LEADERSHIP
QUALITIES AND TRAITS
1. leadership principles
(a)
Know yourself and constantly strive
to improve yourself.
(b)
Know your job.
(c)Keep
your men informed.
(d)
Know your men and attend to their welfare.
(e)
Ensure that any task given by you, is understood, supervised and
completed.
(f) Set
an example.
(g)
Train your men to
function as a team.
(h)
Seek responsibility
yourself and develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.
(i) Make sound and timely decisions.
(j) Accept responsibility for your actions.
(k) Employ your command according to its
capabilities.
2. LEADERSHIP
TRAITS
Leadership traits are human qualities that are of great value to
a leader. Possession of these traits simplified the task of applying the
leadership principles and assists in winning the confidence, respect and coop
of other men. Individuals possess these traits in different degree according to
their characters.
Bearing: Denotes desirable physical
appearance dress and deportment.
To develop the bearing:-
(a) Require of yourselves the highest standards in appearance
and conduct.
(b) Avoid coarse behavior and the use of vulgar language.
(c) If you drink, exercise moderation.
(d) Habitually maintain a dignified manner.
Alertness: Being vigilant, prompt and wide
awake.
Decisiveness
·
The ability to make decisions promptly when required, and
announces them authoritatively, concisely and clearly.
·
Learn to be positive in your actions. Don’t delay, or beat about
the bush.
·
Get the facts, make up your mind, and then issue your orders
with confidence.
·
Recheck decisions you have made to determine if they were sound
and timely.
·
Analyse decisions made by others. If you do not agree, determine
if your reasons for disagreement are sound. This is a mental process, only for
your own improvement; not for broadcast.
·
Broaden your viewpt by studying the actions of others and profit
from their successes or mistakes.
Courage: The mental quality that recognizes
fear of danger or criticism but enables a man to accept responsibility and to
act correctly in a threatening sit with calmness and firmness.
To help yourself attain and demonstrate courage:-
·
Study and understand your reactions to the emotions of fear.
·
Control your fear by developing self-discipline and calmness.
·
Keep orderliness in your thought process. Don’t exaggerate
physical danger or adversity in your own mind.
·
If you fear doing certain things required in your daily life,
force yourself to do these things until you can control this reaction.
·
Stand for what is right even in the face of popular
condemnation.
·
Accept the blame when you are at fault.
Dependability: The ability to do one's
duty with or without supervision.
To develop dependability:-
·
Do not make excuses.
·
Do every task assigned to you to the best of your ability,
regardless of personal beliefs.
·
Be exact in details.
·
Be punctual.
·
Carry out the intent, or spirit, as well as the literal meanings
of an order. When a conflict between the two appears to exist, obtain
clarification from appropriate authority.
Endurance
The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to
withstand pain, fatigue, stress and hardship, which gives the ability of
ensuring that the given task is completed.
To develop endurance:-
(a)
Avoid nonessential activities that will lower stamina.
(b)
Cultivate physical training habits that will strengthen your
body.
(c) Increase your endurance by undertaking
difficult physical tasks.
(d)
Test your endurance frequently by subjecting yourself to
strenuous physical and mental exercises.
(e)
Force yourself to continue on occasions when you are tired and
your mind is sluggish.
(f) Finish
every task to the best of your ability.
Enthusiasm: The display of sincere interest and
zeal in the performance of duties, it is easily communicated to the
subordinates.
To develop enthusiasm:-
(a) Understand and believe in your msn.
(b) Be cheerful and optimistic.
(c) Explain to your men the “Why” of uninteresting and
distasteful jobs.
·
Capitalise on success. Enthusiasm is contagious and nothing will
develop it more than the success of the unit or individual.
·
Don’t get stale. Set aside a period every day to free your mind
of official matters and relax.
Force: The ability to impose one's will upon another.
Humility:
Freedom from arrogance and unjustifiable pride.
Sense of Humour: The ability to
appreciate the many amusing or whimsical happenings in everyday life,
especially those which pertain to the leader himself.
Initiative: The willingness to act in the
absence of orders and to offer well considered recommendations for the improvement
of the command.
To develop initiative:-
(a)
Stay mentally and physically alert.
(b)
Train yourself to recognise tasks that need to be done and do
them without having to be told and without hesitation.
(c) Learn to anticipate by thinking ahead.
(d)
Look for and readily accept responsibilities.
(e)
Utilise available resources in a more effective and efficient
manner.
