PRINCIPLES OF GOOD LEADERSHIP

GOOD LEADERSHIP by Susan Mugambi Arimi

In trying to define leadership, we learned that leadership is a continuous journey and not a one day thing. It contains everything a person learns on a day to day basis. So, it would be appropriate to say, leadership is developed, not discovered. On the other hand, leadership has to do with casting vision and motivating people. Therefore, the realm of leadership, whether in the business world or in the church continues to overwhelm with a sense of mystery by onlookers, who in most cases are followers. Leadership is the skill of influencing people to work enthusiastically toward goals identified as being for the common good. However, the true leader understands that leadership is not just a title, or charisma. It is not even the perks that come with some leadership positions. If one desires to be a true leader, he or she must be involved in a lifetime of lessons. True leadership is about serving other people. Of course, the method through which a leader develops in serving his followers often takes years to be molded and crafted into perfection.
True leadership has to do with a lot of sacrifice on the part of the leader. It demands a lot of energy, time, money, and resources, which the leader could have otherwise channeled into his personal fulfillment. By the way, this in not to say that all leaders attain this kind of sacrifice. Consequently, there are some leaders who intentionally use their followers to fulfill their own ends. Therefore, there is a very precise distinction between good leadership and bad leadership.
As it was mentioned earlier, servant leadership is developed through a process. Certain behavioral traits and disciplines have to be acquired or learned in order to effectively execute good leadership. In the book developing a leader within you, we learned or studied ten principles of leadership. To be precise I will contain myself and examine three of these principles, which by and large are the most essential qualities of any good leadership.

INTEGRITY
The most important ingredient of leadership is integrity. Therefore, integrity can be defined as the state of being whole, complete, and unified. Then, it will be true to say that people of integrity are whole people they do not pretend, nor act with divided loyalties. Integrity is not what we do as much as what we are. When I have integrity, my words and my actions match up. “A person of integrity is one who has established a system of values against which all life is judged”, says V. Gilbert Beers.
Integrity builds trust. People follow because they have confidence in their leader. The highest quality of a leader is integrity, and without it no real success can be achieved. Secondly integrity has high influence value. Emerson said, “Every great institution is the lengthened shadow of single man. His character determines the organization”. Will Rogers said, “People’s minds are changed through observation and not argument”. “Never has there been a time in the history of mankind when the issue of integrity has become so crucial. In the same way a good house has to stand on a firm foundation, good and effective leadership has to be under guarded by integrity”.
Followers look at the leader as an exemplary of character and everything he claims the organization stands for. The leader has to cultivate trust in the hearts of his followers by going through first to pave the way, then usher his followers through the way. The followers need to have confidence to walk into the field when the leader says there is pasture ahead, or refrain from doing so when the leader warns then about wolves lurking in their way. People do what people see. Integrity facilitates high standards. Leaders ought to live by higher standards than their followers. As it is illustrated in the book, responsibilities increase as one climbs the ladder in any organization, whereas personal rights decreases. In any given situation people are limited by lack of character. “A successful integrity check results in a stronger leader able to serve God in a wider sphere of influence. An integrity check tests inner character for consistency” says J. Robert Clinton.
This is no way advocating for absolute perfection as far as good leadership is concerned. However, a leader who lacks integrity will ultimately loose that which he or she struggles to preserve by deception. Personally, I will strive to attain a wholeness life by matching my actions and words in leadership.

INFLUENCE
What is influence? Everyone talks about it; few understand it. Most people want it; few achieve it. This is my conclusion: “Leadership is influence. That’s it, Northing more; nothing less. My favorite leadership proverb is: He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk”. There are two types of leaders. The one who influences others to follow only is a leader with certain limitations. The one who influences others to lead others is a leader without limitations. As it was mentioned earlier, the true measure of leadership is influence – Nothing more, nothing less. If you don’t have influence, you will never be able to lead others. Again influence is a skill that can be developed. No matter where we are everyone influences someone. “Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence ten thousand other people during his or her lifetime. We can increase our influence and leadership potential, John Maxwell says.” The high the persons level of true ability and the resulting influence, the more secure and confident he or she becomes. People have many misconceptions about leadership. Some think if someone has an impressive title or an assigned leadership position, they assume that he or she is a leader. Some times it’s true, although titles don’t have much value when it comes to leadership. “True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that can’t be mandated”. It must be earned. The only thing a title can buy is a little time – either to increase your level of influence with others or to erase it”.
A leader with influence is enthusiastic, strategic, courageous, and gains momentum in every step he or she takes in leading others to achieve the goal because he knows his dream and understands his vision. According to the pioneer myth of leadership, “To be a leader, a person has to not only be out front, but also have people intentionally coming behind him, following his lead and acting on his vision. It’s not the position that makes the leader; it’s the leader that makes the position”. As it was mentioned earlier, leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less. It would be appropriate to say the very essence of all power to influence lies in getting the other person to participate. As we have learned the person with most influence is the leader. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. In other words people will follow you when they know you care and are committed to them. “The true foundation of leadership is not power, but authority which is built upon relationships, love, service, and sacrifice”. Last but not least, a true leader must cultivate around the following principles in order to acquire great influence on others:
Integrity
Nurturing
Faith
Listen
Understand
Enlarge
Navigate
Connect
Empower
The length and breadth of our influence upon others depends on the depth of our concern for others. Building relationships on trust is important, because truth is a lifestyle that over the long haul reveals the true value of uncompromised character.

PEOPLE
Developing people is your most appreciable asset. The person who influences others to follow only is a leader with certain limitations. The one who influences others to lead others is a leader without limitations. Guy Ferguson says, “A true leader knows how to do the job, he or she is available to tell others, and will inspire others to do better work. The more people you develop, the greater the extent of your dreams”.
The success in developing others will depend on how well we value people around us. This is an issue of attitude. How much we are committed to people, this matter deals with time. Having integrity with people, this is an issue of character. A standard for people – this is an issue of the vision you have. Influence over people – this is a leadership issue. I totally agree with John Maxwell when says, successful people developers:
Make the right assumptions about people:
Ask the right questions about people:
Give the right assistance to people:
It’s true that the assumptions we have towards people makes us react either positive or negative, and this determines how we’re going to treat them. On the other hand I have noticed that we make wrong assumptions about people depending on what we see rather than what we know about them. I also read in another book that developing others is one of the keys to hitting high team performance levels. When building a high performance team, you’ll want to seek input from team members; encourage participation, share information, ideas, and suggestions. Another effective way to develop others is by coaching, whereby you offer support and resources. A good coach also encourages and uplifts, motivates, instills confidence, and leads people to their highest performance levels. It is crucial when developing others to show trust and confidence in them, and allow them to make decisions.
Everyone in the world wants to feel worthwhile and important. There is hardly a higher compliment you can pay an individual than to help that person be useful and find satisfaction and significance. Unless there is an organization that specifically nurtures and directs the talents within a group to achieve a desired goal, the group in essentially worthless. It is one thing for a leader to have the ability to dress and cast his dream before his followers. It is totally different thing to discover, nurture, and effectively employ the talents that are available to him within his followers in order to achieve a specific goal. Success is really the result of planning. It happens where preparation and opportunity meet. I support the truth that once people realize that you, as a leader can help them become successful, you have won them they’re your! As we mentioned in other areas of leadership, developing people takes time. Be a model that others can follow and not a “motto to say”. The greatest potential for growth of any organization is growth of its people.