Leadership Skills Essay Example

I understand the essence of criticism and how to use it to my advantage.

4.      My leadership profile of 2-1 implies an ability to shift expectations in relationships. I am flexible in these aspects and I tend to put a more prominent importance of getting the tasks done.

5.      Being highly task-oriented, I am effective in demanding situations and in instances of low to moderate level of readiness of subordinates.

Weaknesses:

1.      I have a very low score in self-regulation components which means that I often have little control of my emotions. I find it difficult at times to keep my impulses in check.

2.      There are times that I am overwhelmed by the pressures around and am prone to get flustered. In some instances, it is difficult to be comfortable with changes or new ideas and approaches.

3.      It is also an effort at times to tone down negative and disruptive emotions especially when what is expected is not delivered.

4.      I do not fare well in situations where I do not take the lead. It shows a lack of faith in people’s aptitude and ability to perform better.

Action Plan

The assessment results show that although I am very much aware of my emotions, strengths and limitations, I am very weak in managing those emotions and keeping them under control.

To be able to sustain my strongest EQ component then, it is necessary for me to continue to be confident and believe in my potentials. Every mistake and every criticism should be taken sincerely in order to learn and improve from them.It is also important for me to learn and practice how to think first before reacting. I should learn not to be

overcome by panic and still be able to keep a clear head and strong composure even amidst tough situations. In order to create a harmonious environment as well, I must learn to be able to keep my emotions in check and not be impulsive.There is no style profile that is perfect, this much is true.

However, it is still very much important and necessary for both the organization and me to improve on the characteristics that I am weak at. A good and effective leadership is a two-way street that involves the leader and the people. It is finding the right balance of push and pull and the right mixture of the intelligence quotient and emotional competence. Having been aware of my style as a leader and the level of my ability in understanding myself and other people, I need to learn and work on how to practice the right mix. I should assess better the level of readiness and maturity of my subordinates. As their level of competencies grows, I must work on being more relationship-oriented and trust in my subordinates’ capabilities.

I must work on having a proper understanding and use of my emotions in order to help workers become more effective and better members.  Negotiation SkillsNegotiation, as we have learned, is the process where two parties interact and compromise in order to reach a mutual agreement. It is a skill that requires extensive training and experience. Nowadays, negotiations have become such a way of life especially for an organization. For this reason, aside from improving the level of one’s emotional competencies and his leadership styles, it is also important to be able to negotiate effectively

and efficiently.Having participated in various negotiation role-plays, I realized that it is a long process and one that involves great and careful planning and preparation.

These exercises also enabled me to assess my negotiation profile. I learned that I am no better or worse than the rest of the group and that I am almost equally oriented to both collaborative and competitive approach. The grid on the left illustrates the results of my self-assessment exercise. This goes to show that I place almost equal importance to empathy and assertiveness, to both value creation and value claiming. The results also coincide with my strengths and weaknesses that I was able to identify during the exercises.

Strengths:

1.      In the role-plays, I tried to grasp the point of the other party and understand where he is coming from. I tried to consider and be aware of their limitations. I allowed the other party and gave them a chance to present their positions clearly.

This allowed me to see clearly what their objectives are and what they hope to get from the negotiation.

2.      I tried to manage my emotions and not be affected by the frustrations in not arriving at an appropriate solution faster.

3.      I was very willing to resolve the issues at hand and strived hard to maintain my focus on it. There were times that the discussion was no longer on the subject; I tried to keep us on track.

4.      I placed great importance and hoped to arrive at a win-win solution.

The discussion, for me, was all about exploring the best alternatives and not on pinpointing on who is to be blamed. It was, for me, more of

finding a common ground and establishing the balance of the needs of both parties.

5.      Throughout the role-plays, I also thought of what the organization finds more valuable and not just the monetary value or the probable cost-savings. Maintaining the integrity of the business and its relationships with the other parties is also of importance.

Weaknesses:

1.     One of my weak points in the exercises was my inadequate ability to be more dominant in the discussion. I was not able to manage and control the negotiation in a way that is more advantageous to my part. My collaborative tendencies were more prevailing and this did not work to my benefit.

2.      During the role-plays, it was also brought to my attention that I need to be more coercive and more forceful in achieving my objectives and getting my point across. I found it hard to persuade and sway the other party to the direction I am going.

3.      I also tended to veer away from giving negative feedbacks and was focused more on the human relations rather than on meeting the company, therefore, my requirements.

4.      It was also very difficult for me to be creative in looking for possible solutions that would resolve the issues, especially at certain points in the negotiation process where I felt that there is no way for both parties to agree to something.

5.      It was an effort also not to lose focus and to overcome the frustrations and tensions in the negotiating table.

Patience was something that was easier said than done.RecommendationsEvery negotiation aims to arrive at a win-win solution. With our exercises however, this was not the usual results. In hindsight, we could have

made the negotiations more successful and agreeable to both parties.

It was evident in the exercises that each of us were greatly focused on achieving our individual objectives and was not really very receptive to compromising. Most were focused on the aspect of taking and benefiting more and were not so much willing to concede on some aspects. If both parties were somehow amenable in forgoing a few conditions and agreeing to some, the outcome would have been much better. Another way where we could have arrived at a more positive resolution was if we were more prepared prior to the actual exercise. We should have had a clearer strategy and have already a number of alternatives at hand.

Different scenario and cost-benefit analyses would have be been more helpful and would facilitate a smoother discussion. These would have allowed us also to be more flexible in our terms and conditions.

There are a number of available resources that would help me improve my skills on how to be a better and more effective negotiator. Aside from various reading materials, there are also a number of tutorials and other online courses that aim to develop an individual’s negotiation skills. Though these are certainly very helpful, I feel that what I most need is to engage myself in the negotiation processes more. I believe that these skills are better learned with experience and not just on theory.

For me to be able to improve, I need to apply what I have been taught. Those exercises may be for real or just role-plays, but the experiences I will gain in every negotiation exercise will enable me to further realize where my

strengths lie and what my weaknesses are - areas that both need to be cultivated and enhanced. This, I believe, will most facilitate my improvement.The various role-plays and exercises have taught me a number of things needed not only on how to be a good negotiator but to be a better leader as well.

The exercises highlighted the need to be composed and calm even in heated and stressful discussions. They stressed the importance of assessing when and how best to be forceful and when to let the other party take the lead. Further, the exercises taught me that it is not only important to be powerful and have the upper hand, it is equally important to know how to use them properly. The value of good communication and sincere listening skills were very necessary to come up with a possible solution.Having assessed myself in my emotional competence, leadership skills and negotiation abilities, I have identified strengths that I am aware I must strive to sustain.

I have also identified weaknesses that needed to be improved at for me to become a more efficient and a better leader. The various assessments showed me that it is not only important to be equipped with the intelligence but to be successful, one needs to be able to deal with other parties as well. After all, a leader is no leader if he cannot gain the respect of his colleagues.