Tuesday, March 22, 2011

eLearning CE:Activity 3 - Ethan Soh(12)

Source: http://www.infed.org/leadership/traditional_leadership.htm

eLearning CE:Activity 3 - Ethan Soh(12)

The traits of a leader are:

- Task Competence

- Skills in dealing with people

- The capacity to motivate people

- Decisiveness

- Self-Confidence

- Adaptability/Flexibility


Task Competence is being able to be focused and be on task at all times. The leader has to be able to complete the task before the deadline and submit it on time if he has to. He cannot be distracted and lose his focus.

Skills in dealing with people are necessary when there are people which are uncooperative and do not follow instructions and are always no focused. There might also be people with the inabilities to do certain things e.g. type fast, present clearly. A good leader will find ways to deal with this by giving people roles which are suitable for them.

The capacity to motivate people is needed when there are people which have low confidence in themselves, therefore making them unsure of what they are doing to contribute, thus they put in less effort in what they ought to be doing. A leader will motivate people by encouraging them and help them think that they are capable of completing an assigned task.

Decisiveness is essential when there are many options to be chosen from and everyone is unable to work well with one another and they are unable to choose. The leader will step forward and decide on an option for everyone and explain his reason for choosing it and tell people good points on working on that option.

Self-confidence gives the leader the ability to believe in himself that he is able to lead the group properly and that nothing will go wrong.

Adaptability/Flexibility is the ability to adapt to certain changes e.g. a team member with an important role is absent. Good leaders would always find a solution to the problem and solve it. 


eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Clarabelle Ang (03)

Traits of a good leader.

  • A good leader must be forward looking as it is important to set goals and have a clear vision on what you want to achieve so that you can work towards it. 
  • A good leader must be broad minded too so as to seek out diversity, exploring new horizons to get new ideas.
  • A good leader must also have good communication skills. Communication gap can lead to a lot of misunderstandings at work. Thus, a good leader once he/she conveys the message correctly, he/she will get what he/she wants.
  • A good leader must be focused so that the team won't go off track. An unfocused leader will never be able to achieve the things he/she wants.
  • A good leader should be discipline. Good leaders are very controlled in the pursuit of their goals. Where most individuals would be simply distracted or dejected, good leaders discipline their minds to keep focused and steady regardless of the situation. 


How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?
  • A good leader should remain optimistic regardless of the situation. If your morale is down, so will the morale of your team go down.
  • He/she should be clear on what you want to achieve. Under stressful situations, you will tend to be more hectic and will be unsure of how to continue. Once you are sure of what to do and your goal, it will be easier to accomplish.
  • The team should not get distracted. Staying on task helps a lot and makes it easier to work towards the goals.
  • Manage time well in order to be on track and do things on time.

Sources:
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadchr.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/traits-of-a-good-leader.html

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Lhu Wen Kai (13)

I believe that in order to be a leader, you must have the three most important things: dignity, integrity and humbleness. My reasons? Well, dignity is not only the most important thing in a leader, it is important in everything. You respect and honor yourself and others. Without this, you will never make move up to a higher level. Next, integrity. You must have the courage to own up when you do something wrong or something not honorable. Without this, you will fail in everything you do as you don't have the guts to admit your mistakes. Finally, humbleness. Without it, you will always think that you are the best and think that you have no competitors. In truth, nobody is the best. Just like dignity, failing to have humbleness, you will never learn. As you can see, without the three things mentioned, it will all lead to one thing – inevitable failure.

Actually, being a hero should be not stressful. However, when failure starts to kick in, it's the contrary. Like school work, when your parents don't give you pressure, you can study in an non-stressful environment. Take atom's particles for example, when there is too much pressure, the particles will destroyed. However, without pressure, the particles will move slowly. With a little pressure, it can spur us forward.

Coping with the burden part, there is nothing much in it to say the truth. If there is a burden, a leader should never pin point at others for causing the burden. They should slowly but efficiently look into the matter and inform the rest of the cause. This way, both yourself and the rest can learn.

SOURCE: TWISTED PSYCHOLOGY!!! YAY!!!!


--

Wilhelm Schnotz (Lhu Wen Kai) 吕文凯
President/Owner

Twisted Psychology
424 Elm Drive, Garden City, NY 11530
Phone: 646-510-0710
Website: wenkai31.wordpress.com

Sources For eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Yeo Jun Peng (22)

Sources: http://sbuweb.tcu.edu/jmathis/Org_Mgmt_Materials/Leadership%20-%20Do%20Traits%20Matgter.pdf 

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Clarabelle Ang (03)

Traits of a good leader
  • Visionary.
  • Focused.
  • Clear on what to do.
  • Good time management.
  • Responsible.

