Leadership strengths
The leader stated that his strengths include integrity, decisiveness, communication, inspiration, and accountability. He uses them to communicate the organization’s vision and mission, motivate employees to achieve organizational goals, and take decisions that favor employee development and organizational success. His accountability and integrity is reflected in the way he handles employees and other stakeholders. His communication skills aid in the creation of relationships, reiteration of organization’s vision and mission, promotion of and collaboration among employees and other stakeholders.
Bringing out the best in others
The leader brings out the best in others by delegating responsibilities, focusing on the strengths of employees, empathizing, giving recognition, and avoiding micromanaging employees. Great leaders identify their employees’ strengths and provide opportunities for their utilization (Junarso, 2009). In addition to inspiring them, he cultivates and optimizes their talents. He also listens to them and responds accordingly without judgment. Another strategy he uses is recognizing and rewarding employees who do great work. Finally, he delegates responsibilities and gives employees the freedom to handle them in their own way. He creates an environment that allows employees to speak and act freely without fear of criticism.
Leadership qualities he looks for in employees
The qualities he looks for in employees include passion, focus, confidence, integrity, and accountability. Great leaders are passionate and do what they love. Passion enhances performance and productivity, and boosts perseverance during tough times (Junarso, 2009). Focus is an important quality because organizational success can only be obtained through channeling resources on important projects only. Great leaders know what is good for their organizations. In order for a leader to influence employees, confidence is necessary. Confident leaders inspire employees and create confidence and trust in them (Junarso, 2009). Integrity and accountability ensure that leaders are consistent with their actions, decisions, principles, styles, and expectations.
The process of making good decisions
The process of making good decisions involves 7 steps: identifying the decision to be made, gathering information, identifying alternatives, weighing the pros and cons of each alternative, choosing among alternatives to get the best one, taking action, and reviewing the decision to determine its effectiveness. The most important steps are finding alternatives and gathering information. Choosing an alternative means discarding all others. This step is critical because there is a high risk of choosing an alternative that does not translate into a good decision. Biases are prevented from getting in the way by finding potentially relevant disconfirming evidence, seeking external opinions, reframing problems in order to view them from different perspectives, and relying on facts rather than personal opinions. In addition, he challenges all his employees’ actions and decisions to ensure that there is minimal influence from emotions, feelings, and erroneous thinking.
Approach to solving complex problems
The leader’s approach to solving complex problems involves four steps namely, problem definition, alternatives generation, evaluation and selection of solution, and implementation of solution. After a problem is defined, employees brainstorm to find potential solutions. The best solution is selected and implemented.
Valued-add qualities of leaders
Huge value-add qualities that a leader brings to a team include motivation, confidence, organization, communication, and influence. Effective communication builds great relationships, and improves interactions between a leader and team members (Junarso, 2009). Organization skills facilitate proper planning and implementation of strategies, and streamline the processes of decision making and problem solving. Confidence reassures team members of their leader’s ability to lead and guide them. Influence inspires commitment in team members and strengthens their focus toward the attainment of organizational goals and objectives.
Reference
Junarso, T. (2009). Leadership greatness: best practices to become a great leader. New York, NY: iUniverse.