Our Guide to Leadership Skill Information

Last time we published an article on leadership, we spoke about the six different leadership styles that successful managers can apply to different settings.  One key to the success of a manager is their ability to switch or flex styles as conditions change.  This is commonly referred to as "situational leadership."

The transactional leadership style was first described by Max Weber in 1947 and again by Bernard M. Bass in 1981.  If you've heard of the term transformational leadership, then one way to think of transactional leadership is this:  It's at the opposite end of the leadership spectrum.

Leadership Characteristics are a funny thing because some people wonder if they possess them without completely understanding what they might be. In other words, we've got people trying to figure out if they are leaders, but they don't really understand what defines a leader.  Let's take a close look at some of the characteristics of a leader so you can figure out how you measure up.

One of those intangible characteristics that people often search for in their careers is leadership qualities.  People ask of themselves: Do I have what it takes to be a leader in this organization?  On the flip side, you might think that you have what it takes to be a leader, but you are left wondering - Does my boss see the leadership qualities that I possess?

We've all heard of the stories about how someone stepped up and became a leader.  You may have even heard someone make the comment "well that kid was born a leader."  Unfortunately it is not all that simple.  Leadership traits are not necessarily hereditary.  And the argument really goes back to your beliefs about nature versus nurture.

We've all questioned the strength of our leadership skills at one time in our career.  If you've ever had the chance to supervise or manage a group you've probably wondered if the group members felt you were a leader.  You may have even tried to guess if peers around you feel you're a leader.  Perhaps you have even hoped that your boss sees the leadership skills that you possess.

There are lots of tests that you can take that can help you assess your leadership skills or style.  In fact, you can spend hours filling out questionnaires that will help you determine your leadership style, your strengths and weaknesses.  Our leadership skills assessment is much simpler than those detailed assessments, but we promise the results to be nearly as insightful.

Essentially, leadership skills are the behaviors that you would exhibit when placed in various situations.  That's the foundation for various leadership theories such as situational leadership.  Assessing your leadership style can help you not only in identifying your strengths and weaknesses as a leader but also in the developing your leadership skills.

If you've found this article then chances are you have to admit that leadership is just one of those topics that we can't seem to get enough of.  Well you're not alone because the study of leadership and what it takes to be a leader is intriguing to a lot of people.

After working for nearly 25 years, I have to admit that I've had quite a bit of Leadership Training.  I'm optimistic and hope that my company has invested in my career because they saw leadership qualities in me.  The point here is that after 25 years, I've had plenty of exposure to both good and bad leadership training and I'm willing to share my insights with others.

Leadership and Management are two words that are sometimes used interchangeably.  That's unfortunate because there are a lot of leaders that are not managers and a lot of managers that are certainly not leaders.  We've continued to focus on the leadership aspects of career development, so in this article we're going to take a closer look at the differences between leadership and management.

Working on our leadership development skills is extremely important to our professional careers and personal growth as the complexities of life continue to present us with new challenges.  Over our professional lives, we will be presented with the opportunity to learn new and exciting ways to more fully develop our leadership capabilities.  In this publication, we will talk about some of the ways to get the most out of these experiences.

We've talked about a number of leadership models in the past.  Most of these models dating back to some of the earlier thoughts on the subject.  Creative leadership is one of the more recent additions to this area and in some ways has redefined the way we should look at leaders.

Certainly our view of leadership is more than simply the ability to come up with noteworthy quotes, but on the other hand the study of leadership quotes can be insightful.  Such quotes can cause us to step back from this harried environment in which we live and think about situations rather than just react to them.

Despite the fact that some cultures continue to suppress the rights of women, there are quite a few success stories elsewhere around the world.  Given all of the challenges that women face - both politically and in the business world - it took a truly remarkable effort on behalf of the famous women leaders we're going discuss.

We've spent a lot of time focusing on the attributes of leaders today, but here we'd like to step back and recognize the increasing numbers and importance of women in leadership roles.  Our list contains women in powerful positions - leaders and former leaders of Fortune 500 companies.

We're going to continue talking about women leaders - as a follow up to our Women in Leadership roles article.  But here we're not going to talk about women that are political leaders.  In fact, these women are such powerful leaders that they are seen as the frontrunners to have the honor of being the first woman President.

The civil rights movement traces its history back to early 1800's, and there were no doubt countless leaders in the civil rights movement throughout history.  However, when considering the modern day movement in civil rights, we are really talking about those civil rights leaders that began to emerge in the mid to late 1930s.

With the memory of Hurricane Katrina fresh in the minds of Americans, we'd like to discuss the leadership aspects of this disaster - or more accurately the perceived lack of leadership.  We've decided to call this article Demonstrating Genuine Leadership because we're moving away from leadership theory with this one and pulling from a real world example.

Effective leadership is a funny thing.  We recognize it when others are doing it, but how can we become effective leaders ourselves?  We are able to see the affect this leader has on their followers and the results they are able to obtain even when faced with significant challenges.  But how do they do it?

Everyday, millions of Americans rely on the teachers and educators across the country to provide their children with the fundamental skills and knowledge that will last a lifetime.  These same Americans want their children to have every advantage, including obtaining the best possible education.  Unfortunately, the public educational system doesn't always provide that option to parents.