How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?
  • Remains optimistic.
  • Be clear on what you want to achieve.
  • Don't go off track.
  • Manage time well inorder to be consistant and not freak out.

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Yeo Jun Peng (22)

What Traits Does A Leader Posses? 


The evidence shows that traits do matter. Six traits on which leaders differ from non-leaders include: drive, the desire to lead, honesty/integrity, self-confidence, cognitive ability, and knowledge of the business.^ These traits are shown in Exhibit 1.

Drive The first trait is labeled "drive" which is not to be confused with physical need deprivation. We use the term to refer to a constellation of traits and motives reflecting a high effort level. Five aspects of drive include achievement motivation, amibition, energy, tenacity, and initiative.


Achievement. Leaders have a relatively high desire for achievement. The need for achievement is an important motive among effective leaders and even more important among successful entrepreneurs. High achievers obtain satisfaction from successfully completing challenging tasks, attaining standards of excellence, and developing better ways of doing things. To work their way up to the top of the organization, leaders must have a desire to complete challenging assignments and projects. This also allows the leader to gain technical expertise, both through education and work experience, and to initiate and follow through with organizational changes.


Ambition. Leaders are very ambitious about their work and careers and have a desire to get ahead. To advance, leaders actively take steps to demonstrate their drive and determination. Ambition impels leaders to set hard, challenging goals for themselves and their organizations. Walt Disney, founder of Walt Disney Productions, had a "dogged determination to succeed" and CE. Woolman of Delta Air Lines had "inexhaustible ambition."

Effective leaders are more ambitious than nonleaders. In their 20-year study, psychologists Ann Howard and Douglas Bray found that among a sample of managers at AT&T, ambition, specifically the desire for advancement, was the strongest predictor of success twenty years later. 


Energy. To sustain a high achievement drive and get ahead, leaders must have a lot of energy. Working long, intense work weeks (and many weekends) for many years, requires an individual to have physical, mental, and emotional vitality.


Tenacity. Leaders are better at overcoming obstacles than nonleaders. They have the "capacity to work with distant objects in view" and have a "degree of strength of will or perseverance." Leaders must be tirelessly persistent in their activities and follow through with their programs. Most organizational change programs take several months to establish and can take many years before the benefits are seen. Leaders must have the drive to stick with these programs, and persistence is needed to ensure that changes are institutionalized.


Initiative. Effective leaders are proactive. They make choices and take action that leads to change instead of just reacting to events or waiting for things to happen; that is, they show a high level of initiative.

How Do You Think A Good Leader Manages Crisis Under Stressful Situations?


Leaders should be achievement-oriented, ambitious, energetic, tenacious, and proactive. These qualities, however, may result in a leader/person who trys to accomplish everything alone, thereby failing to develop subordinate commitment and responsibility. Effective leaders must not only be full of drive and ambition, they must want to lead others.

Learning CE: Activity 3 - Daniel Pei (11)

Alexander the Great


Alexander the Great was Intelligent, Perceptive, Logical and Calculating. He had great charisma and force of personality, characteristics, which made him a great leader. Alexander had a sense of invincibility and good tactical sense that often brought his success against overwhelming odds in battles verses the Persian Empire or later in India. He is a leader where no matter how bad is the situation, he always or often turn it to his advantages. Alexander was up against the large Persian Empire and its seemingly inexhaustible manpower. However through his calm and superior leadership, he managed to resolve most of the crisis to an advantageous ending. Alexander had never lost sight of his vision and the situation at hand during his short reign.Alexander always managed to win the respect and loyalty of his men regardless of the situation. Proof of this can be seen is that he would not ask his men to do anything he would not do himself. And always before battles or after battles, he would go among his men to listen and encourage them.




Sources:http://websfor.org/alexander/arrian/book7b.asp

              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great#Character

              http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Does-Alexander-The-Great-Measure-Up-To- 

              The-7-Points-Of-Leadership?&id=741282

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Michelle Lim (06)

Traits of a Leader

A leader builds excellence.  Excellence is "being all you can be" within the bounds of doing what is right for your organization. To reach excellence you must first be a leader of good character. You must do everything you are supposed to do. Organizations will not achieve excellence by figuring out where it wants to go, then having leaders do whatever they have to in order to get the job done, and then hope their leaders acted with good character. This type of thinking is backwards. Pursuing excellence should not be confused with accomplishing a job or task. When you do planning, you do it by backwards planning. But you do not achieve excellence by backwards planning. Excellence starts with leaders of good and strong character who engage in the entire process of leadership. And the first process is being a person of honorable character.

