leadership

a fren asked me to do this survey for her. decided to post it in here, just my opinion on leadership. feel free to share. cheers.

1. Describe the perfect leader ?
A perfect leader is one who motivates his/her own team members to work together as a team. He/she should be fair, and listen to all ideas proposed by his fellow team members and then use rationale and good judgment to make a decision.

2. Do you think it is a leader’s responsibility to create a strategy that will cause an organization to succeed?
It is the leader’s responsibility as much as it is the rest of the organization. The leader can only do so much but without the co-operation of his team members, there will be no success.

3. What are the important factors for organization success?
A good strategy weighing out profits and losses, a good co-operating team, a look into benefits for the long run, good interaction between leader and fellow team members.

4. What do you believe to be the characteristics of a leader? Name 3.
Motivated, fair, good judgment, listens to his fellow team members, respects others.

5. Do you think gender matters in a leadership role?
Definitely not. In this modern era, many women have been seen holding high managerial and presidential posts. I personally know some women who own and run their own company and are successful. Gender definitely does not play a part and if any, a woman usually does a better job because they are more organized, are fast thinkers, better co-ordinated and able to multi-task.

6. Do you think leadership experience matters?
Not always. A leader starts being a leader from scratch. If given a chance, anyone can be a leader if they have the right qualities. Experience does give you a better hold over things, though.

7. Emotional Quotient, Intelligent Quotient, Must leaders be intelligent?
Not necessarily. We see graduates coming out of the university and because they are so used to doing things under the book, they don’t really know how to handle hands-on situations. With a clear, efficient, fair and organized mind, one can already be a leader.

8. Can leadership be taught and/or learnt ?
It can be taught and learnt to a certain extent. Leadership skills workshops may help but they can only go so far. I believe that a real leader comes from within.

9. Are leaders born and bred ?
Some believe so just like Hitler. I feel that some really do have the gifted talent of leadership in them by chance but more so, through nurture. Genetically, you may have some genes/chromosomes that determine your intelligence but really, experience and exposure is more practical. You are more nurtured to be a leader as you grow and learn new skills rather than genetically having those skills.

10. In general, how do you describe the relationship you have with your leader?
The relationship I have with my leader is one where both respects each other and listens to each other for rationale and opinions.

11. Do managers and leaders function the same way?
Most of the time, it is similar.

12. What are the biggest benefits you or your organization gets from having a good leader?
Everything goes well, is more organized and efficient. The organization is also clear of the direction in which it is heading for and will strive towards it.

13. Does your leader share his or her visions with you ? If yes, are they clear? Do you know what is expected of you. If no, why not ?
Yes she does and it definitely paints a clear picture of what is expected.

14. Do you think there are differences in the way local and foreign leaders work? State the differences if applicable.
I think there are no distinct differences in local and foreign leaders. There are no generalization to this because both local and foreign leaders can be good or bad.

15. How can leadership be improved in your organization?
With monthly or weekly meetings where the leader explains to the team what is expected of them and what their plans are so that everybody is clear and aware of their goals and will work at their specific area to reach it.