions

It's essential for leaders to listen to employees' opinions to understand their motivators and help guide them to success. While many managers and leaders listen to employees' feedback, ignoring it can be negative and have far-reaching impacts. Sometimes, employees raise concerns about the working environment, their salary, or job duties. It can appear easy to dismiss these worries, but strong leaders compromise and innovate to integrate company requirements with the desires of employees.

WRITTEN BY: Jimoh Zainab Abisola

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