Leaders are honest, they take responsibility for their actions, not bias, inspiring and optimistic. :)  

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Eunice Loo (04)

What traits do leaders possess?

1. A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader "walks the talk" and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.

2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

3. A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.

4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.

5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.

6. A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. While keeping the goal in view, a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.

7. A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.

These seven personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership. Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in their leadership role.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Personal-Characteristics-Of-A-Good-Leader&id=59305



How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

  1. Assess. Fight every instinct to react or overreact. Take a reasonable amount of time to gather data, obtain objective guidance, and develop a relatively accurate picture of the situation.
  2. Engage. Get your team together. Include key stakeholders, those with competence in this particular crisis, and possibly a planning facilitator. Keep this core group tight to facilitate efficient brainstorming and decision-making.   
  3. Plan. Once you have data and a team, brainstorm, analyze and plan. Employ some form of competitive or SWOT analysis, focusing on what's changed. Then develop goals, strategies and tactics designed to capitalize on the new situation.  
  4. Communicate. Drive the process down through the organization, communicating as transparently as is practical to obtain support. Ensure timely and effective external communication of material events. Timing is critical, as is respecting your audience.
  5. Execute. You know the drill. Everything up until this point is pointless if you don't execute crisply and flawlessly. Most markets are so competitive these days that solid execution is a given, not an advantage. So don't blow it.
**: This process requires a lot of courage from the leader, which is one of the traits that can only be seen in times of trouble/crisis. We can find out a lot about our team during a crisis. The loyalty of the group will be tested, and our true moral values will start to show too.

Source: http://www.bnet.com/blog/ceo/how-to-manage-a-crisis-any-crisis/1399

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Chan Tse Tzang (08)

Leader are people who are able to see the future, plan for what is happening and someone who is decisive about their plans. One that is not scared of trying new things, exploring new practices, explore things or just try something that is new. The leader must be daring. Leaders are people that are passionate, caring always doing what they want but at the same time able to take care of the people that are under him/her. A leader must be able to unite a team, lead a team and able to allow the team to be at it's best. A leader must have his own character, his character will equate to his ability, his standing and his beliefs that would allow him to succeed or him to be able convince/influence his audience at what he has to do. Under stressful situation, a leader would be able to split the job in a way that it would be done at its fastest and he would be able to convince the people around him that he is able to do the job well.

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Ong Bing Jue(16)

   Traits of a Effective Leader:

  • Emotional stability: Good leaders must be able to tolerate frustration and stress. Overall, they must be well-adjusted and have the psychological maturity to deal with anything they are required to face.

  • Dominance: Leaders are often competitive, decisive and usually enjoy overcoming obstacles. Overall, they are assertive in their thinking style as well as their attitude in dealing with others.

  • Enthusiasm: Leaders are usually seen as active, expressive and energetic. They are often very optimistic and open to change. Overall, they are generally quick and alert and tend to be uninhibited.

  • Conscientiousness: Leaders are often dominated by a sense of duty and tend to be very exacting in character. They usually have a very high standard of excellence and an inward desire to do their best. They also have a need for order and tend to be very self-disciplined.

  • Social boldness: Leaders tend to be spontaneous risk-takers. They are usually socially aggressive and generally thick-skinned. Overall, they are responsive to others and tend to be high in emotional stamina.

  • Self-assurance: Self-confidence and resiliency are common traits among leaders. They tend to be free of guilt and have little or no need for approval. They are generally unaffected by prior mistakes or failures.

  • Compulsiveness: Leaders are controlled and very precise in their social interactions. Overall, they are very protective of their integrity and reputation and consequently tended to be socially aware and careful, abundant in foresight, and very careful when making decisions or determining specific actions.

  • Intuitiveness: Rapid changes in the world today, combined with information overload result in an inability to know everything. In other words, reasoning and logic will not get you through all situations. In fact, more and more leaders are learning the value of using their intuition and trusting their gut when making decisions.

  • Empathy: Being able to put yourself in the other person's shoes is a key trait of leaders today. Without empathy, you can't build trust; without trust, you will never be able to get the best effort from your employees.

