Leadership is both a principle and a process. It is primarily about People, Relationships and Missions. In order for leadership to be effective there must be effective coherence amongst the followers directed towards a common purpose or Mission. Therefore the vital element that binds people together is communication. There can be no leadership without a following; no coherence without teamwork.

Leadership is about knowing where to go; to see how to achieve; and the courage to get to where we ought to be; by doing the right thing and getting others to follow. Leadership involves a mission, vision, dynamism, consistency and change. If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there. Leadership is about having a longer term vision, a mission in life to accomplish, and a dedication and discipline to achieve objectives.

The ability to Inspire confidence, Influence behaviour, Instil a sense of belonging and Induce discipline are necessary skills to be developed to maintain effective leadership. Taken together, Leadership, Teamwork and Communication is about having a mission and wanting to accomplish goals and the tools for achievement.

Effective Communication does not limit itself to speech, but to various factors relating to our behaviour. The message given by the leader must be consistent with his or her own behaviour.

Recognized world leaders

Let us look briefly at some characters we acknowledge as great leaders; Dwight D Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Dalai Lama, among others are great men and women known for their courage and principles.

Dwight D Eisenhower, considered to have been a better general than a president, yet there could have been no case of a president more reluctant to assume office; his critics for the most part were the very people who demanded that he assume it.

The following extract from a speech is a statement of great beliefs of this simple man.

“The Heritage of America and the strength of America are expressed in three fundamental principles; First, individual freedom is our most precious possession; Second, all our freedoms are a single bundle, all must be secure if any is to be preserved; Third, freedom to compete and readiness to co-operate make our system the most productive on earth”.

“The best foreign policy is to live our daily lives in honesty, decency and integrity; at home, making our own land a more fitting habitation for free men; and abroad, joining with those of like mind and heart, to make of the world a place where all men can dwell in peace.

Winston Churchill, referred to as a red-haired, snub-nosed intractable urchin, was once declared as “The naughtiest small boy in the world”. Churchill, on taking office, had warned that he had nothing to offer but “blood, toil, tears and sweat”. With France collapsing and all the continent of Europe falling into the clutches of Hitler, he declared that “we should keep up the struggle against Nazi tyranny, if necessary, alone.” His speeches voiced the ultimate courage of Britain, and the nation rallied to his call.

“We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills and we shall never surrender.”

Martin Luther King Jr., a bright and popular child at school, briefly thought of being a lawyer or a doctor, he felt his call to the church ministry. He persistently preached two basic doctrines of Christian social justice, racial brotherhood and non-violence.

His famous speech delivered to thousands of civil rights campaigners, “I have a dream that one day my four little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day in the red hills of Georgia, sons of former slaves and sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brother” marks his character and quality.

Abraham Lincoln, born in a log cabin, his early life of one of struggle and hardship. His formal education was negligible with just one year at local school. As a young boy, his skills were those of a log-splitter and farmhand than that of a president. However, his speeches made the great statements of democratic ideals which marked his leadership.

” Four scores and seven years ago our fathers brought forth to this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal……that this nation, under God, was for a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.

Mahatma Gandhi or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the architect of the most effective civil disobedient movement in history, was physically only a walking skeleton of a man with a frail puny body. Afflicted by a shy-ness so great in his early career, he could not bear to make a public speech. Yet, such was the force of his personal integrity that he persuaded hundreds of thousands of his fellow countrymen to risk their lives, their families to follow his cause and to endure prison and poverty because of their devotion to him and his principles.

Mother Theresa, Mother Theresa, born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Macedonia, was of Albanian decent. At the age of twelve felt strongly the call of God and knew she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ. At the age of eighteen she left home and joined the Sisters of Loreto and was sent to India and in 1950 was given permission to start her own order “The Missionaries of Charity” which today has spread all over the world including the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. She was just 4 feet 8 inches tall, humble and dedicated to her work, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

In her Nobel price acceptance speech she said “I choose the poverty of our people. But I am grateful to receive in the name of the hungry, the homeless, of the cripple, of the blind, of the lepers, of all those who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared-for throughout society, people that become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone”

Leadership attributes

The common traits that standout in each of these characters are that they each had a Vision to “see” beyond; and a mission to bring “good” against adversity and to communicate “clearly and effectively”.

Looking at each one of these people’s early life, none of them could be considered to be born leaders. Their physical appearance does not fit the stereotype image of tall, handsome dynamism.

The common trait in all these personalities is that of their ability to Inspire confidence, Influence to change ways, Induce a sense of mission and Instil discipline and to give an element of hope in others through times of adversity.

The three qualities that great leaders have are;

Compassion for all

Material simplicity

A sense of equality and modesty

Leadership is an acquired skill that could be learnt. Adversity could be seen as the challenge for leadership with courage to emerge. Therefore the style of leadership and strategies must also suit the mission and the situation. There is no stereotype in leadership style or personality that would fit every situation.

In the context of an organization, values must be communicated clearly to build a relationship between leadership and the team as well as among team members.

Clear understanding–

Be aware of what is happening around you by keeping an open mind. Put aside personal prejudices. Learn to recognize how things fall into place naturally. Have patience to observe and avoid intervention unless you have to. Remember that every action has its equal and opposite reaction.

Selfless service- Be committed to offering selfless service for the common good. Do not follow fame and fortune. Become a leader. Let others follow. Let go of your efforts to be rich, perfect and secure.

Generosity in value-

Every effort by your followers must be valued. Avoid playing favourites. Value silence and spend time on reflection. Your generosity brings prosperity to your team.

Silence to receive –

Communicate through the right attitude, openness and silence. Be generous in accepting others’ views. Un-clutter your mind. Let it be filled with wisdom. Do not impose your own agenda on the team. Being open and attentive is better than being judgmental.

Equality in judgment –

Refrain from being judgemental. Be wise like water. Water cleanses and refreshes without judgment. Be easy like water when following the contours of a riverbed.

Keep your ego in check –

Let it not diminish your wisdom. Avoid being possessive of your followers. Your possessions become your possessor.

Clarity in comprehension-

Understanding the problem or situation is what is important. Learn and understand your own inner feelings and conflicts. Then you could understand others better. Solutions will follow your wisdom and understanding.

Honesty, integrity and Trust –

Be consistent in behaviour and human values. Do not rely on techniques and gimmicks; they are short lived. To understand others take intelligence, but to know thy-self takes wisdom.

Overcome adversity-

Give courage and hope to others to overcome adversity. Be a healer to others by being a silent listener. Be gentle in intervention.

Confidence in ability –

Collective ability and interdependence of team members lead to confidence. Be clear in your communication; say what you believe.

Measure of success-

Your happiness and well being should be your measure of success. If you let criticism and praise be your measure, then your anxiety will be endless. Be free; learn to live a simple life.

Productivity in any organization depends on leadership, teamwork and clear communication.