Leadership is a function that a leader performs by guiding, leading and influencing others to want to do things.

Leadership is about a person's abilities and skills to influence, guide and direct others.

The goals in any system or organization are...

1. Producing a specific action or result.
2. Improving performance.
3. Reducing employee dissatisfaction.
4. Questioning limiting beliefs and creating empowering ones.
5. Identifying values for growth and improvement.
6. Focusing and working on a vision to succeed for a better future.
7. Maintaining or improving employee motivation.

A leader through leading in his actions and effective communication can inspire and motivate people to overcome challenges in reaching their goals. They are role models to those who admire their integrity, capabilities and other admirable qualities.

Heads of departments and managers with insufficient skills and capabilities are not able to lead effectively.

Some of the skills, styles and characteristics you need to acquire are.

• Problem solving, conflict resolution and making decisions.

Problems happen when there is a difficult situation that needs a solution. To solve a problem a person requires ingenuity as well as facts and skills to move from the present state toward some desired goal.

An effective leader is able to identify whether a problem is a new one or a recurrence. He understands that a problem is associated with relationships, values, perceptions and beliefs.

A leader with problem solving and trouble shooting skills will handle a situation by identifying the symptoms and causes.

He sees it in advance the outcomes and the effects on handling it in a certain way.

Problem solving is related to creative, systematic and strategic thinking skills.

A leader who uses his mind to reason and reflect on his and other people's judgments and opinions will help him decide, resolves conflicts and arrives at a conclusion.

He finds alternatives and resources to either overcome, transform or avoid the problem.

• Building rapport.

Building rapport is important in developing relationships. Your ability to match a person's behavior and thinking is like putting yourself in his shoes.

When people exchange information, interests and beliefs they create a bond.

You will deal more effectively with people when you know what is more important to them.

You are doing him a favor by understanding and listening to him and he will feel obliged to comply with your request or suggestion.

And in wanting you to like him, he will try to appear similar to your thinking and behaviors.

The ability to develop the bond will allow you to recognize and select appropriate behavior to motivate and influence.

• Effective communication.

A leader leads by example through his actions and also by his words, either in writing or spoken.

A good communicator also uses nonverbal messages like body language, gestures and facial expressions effectively.

An effective communicator understands and establishes the states of mind of the people whom he is trying to convey his messages.

He then plans and determines the strategies to get his desired result and in improving work performance.

He listens attentively to what others have to say. He will then change the directions, break the patterns and redirect the communication to a new direction to create the best outcome.

Developing the ability to communicate effectively will give you the ability to persuade and influence.

• Persuasion and influence.

Having influence and persuasion skills give you the power to become an effective mentor and a model to your families, associates and employees.

People look up for guidance when they do not know what to do or uncertain of themselves. Show compassion toward them.

And having the abilities to persuade and influence are qualities required for effectiveness.

A charismatic leader has an added power to influence. A charming personality attracts fascinates and inspires people.

He usually shows a compelling vision to succeed and is able to communicate it to others. He shows high level of confidence, dominance and strong convictions on his beliefs.

• Trust.

People place confidence and trust on a character that shows integrity, honesty, competency, consistency and openness.

When a follower trusts a leader he believes that the actions taken are for his best interest.

A leader must exercise fairness, is honest about his feelings, maintain confidence and demonstrates confidence and competence. These traits will make others trust him.

He must fulfill the promises that he makes. Trust is essential in any relationship.

He must also develop a "trust culture" in his working and family environment or in any system so that people are able to perform effectively.

Encouraging teamwork in a working or home atmosphere speeds up the process of goal attainment because he gets full cooperation.

• Flexibility.

It is also about coping with change. When an activity or action does not produce the desired result, he should then establish a new direction. He should not allow indecision to stop him from making the next plan of action.

A leader realizes that any process to get results involves change. There are several ways to reach an outcome and he should be prepared to adapt and not limit his creativity.

Effective authority is about motivating and teaching individuals to perform so that they can raise their human potential. He should know when an employee requires guidance and counseling to resolve problems or improve work performance.

He has to feel motivated and has a strong desire to increase his own potential and develop an effective management style.

He must have a style that adjusts to the task at hand and yet maintains a harmonious relationship brings out the best to all involved.

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