  • Charisma: People usually perceive leaders as larger than life. Charisma plays a large part in this perception. Leaders who have charisma are able to arouse strong emotions in their employees by defining a vision which unites and captivates them. Using this vision, leaders motivate employees to reach toward a future goal by tying the goal to substantial personal rewards and values.

    Source:http://www.sba.gov/content/being-leader
    (Being a Leader)

    How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

  • Leaders need to lead not only in a crisis, but also in doing pre-work beforehand.They need to learn to frame crisis not as a threat but as an opportunity. Of course, there's a need to deal with the threat and dangers first, but if you stop with that, you lose your chance for the potential that event might bring.'
 Good crisis leaders nurture a huge payoff mentality. … It's believing that some good will come from this.There's an expectation that going    through the challenges of dealing with a crisis will pay off in some respect.

  • Leaders should develop a propensity to adapt to change, need to develop a capability to scan and see possibilities amidst the chaos of a crisis. They can't just see the face value. They should have to have the ability to see possibilities beyond the obvious.

  • The right team supporting the besieged leader is critical,sort of an expectation of mutual trust and respect.A team you support and a team that supports you.That trust.
  • When facing a crisis, the best leaders are able to make sense of the situation early on and separate the noise of the crisis from what really matters — the people who are adversely affected by the situation or the leader's response to it. Another important early step is to take the perspective of key stakeholders. Others will experience the crisis differently than the leader, and unless she or he can empathize with them, it will be difficult to identify response strategies or make decisions that will meet their needs and expectations.

"Show grace and integrity during a crisis,Demonstrate compassion."

Source:http://www.darden.virginia.edu/web/Media/Darden-News-Articles/2010/James-New-Book-on-How-to-Handle-a-Crisis/
(Jame's New Book on How to handle a crisis)

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Ng Kok Yin (07)



  • What traits do they possess?

The five leadership traits/leadership qualities are:

•Honest

•Forward-Looking

•Competent

•Inspiring

•Intelligent

(These five qualities come from Kouzes and Posner's research into leadership that was done for the book The Leadership Challenge.)


Honesty: People want to follow an honest leader. Years ago, many employees started out by assuming that their leadership was honest simply because the authority of their position. With modern scandals, this is no longer true.

When you start a leadership position, you need to assume that people will think you are a little dishonest. In order to be seen as an honest individual, you will have to go out of your way to display honesty. People will not assume you are honest simply because you have never been caught lying.

One of the most frequent places where leaders miss an opportunity to display honesty is in handling mistakes. Much of a leader's job is to try new things and refine the ideas that don't work. However, many leaders want to avoid failure to the extent that they don't admit when something did not work.


Forward Looking: When people do not consider their leader forward-looking, that leader is usually suffering from one of two possible problems:

-The leader doesn't have a forward-looking vision.

-The leader is unwilling or scared to share the vision with others.

When a leader doesn't have a vision for the future, it usually because they are spending so much time on today, that they haven't really thought about tomorrow. On a very simplistic level this can be solved simply by setting aside some time for planning, strategizing and thinking about the future.

Many times when a leader has no time to think and plan for the future, it is because they are doing a poor job of leading in the present. They have created an organization and systems that rely too much on the leader for input at every stage.



Competency: People want to follow someone who is competent. This doesn't mean a leader needs to be the foremost expert on every area of the entire organization, but they need to be able to demonstrate competency.

For a leader to demonstrate that they are competent, it isn't enough to just avoid displaying incompetency. Some people will assume you are competent because of your leadership position, but most will have to see demonstrations before deciding that you are competent.

When people under your leadership look at some action you have taken and think, "that just goes to show why he is the one in charge", you are demonstrating competency. If these moments are infrequent, it is likely that some demonstrations of competency will help boost your leadership influence.


Intelligence: Intelligence is something that can be difficult to develop. The road toward becoming more intelligent is difficult, long and can't be completed without investing considerable time. Developing intelligence is a lifestyle choice. Your college graduation was the beginning of your education, not the end. In fact, much of what is taught in college functions merely as a foundational language for lifelong educational experiences.

To develop intelligence you need to commit to continual learning–both formally and informally. With modern advances in distance, education it is easy to take a class or two each year from well respected professors in the evening at your computer.



