P O LYT E C H N I C U N I V E R S I T Y O F T H E P H I L I P P I N E S

What is a Better Leader?

Leadership roles are complex. Groups of individual pursue different goals and
these goals were chosen by different individuals.
We may be in the same organization, but we surely have different personal
interests and desires because each individual is different. That is why being a
leader is not easy. Its not a walk in the park.
Leadership is about resolving problems and conflicts. To be a leader, you have to
be a good problem solver.
Leaders are someone with followers. You cannot work alone. Even if you are the
best person in the organization, if you cannot connect with other people, you will
not be an effective leader. Leaders are people who know how to use the skills of
other people to solve problems.
Great leaders should know how to anticipate changes. Leaders should know how
to foresee what is going to happen. If you can predict the future, you will be a
good leader.
A leader encourages the group members not to copy the best practices of others
but to invent so that others may copy.
To be a leader, it is important for you to discover these traits from the members of
the group and recognize it, and use it for the benefit of the organization.
Components of leadership
Leadership is a process whereby one individual influences a group of individuals
to achieve a common goal in a specific way.
Leadership is a process, it involves influence. As leaders, we should know how to
influence others, we must know how to make others work without them knowing
that they do.
A leader is goal-achiever person. In order to lead effectively, objectives must be
set and achieved.
Leadership is not a characteristic that resides in one person alone, its a process
between the leader and the members. The leader affects the members and the
members affect the leader.
Leadership is not a linear and not restricted to one person, its an interactive
event between all the members of the group. Everyone can be a leader in any
given time and opportunity.

P O LYT E C H N I C U N I V E R S I T Y O F T H E P H I L I P P I N E S
Leadership happens in groups. It involves influencing a group of individuals for a
common purpose.
Leadership includes attention to goals. A leader is a goal-oriented person. He
directs group members towards accomplishing the same goal.
The difference between leadership and management
The managers administer; the leaders innovate. The manager focuses on system
and structure; the leader focuses on people. The manager relies on control; the
leader inspires trust.
The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The leader
knows what has to be done and he can explain the reason behind it so that the
followers will understand.
Leaders challenge the status quo especially when he finds it unjust for his
members. A leader does the right thing.
Leadership competencies
Self-direction
It is the ability to set goals for oneself and to go against the path to the goal with
single minded dedication. A leader must stand with character even if it leads to a
different way as long as its for the benefit of the group.
Flexibility
A leader must know how to change and adopt according to the situation, he must
stand to his values with willingness to change.
Teamwork
A leader must have the ability to work together towards a common goal. He must
know how to direct each member toward their objectives. It is working together
as one group for a single purpose. Each member takes personal responsibility for
their performance and quality in the group.
Strategy
A leader should have the ability to understand and interpret information for a
course of action to be used. It is an action after an evaluation of data in
consideration of alternative solutions.
Decision-making
A leader should choose based on his preferences. He must decide
inconsideration of others.

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Managing change
A leader must have the ability to adopt to the changing environment without
losing effectiveness and efficiency.
Change management
It is the task of managing change. A leader must be an expert on dealing with
change. He must show proactive behavior. If the leader shows positive behavior
to change, members may accept change positively.
In order to be successful in managing change, a leader must possess the
following skills; political, analytical, people, system, and business skills.
Delegation
A leader must be expert in sharing responsibilities to members of the group. It will
help him to lessen the tasks and it will train others to be leaders in their own way.
In the same way, it will provide opportunities for their growth and development, it
empowers the members to take responsibility, and it increases morale and selfconfidence.
Communication
A leader must know how to process information; he must know how to get the
message to another person.
Negotiation
A leader must be expert to process and resolve disputes, assert actions which
serve mutual interests.
Power and influence
A leader must know how to exert influence in the organization or individual
beyond authority. It will be useful if a leader can influence others as he can use it
in the future.