The Signature of Effective Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provoke scholars and practioners in the area of leadership to re-think about the whole concept of ‘effective leadership’.  A literature gap exists in the explanation of what constitutes effective leadership. This has led to the author studying some selected  leaders and through the lessons learnt has attempted to construct a conceptual model on the concept of effective leadership. Existing literature looks at effective leadership in terms of achieving organizational goals and developing followers. And personal leadership. The four elements form what the authors has referred to as the ‘Circumplex model of Effective leadership’.

Theory and practice suggest that traits alone will not sustain one at the top. Traits and knowledge will however, do. Traits and individual exposure and/ or experience may take someone to the top, but to remain there will require a great deal of learning and application of knowledge. For an individual to be considered a great leader, the results of his/her leadership must say so. This leads to the concept of effective leadership. Effective leadership must be in place for organizational success. Effective leadership guides an organization to appropriately handle change. It aids in providing the correct skills to manage properly and to cope up with the outcomes of change.

Keywords: Circumplex Model, Effective Leadership, Organizational culture & change, Self-transcendence