Integrity: The honesty and moral character of
the leader that must be unquestioned.
To develop personal integrity:-
· Practise
absolute honesty and truthfulness at all times.
· Be
accurate and truthful in all statements, both official and unofficial.
· Stand
for what you believe to be right.
· Whenever
you are tempted to compromise, place honesty, sense of duty, and moral
principles above all else.
Intelligence: The intellect of the
leader which must be adequate to master the probs presented by his level to
command.
Judgment: The power of the mind to wt
various factors and arrive at a wise decision.
Justice:
The quality of being impartial and consistent in exercising command.
To improve judgement:-
·
Practice making estimates of the sit.
·
Anticipate sits which require decision, so you may be prepared
when the need arises.
·
Avoid making rash decisions.
·
Appch probs with a common sense attitude.
Loyalty :The quality of being faithful to the
country the Army, the unit, seniors, subordinates and colleagues; it is given
by subordinates to a leader in the measure in which the leader gives the same
to them and to his own leaders.
Sympathy:
The capacity of sharing the feelings of those with whom one is associated.
Tact: The ability to deal with superiors and subordinates in an
appropriate manner without giving offence.
Unselfishness:
The deliberate avoidance of caring for, or providing for one's own comfort or
advantage, at the expense of others.
3. character
Definition: character
“Character stands for self discipline, loyalty, readiness to
accept responsibility, and willingness
to accept mistakes. It stands for selflessness, modesty, humility, willingness
to sacrifice when necessary and faith in God.”
Illustration of character
“During a critical phase
of the Battle of the Bulge in WW II, the Germans
launched a counter offensive and nearly broke through the Allied lines in France. While I
commanded the 18th Airborne Corps, another Corps Cdr just entering the
fight next to me remarked, ‘I am glad to have you on my flank. It is character
that counts.’ I had long known him and knew what he meant. I replied ‘That goes
for me too’. There was no amplification, none was necessary. Each knew that the
other would stick, however great the pressure; would extend help before it was
asked, if he could; and would tell the truth; seek no self glory, and
everlastingly keep his word. Such men breed confidence and success.”
-GEN MATHEW
RIDGEWAY
A pers of character is:-
·
“An honest pers;
·
A pers with a sense of
duties and obligations of the posn, whatever it may be;
·
A pers who tells the
truth;
·
A pers who gives to
others their due;
·
A pers considerate to the weak;
·
A pers who has principles and stands by them;
·
A pers not too elated by good fortune and not too depressed by
bad;
·
A pers who is loyal;
·
A pers who can be trusted.”
4. CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES
(a)Be Self Inspired (remain self motivated at all times)
(b) Integrity:
uprightness, honesty.
(c) Can be trusted: is
trustworthy; one who has harmony in thought, word and deed.
(d) Loyalty: true;
faithful to duty, love or obligation (to pers, institution etc). Faithful in
allegiance to the nation or mother country
(e) Selflessness:
unselfishness; rise above selfish or self –centered individualism; altruism; self -sacrifice.
(f) (To) stick (will
Power): a slang word, meaning to hold
on; hang on.
(g) Discipline: behavior
according to essential rules and norms, which is self imposed.
(h) Honesty: not to
steal, cheat or lie.
(j) Purity: when there is
no duplicity, insincerity or hypocrisy in thought word or deed.
(k) Courage: Physical
and Moral.
(l) Initiative: To be a
self starter.
(m) Holistic: (from
holism) the tendency in nature to form wholes that are more than the sum of the
parts, by ordered grouping.
SELFLESSNESS
•
It is the source of integrity.
A selfless pers is neither greedy nor looking for shortcuts to success;
hence his integrity never wavers.
•
He seeks no unfair advantage over others; hence honesty comes
naturally to him.
•
He is not a self seeker; hence his loyalty is steady and strong.
•
When a pers has such virtues his thoughts, words and deeds
become pure and well integrated, he says what he thinks and does what he says
hence he becomes trustworthy.
•
Selflessness is the repository of all that is noble. “Selfishness
is human, selflessness is divine.”
•
Mandatory quality of German General Staff.
•
Geeta articulates ‘Nishkama Karma’.
PURITY
Only a man whose ‘thoughts, words and deeds’ are pure and in
harmony can become a good and eff ldr. Purity means that these are not
triggered by lust, anger, jealousy, attachment, greed or conceit. He says what
he thinks – there is no insincerity or hypocrisy in his deeds. In brief he is a
transparent and straight forward pers in speech and conduct.
