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what is the essence of leadership?? What would be evidence of effective or ineffective leadership? How does one exercise leadership? Please be sure to address all three components of this question.
As evidenced throughout this course, leadership can hardly be defined or classified by a single word or phrase. There are a multitude of behaviors and processes that collectively exemplify leadership ,however, if asked to define the essence of leadership in a single phrase, Heifetz and Linsky perhaps do it best by describing leadership as a �reciprocal process between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow.� The key here is that true leadership comes not from a title, but rather from a willingness to follow a CREDIBLE individual whose power comes from shared goals, trust, and relationships.
Effective leadership involves �mobilizing people toward adaptive change.� To further illustrate this point, let us look at technical challenges. Technical challenges are those that already have a blueprint for a solution, not much learning occurs, and the constituents almost always go back to the same norm. These situations can typically be handled by an authority who provides direction, protection, and order. Leadership conversely, as Heifetz and Linsky point out, is dangerous business that rarely has an easy answer. Leadership is about getting people out of their comfort zones, helping others learn, and creating new norms. Effective leadership is evidenced by the inspired action of others. In other words, the constituents aren�t just following the values of their leader, but rather those values become internalized and shared amongst all members of the group.
It should be clear that leadership is no easy task, but Kouzes and Posner provide a terrific framework for exercising leadership that includes the following processes: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others,...