Leadership is an essential part of any organization. If an organization does not have great leaders it is likely to fail, maybe not right away, but eventually it will fail. Great leaders influence people to get things done to a standard and quality above their norm. “Leadership is an art and a science. It is an art because it continually evolves, changes form, and requires creativity. It is a science because there are certain essential principles and techniques required.” A good leader knows when it is time to change shape because they are highly attentive to those around them. By powerfully communicating a vision that motivates, and inspires followers, a great leader is able to transform his or her organization. A good leader needs to be able to laugh; a great leader needs to be able to laugh at oneself (What Makes a Great Leader).
“Leadership can be defined as a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs an organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills” (Concepts of Leadership).
Leaders can also carry out this process by following the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership. The first practice is to “model the way”. Excellent leaders know that if they want their employees to be committed and achieve high standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect of others. Leaders establish principles concerning the way people should be treated and the way goals should be pursued. They create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow (Leadership Challenge).
The second practice is to “inspire a shared vision”. Leaders inspire a shar ...