A Great Leader Essay Example
A Great Leader Essay Example

A Great Leader Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (1038 words)
  • Published: September 16, 2016
  • Type: Essay
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Certain leaders stand out in our memories when thinking about leadership. We remember them for their charm and charisma or maybe we remember the way they presented themselves. We remember that important conversation we shared which was so important to us, and that speech that left the crowd speechless and inspired. We recall the leader who picked us up when we were down and the leader who had faith in us when no one else did. Those leaders were special and unique. They were great and had the ability to lead like no other. Great leaders possess many leadership traits that make them exceptional.

A great leader has empathy. He will go the extra mile to gain a better understanding of you as a person. A great leader will strive to find out how your mi

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nd works. From there he can become you, theoretically, and place himself in your shoes. His own mind will stop interrupting, and see things through your eyes. He can sense what is in your interest and connect your interest with his ideas. The empathetic leader, through dialogue, has a recognizable ability to connect with you. He will extend his empathy through person-to-person and group-to-group.

The leader with empathy can make everyone feel as if his or her contribution is part of the big picture. An empathetic leader also has the talent of effective listening. He will not spend the conversation thinking about how he is going to reply to your piece of the exchange. Instead, he will give you his undivided attention, recall back to you what he thinks you said, and ask you if h

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is correct in his recollection. By truly listening to you, he has the ability to understand you fully and apply this awareness towards his wants and needs.

Judging your feelings is something an empathic leader will not do. A great leader with empathy will never hold your feelings against you. More importantly, he will understand what you are feeling, right, or wrong, and acknowledge that your feelings are valid. Even if the empathetic leader feels differently about the situation than you do, he will have the ability to understand. An empathetic leader will not make snap decisions on information he hears for the first time. He will always gain knowledge of the parties involved and call upon them to gain a clarification of the situation.

He will dig into the thoughts and feelings of those involved in order to gain an overall better understanding of the situation. The empathetic leader believes that the more information he has, the better his decision will be. He knows that by asking for your clarity in the topic, he is showing you that he cares about your opinion. Mahatma Gandhi, a political and spiritual leader during the movement for India’s independence in the 20th century, is a person who clearly exemplified empathy towards his followers during his time.

Communication is another leadership trait that a great leader must possess. A great leader will effectively communicate with his personnel. Communication is one the most vital traits he must have. Even if his message is not always positive, a great leader will know it is best to be upfront, truthful, and timely. A leader that communicates well will

use several tools in which to interconnect with his personnel. He will always find a way to connect with his workforce through emails, meetings, speeches, phone calls, video teleconferences, and tweets.

He will share his vision, plans, and goals. A great leader will always talk about and discuss the challenges and barriers ahead. His words of wisdom will always motivate his employees to work harder towards the better of the organization. He will recognize hard work and express his appreciation and gratitude. His presence when he speaks will calm all around him. He will convey self-confidence, passion, and integrity through communication. A leader that communicates well will teach and mentor those around him in any position to do likewise.

He is eloquent and never patronizing. He is high efficient in all that he does simply because he can communicate well. Under a leader that converses effectively, the team will always feel informed. He will bring together managerial communication between subordinate leaders and subordinate leaders will emulate the great leader in their communication. President George W. Bush, who was 43rd president of the United States, was a good president, but lacked creditability with a percentage of the population and the media because of his poor communication skills.

Conviction is another leadership trait that a great leader must have. Many great leaders have the talent that knowing something is right, and will go great lengths to ensure his organization spends time in that area. His conviction will drive timely decisions, promote action, accept necessary risk, and overcome doubt. His conviction will pull workers into the effort. The drive and passion that comes from a

leader with conviction will spread to his audience. A leader with conviction knows that the greatest impact to overall success is through his employees.

He knows that the next generation is more important than the present. Those leaders with conviction understand that hard work will pay big benefits in the future. A great leader with conviction relies on truth with his decision-making. He will make the unpopular decision for the better of the organization. Employees will never stand around waiting for a decision under a leader with conviction nor will they believe that the leader has made a bad judgment. People under a leader with conviction know their leader will never avoid conflict when dealing with an issue. Martin Luther King Jr. who fought for equal rights for all races and delivered his famous speech “I Have a Dream”, is a person who did an amazing job of portraying conviction. We recognize great leaders because they are distinctive and exceptional. They have somehow left and everlasting impression of leadership in which we desire to emulate. These leaders are special in the way they carry themselves, handle daily business, and interact with others. Great leaders are empathetic communicators that display conviction in all that they do and leave behind a great example of what a leader must do in order to be successful.

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