(Ref Slide)Diagrammatically, two pers are depicted in the slide.
The first one is a slippery, worldly pers. His thoughts are related to self
interest. And, when it comes to doing, he will seldom do what he says he will.
The second pers has purity and harmony in his thoughts, words and deeds.
TRUSTWORTHY
In the Army a pers whose thoughts, words and deeds are in
harmony is always trusted. It is this type of pers who has the potential of
becoming a good ldr.
5. UNIVERSAL INNER STRUCTURE OF GOOD
LEADERS
COURAGE
•
ABILITY TO APPRICIATE AND TAKE PURPOSIVE RISK WILLINGLY.
•
CAPACITY TO REMAIN COMPOSED IN ADVERSITY.
•
RECKLESSNESS OR BEING FOOL HARDY IS NOT COURAGE.
•
PREP WILL REDUCE FEAR
•
PHYSICAL
–DISREGARD TO PERSONAL SAFETY.
•
MORAL
– BE PREP FOR CONSEQUENCES OF RIGHTEOUS ACTION.
•
CAN HE ACCEPT CRITICISM
•
CAN HE VOICE HIS IDEAS ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
Courage is the most admired human virtue in all societies; to be
a man means courageous. To persevere and carry out one’s task in the face of
physical danger is courage. To persist in a chosen course of action, despite
“threat of disapproval, unpopularity and loss of office” is moral courage. Physical
courage is very essential for a ldr at junior level and moral courage
imperative at the higher cdr level. Courage
•
Gives str to face danger, fear or adversity (physical or moral).
•
“Bravery is instinctive, almost a mechanical reaction. Courage is a virtue, a lofty and noble
sentiment”.
•
Cowardice makes a person hide the truth; one who is courageous
will not lie.
A COURAGEOUS LDR WILL
•
Control fear in physical and moral contexts.
•
Take responsibility for decisions and actions.
•
Accept responsibility for his own mistakes and shortcomings.
•
Confront problems directly and take action based on what he
believes is right, regardless of what others may think.
•
Report on success and failures with equal candor
(frankness/openness).
•
Put himself on the line to deal with important problems.
•
Support others to make tough decisions.
•
Always share mistakes if it will help the team improve.
•
Speak up for what he
believes is important and then be gracious whether his ideas are accepted or
rejected.
FACETS OF COURAGE
(a) Cowardice makes a
person hide the truth; one who is courageous will not lie.
(b) It is an expression
of courage to demand high stds of performance, even at the cost of being
unpopular. In war, there are sits when courage is needed to be absolutely
ruthless.
(c) It requires courage
to punish. Quite often compassion is made an alibi for the lack of courage.
Mistakes and acts of commission and omission have a habit of snow-balling, if
these are not promptly corrected. The punishment, however, should be administered
in the spirit with which a good mother uses the rod; to improve.
(d) It takes courage to
say ‘no’ to an act which is unethical.
STRENGTHENING OF COURAGE
•
As a start help others become courageous.
•
Take risks in day to day life.
•
Self cont and indifference to the sight of blood and battle
noises.
•
Inculcate selflessness-helps build up moral courage.
•
Do not overlook lapses. Hold hand of subordinates and own your
mistakes.
•
Strong spiritual faith in one’s religion.
WILL POWER
Will power to persist is a quality present in all outstanding
ldrs. Will power is the King of all faculties – it is the source of all other
faculties. A good ldr must have the will power (call it determination,
perseverance, tenacity or whatever), to persist in spite of setbacks and difficulties
that may arise.
INITIATIVE
•
Ability to start an activity and sustain it to achieve aims.
•
Gen, good planners have good imitative.
•
Does he wait for instrs or originate actions on his own.
•
Willingness to act in absence of orders.
•
Actions taken to improve employability.
•
Alternative plans.
•
Originality.
•
Keenness
6. Character
attributes at lower and higher levels
Character Attribute LowerLevel Higher Level
(a) Be Self Inspired III II
(b) Integrity II III
(c) Trustworthy I III
(d) Loyalty III II
(e) Selflessness III III
(f) (To) Stick(Will
Power) III I
(g) Discipline III
I
(h) Honesty II
III
(j) Purity I III
(k) Courage
(i) Physical
III I
(ii) Moral II III
(l) Initiative III II
(m) Holistic I III
III = Vital, II =
Essential, I = Desirable
