Leadership: Motivation, Direction, and the Ability to Develop Innovation Solutions

Leadership is fundamental to organizations and communities because it motivates people and provides a sense of direction. How we motivate people to act on a good cause, mission, or organizational objective is part of the ability of maximizing group effort. Executives will need to learn to manage groups and how you do that is important in solving collective problems (organization or society). 

(Illustrative Only)

Leadership is based
in your personal experience, traits,
and skills. It must fit
within a certain cultural 
framework and able to motivate
teams of people. The right
challenge, leader, followers
and resources for innovative
adaptation.

Strong leaders solve
 societal-organizational problems, 
they don't seek to self enrich
or self-promote.
Ethics is still important
to ensure resources
are used wisely.

Leadership ability is drawn from the social side. It contains elements of group management, resource allocation, knowing how to use pressure, when to create a vision. Strong leadership doesn't happen overnight but is fostered over time. 

Leadership is therefore both a skill and a developmental process. This is one reason people pursue college and graduate education, participate in leadership programs, and study leadership through reading and practical experience.

Leadership can also look very different depending on the circumstances. In some historical situations, strong leadership and authoritarianism may appear similar, while in others, empathy, collaboration, and working effectively with others can produce greater achievement. Leadership is neither good or bad but the leader must choose what type they are going to be and what their followers are willing to follow.

We have seen leadership in history do great things and we have seen it do horrible things. The leader must be able to sell his vision to others. Therefore, leadership is in context. Thus this is why in some of my writings I use the concepts I, ME, WE to round out this context. I is personal leadership (many paths to being a leader), ME is the socialized evironment (values and culture), and WE the collective effort (coordinating resources). 

Ultimately, leadership involves bringing people and resources together and developing strategies to overcome challenges. Innovate for lasting change. When leadership is inclusive and encourages willing participation in shared goals, it can help organizations bring out the best in their people, compete more effectively, and innovate.

The question for leaders is not simply whether they can lead, but what kind of leadership they provide and whether their approach brings out the best in others.

 Ten Simple Rules for Good Leadership

• Good leadership is not simply the same as being a good manager or a successful professional; effective leaders help people and organizations perform at their best.
• Lead by example and demonstrate the standards, work ethic, and accountability expected from others.
• Be humble, recognize the abilities of others, share credit, and understand that strong organizations depend on people with different strengths.
• Build an inclusive and caring workplace by recognizing individuals, listening to employees, treating people fairly, and understanding their circumstances.
• Encourage shared governance, seek input, communicate decisions transparently, and develop a collective organizational vision.
• Be decisive when difficult choices must be made, accept responsibility for mistakes, and correct decisions when necessary.
• Hire the right people, give them opportunities to innovate, and delegate responsibilities to trusted team members.
• Enjoy leadership while recognizing when it is time to move on; strong leaders develop succession plans so the organization can continue successfully.

Bourne, P. E. (2022). Ten simple rules for good leadership. PLOS Computational Biology, 18(6), e1010133. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010133