Over the past century, there's been a lot of work and thought given to the development of various leadership theories.  From that work, we've got transformational leadership, situational leadership theories, and behavioral theories.  But very little has been written from a theory standpoint about ethical leadership.

From high school stadiums to professional arenas, sports today are played in a very competitive environment.  Coaches and players feel the pressure to succeed and the measure of success is found in the win / loss column.  That's why - as a coach and a player - leadership in sports is getting so much attention.

The word motivation is often defined as "getting someone moving."  Motivation theory breaks down these forces into internal or intrinsic motivation and external or extrinsic motivation.  If you're in a leadership role, it's important to understand how employees are motivated and what you can do as a leader to keep them motivated.

The affiliative leader was first described by Daniel Goleman in connection with the six leadership styles he defined in his theory of Emotional Intelligence.  As described by Goleman, affiliative leaders can be summarized individuals that are often more sensitive to the value of people than reaching goals.

We've talked about several types of leaders in our articles on Leadership Style and Situational Leadership.  But here we are going to focus on just on type - the autocratic leadership style - its strengths and weaknesses and when to use this leadership style.

Authoritative leaders were first described by Daniel Goleman in connection with the six leadership styles he defined.  As described by Goleman, authoritative leaders can be summarized as being experts in their field of work that are able to clearly articulate a vision and the path to success.

Charismatic Leaders are often thought of as heroes that are able to use their personal magic to lead others.  But that charismatic charm can be both a blessing and a curse on society.  That's because charisma can be used for the good of a company or nation - but also for less-than-honorable reasons.

If your intellectual capital is weak, or if you're simply looking for someone to share their knowledge, then you need to find someone that is good at, or willing to practice the coaching leadership style.  That's because coaching leaders are excellent at helping others to advance their skills, building bench strength and providing career guidance.

One of the six leadership styles that Daniel Goleman wrote about was the coercive leadership style.  Goleman's research linked each of these six different leadership styles to his theory of emotional intelligence.  Recognizing that each of these six styles plays an important role in achieving results, we also need to recognize the coercive style is one that should be used with caution.

We've summarized many of the different types of leaders in our articles on Leadership Style and Situational Leadership.  But in this publication on democratic leadership, we're going to dig deeper into each of these styles - just like we did with Autocratic Leadership - so you have a little better understanding of what the style is all about and when it's effective.

One of the six leadership styles that Daniel Goleman described in his theory of emotional intelligence was the pacesetting leadership style.  While each of the six leadership styles has its role in today's workplace, pacesetting leadership is another one of those styles that should be used sparingly.

We're going to take a bit of a world tour and take a quick look at former Russian leaders starting around the turn of the 20th Century.  We're going to divide these leaders into two groups, those that were considered Communist leaders of the Soviet Union and those that held the title of President of Russia.

We've already taken a look at Russian leaders of the Communist party, but as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union continued to lose the faith of its followers, the door began to open on a new Russia.  With that we have the end of Communist rulers and the beginning of democratically elected Russian Presidential Leaders.

Asking for a raise is a lot like looking for love. No one really values anything that comes too cheaply. But while dating can be fun, confronting authority can be intimidating. We asked John Towler, of Creative Organizational Design, a management consulting firm to outline how to talk money with your boss.

What is success? I am not going to try to define success. I think a precise definition is impossible. Is it winning a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games or winning Wimbledon, or being awarded a Nobel Prize? What else? I believe personal success could be anything at all--it does not have to involve public recognition.

I believe the key to effective time management is having a PLAN. Once you have done that, communicate your plans to others involved in your life (those nearest and dearest to you), or those people working with you in business.

A sudden emergency has placed you and your staff in crisis mode. They're pouring on the extra effort to meet a seemingly impossible deadline, and tension is running high. Ease their anxiety with these tactics:

1) Listen without judgment. The key to good communication is listening well. Save your judging for later after you have heard and understood what was said.

Whether you've been forced into early retirement, downsized, or are tired of being at home and eager to work again, or even taking your first job, entering the work force after the age of 50 can hold some challenges.  Here are some tips from someone who coaches a lot of people in this transition.

A few weeks ago, a couple of colleagues and I discussed a new business idea. But, we had trouble expressing how this new business would provide value.

By day, she's a billing analyst for her local electric company; by night, Heather Morel, 29, of Minneapolis is a wife, mother and student. Not at her local university, but at Capella, an accredited online university.

In today's competitive business environment, more and more people are seeking something that will give them that extra edge: the help of a professional business coach. No longer considered a luxury enjoyed by only a few CEOs, business coaches are frequently consulted by individuals and organizations looking for guidance on everything from how to resolve conflicts, build successful teams and develop next generation leaders.

Employees are the most important part of any successful business, but in many organizations they are underutilized. Seventy-five percent of American employees have indicated they are not working at their full potential according to a Harris survey.

Flying by the seat of your pants is rarely successful in helping you achieve your career goals. But careful planning and effective time management can help you meet, and even exceed, your career expectations.