Leadership Models in Action

IntroductionLeaders are born time others are made probably sounds clich neverthe little one undisputable incident is that leading is critical to steering a business or governing body to success. As Jack Welch quotes Good business leading create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own and relentlessly drive it to completion. (www.thinkexist.com.) Notably, thither are m each leadership who have existed in past century exactly arguably very few vast leaders exist. Additionally, the different great leaders apply different lead surfacees as salutary as possess different lead traits. Nonetheless, there are various aspects that repress across the many lead models and traits, for instance, commitment, drive, passion, empowerment, decisiveness and resilience. (Bennis, 2002). In order to intelligibly demonstrate leadership in business this paper will reduce on AT & T Network manager doubting doubting Thomas Reeds who is arguable a role model in the leadership cir cles. His leadership approach is both influenced and inspiring and later in the paper a few examples will be used to demonstrate why is authorize this claim.Jack Welch commands attention in corporate leadership circles as his visionary leadership revived the corporations in the US during 1980 and to date his philosophies continue to transform during customary companies to leg lay offary companies Thomas Reeds. Follows in the footsteps of this great CEO and his leadership approach is al appearances transformational. His exponent to inspire and energize followers to a true direction in achieving the companys goals is brilliant.Some, how he aligns corporate strategies to daily operations of employees and clarifies issues to the employees that they get a greater picture of what is expected. In this guidance, he excites and ingrains commitment of employees to future goals. More to that, his emphasis on transactional aspects of leaders i.e. to a greater extent of the bread and butte r is in like manner manifests in his leadership approach. This is seen in the way he encourages a give and take win win function in leadership. Employees are regarded for meeting targets and compliance to aligned expectations. His two years in that post has generated AT&T a befitting amount of profits which is deemed to continue. Thomas may sound like a larger than vivification person and possible act as such. However, his ability to combine humility and deep passionate will fro success is nigh paradoxical. Hes is truly a train 5 leader.By train 5 leaders it means a leader who has reached the highest hierarchal level of his leadership capabilities and has been able to lead a company from a dev give away to a great company with substantial sustained outdolence (Morris, 2006). Admittedly, the alter status of AT&T company has not been a function of Thomas Reeds leadership approach alone, but rather he has used his influence it ensure that other factors requirement t o transform AT &T are present in the company, the right organization culture and strategic resources among others. He has been at the guide of it all. Leadership is not about showing off what one dope but actually doing if so that others burn see what ought to be through and how it is make.This is what Thomas Reeds always says. His dressing and happy demeanor can near make one mistake him for an intern. He mingle with the employees at AT&T to know what their views are and get input on what needs to be improved or changed. This is not to say that Thomas Reeds is one to joke around with. His unpretentious and vicious determination in life also makes him a person to stand up to be counted. Most times, it is possible to become Thomas sharing his early life experiences with other aspiring leaders under his stewardship of how he grew up in the unbendable, struggled through college and university to where he is now. His experiences are always refreshing and empowering and it i s not heavy(p) to notice the iron will and passion to nurture talent in his followers. He inspires them to be the best they can be. Adversities will always educe your way he says but it is up to you make a firm resolve to stay ahead or hang in there rather than sort of. Seemingly, tough times cut out leaders to be perfect and strong.Indisputably, Thomas Reeds leadership approach has been influenced by Welchs rules of gimp for instance, the important of erasing bureaucracy in the business ranking the customers and shareholders highly and autocratic market share. These teachings applied coupled with unique attributes such as streamlining the custody set out Thomas leadership styles as the reason git the companys success.Nevertheless, Thomas feels that change and dynamism in leadership is an indispensable attribute to effective leadership in todays business environment. He is quick to note that although Welch and Sloans philosophies were no less than brilliant their applicabilit y is now wearing off. He feels that the challenges that the leadership approaches veritable by the two masterminds of leadership success were designed to surmount the barriers and riddle of the thus times and upstart leadership approached need to be essential to effectively face the new challenges in the modern era. Yet he does not discount the fact that Welch techniques are still usable and can contribute immensely in the success of a company.Leadership inspires throng or rather captures the minds and souls of people. tally to writers Goffee and Jones (2000) leadership is about results yet at the identical time is not only about action but also meaning. True to this pression, it is impossible to excite people to extraordinary levels without enabling them first gear see the meaning and worth behind the actions. In this case unpremeditated leadership doubles performance and perhaps this is what makes companies with great leaders excel differently from the ones that merely have ok leaders. This they do by devising performance meaningful. (Goffee & Jones, 2000).Given this insight a critical look at AT&T Network manger, Thomas Reeds leadership approach, it is spare that he makes his employees or followers find meaning in their endeavors. This is done in such a way that corporate strategies are translated ot unjust plans and particularly daily task of the employees such that the change and improved performance starts from the bottom to the top.After board meetings with corporate committees, Thomas Reeds goes out his own way ot call for separate meetings with different groups of staff to discuss how the corporate strategies sham them and how the staff stand to benefit from implementing the objectives of the company. This has helped AT&T hands to achieve meaning and ultimately commitment to outstanding performance. While others may think of Thomas strategy as labored and draining, Thomas feels that it is a necessary price to pay if a leader is ot see any result of his actions. It is also at this time that a leaders qualities and passion for distinction and excellence is tested.Notable, there are leaders and then there are authentic leaders. This leads to the quest of finding authentic leadership in AT&T manager Thomas. Authentic leaders are selfless yet are not afraid to express the self, morally guided rationality and nit merely instrumental reasoning whereby the end justifies the means among others. From my countable contacts with Thomas, it is evident that his selfless nature as well as stoic philosophy of detaching one self fro unethical practices and pitfalls. In disguise clarify his authenticity as a leader.Welch exemplifies the principles of leadership quite well, for instance, he was well versed in the employees tasks and his own duties. In addition, he harnessed the need to be on the look out for new opportunities that could lead GE to new heights and where things went awry he was not shy to take responsibi lity for his actions other than seeking a scapegoat. According to Welch, the important thing is to analyze the situation, correct it if possible or find lesson/s from it and then proceeds to the next challenge with courage and infract knowledge. In leadership position, decisions are made every time and a leader should be capable of making timely and accurate decisions firm if it is to have any impact. This Welch had mastered. Leadership is all about looking out for the well being of the workforce, keeping them informed as well as leading by example. It is evident that Welch exemplified these traits too.ConclusionIt is not uncommon to hear people say that they want to be more effective leaders. Great leaders are made better through practice and years of encyclopaedism from previous successes and failures. The challenge therefore is for young aspiring leaders to ready in the basics lend by the outstanding leaders such as Welch and Sloan and most of all have commitment and passion to charting unwritten leadership which, who knows might be a legend for future generations.ReferencesBennis, W. (2002). bequeath the legacy live on? The Harvard stock Review, 80(2), 95-100Collingwood, H., & Couto, D.L. (2002). Jack on jack. The Harvard Business Review, 80(2), 88-94Collins, J. (2001). Level 5 leadership the triumph of humility and rasping resolve. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 67-76Goffee, R. & Jones, G. (2000). Why should anyone be led by you? Harvard Business review, 78(5), 62-70.Morris, B. (2006). Tearing up the Jack Welch playbook. Fortune. http//money.cnn.com/2006/07/10/magazines/fortue/rules.fortune/Think exist.com Famous Quotes. Retrieved on October 24, 2007 from World Wide Web http//www.thinkexist.com/