Who is Capable of Leading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Who is Capable of Leading - Essay Example As the paper declares leadership engages more than being able to obtain changes in behavior that flow from coercion linked to the possession of power or enticement linked to the ability to reward. Leadership involves the possession of qualities that lead others to want to follow the leader's directives, either because they feel obligated to do so, or because they desire to do so In other words, leadership is a characteristic that is voluntarily conferred upon a person by others and involves the ability of a person to engage the active and willing cooperation of followers. Leadership is, therefore, a process of influence that depends more on persuasion than on coercion. The ability to motivate group members, while clearly a key function of leadership, is not all that leadership involves. This essay stresses that leadership is also linked to the ability to set goals for the group that is vision; goals whose attainment facilitates the continued success of the group. In addition, leadership involves being able to structure the organization so that it can effectively attain those goals that is implementation. The several theories of leadership that have developed since the earliest history of organized societies articulate a wide variety of other criteria of leadership, making any simple definition of leadership incomplete. Leaders come in each size, figure, and temperament -- short, tall, neat, sloppy, young, old, male, and female.