Citation: (APA Format) 

SHEAD, MARK. (2011, March 22). Five most important leadership traits. Retrieved from http://www.leadership501.com/five-most-important-leadership-traits/27/



  • How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

The leader should take a moment to figure out what is going on. If the leader can't understand the full situation, he will guide his members wrongly and cause more troubles. Then, he should act promptly. He shouldn't hurry. The leader should also demonstrate control, if he panics, his members would also panic.  

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Tan JingHeng (20)

What traits do leaders possess?

Visible - Leaders appear more approachable and available to workers by circulating around the workplace and take advantage of every opportunity to interact with co-workers. They are also supportive of others and try to help out with the little things.

Consistent - Leaders do not flip-flop between styles confuses employees and stick with one style of leadership so that the employees will know what to expect on a daily basis. They also make decisions consistently and not bring personal feelings to the workplace.

Positive - Leaders set the tone for your environment. An optimistic attitude from a leader can carry over to others. Leaders mirror the tone that leaders set. Be an encourager.

Responsible - Leaders accept challenges as well as successes. If an employee makes a mistake, leaders help him or her improve. They think of themselves as "we," not "I." It is a leader's responsibility to ensure that everyone shares in the team's success.

Listen - The most important characteristic of a leader is being a good listener. Leaders focus on the needs of employees. Leaders also make sure they show people they are willing to listen to what employees have to say

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/jan2005/manage.htm


How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?


The leader has to lead by example, he/she should be strong, then his/her fellow member will then follow, they will overcome the crisis together.

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Wee Ren Chang (21)

What traits does a leader possess?

1. A good leader is someone who can be trusted to lead others. They have good character and is honest with integrity. They lead by example and earns the right to be a leader. This is especially obvious in the military where high ranking generals have lead from platoon level all the way up to division level.

2. A good leader is confident about his own abilities. In order to lead a group, the leader needs to show he or she is confident and able to set directions. He/she instills confidence in others which in turns excels them to do the best for the team.

3. A good leader is passionate about his/her work. Leaders are often asked to be motivators and enthusiastic. Without passion for their work, it is difficult to motivate others to do the same. A good leader will lead by example and be willing to do the dirty work.

4. A good leader needs to display order in chaos. Many times, people look to leaders for directions and instructions in times of uncertainty. They look to seek assurance and security and the leader needs to display decisiveness and positive attitude.

5. A good leader strives to be the best. They do not want to be second or third best. They maintain high standards in their work and inspire others to do the same.

6. A good leader is able to think analytically keeping the end result in mind. A good leader needs to keep in mind the big picture while at the same time, breaks it down into actionable steps for others to follow or perform. He/she also needs to be able to gauge the progress being made.

7. A good leader also needs to remain calm and composed in the face of uncertainty. Other people will look to him/her for assurance during times of difficulty. He/she needs to be decisive and follow through on his/her decisions.

How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

A leader should, firstly, know of what had just happened. He could delegate his group members tasks to find out what was going on. Secondly, the leader should be able to act quickly but not hurriedly and being flustered. Lastly, the leader should demonstrate control. The leader can control the response of the people by putting himself into the action and bringing the people and resources to bear.

elearning CE: Activity 3 Celine Chee (2)

7 traits of a good leader are:
  1. Integrity. 

    Integrity is that you do what you say you will. You are trust worthy. People can rely on you. You keep your promises. The one thing that will most keep people from following you is if they can't know for sure if you will actually take them where you say you will. Are you known as a person of integrity? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!

  2. Optimistic. 

    People don't want to follow others who think the future is bad! They want to follow those who can see the future and let them know that there is a better place and that they can get them there! Do you see the cup as half empty? Then you are a pessimist. Do you see it as half full? Then you are an optimist. Do you see it as totally full -- half air and half water? Then you are a super optimist! Are you known as an optimist? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!

  3. Embraces change. 

    Leaders are the ones who will see the need for change and willingly embrace it. Followers will at first desire to stay where they are. Leaders need to see the benefits of change and communicate them to followers. If you don't change, you won't grow! Are you known as a person who embraces change? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!

  4. Risk taker. 

    Whenever we try something new, we are taking a risk. That is part of growing though and it is imperative. Most people are risk averse. Not the leader! They calculate the risk and what is to be gained from taking the risk. Then they communicate that to the followers and away they go to a better tomorrow! Are you known as a person who is willing to take risks? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!

  5. Tenacious. 

    The tendency of the follower is to quit when the going gets tough. Two or three tries and their motto becomes "If at first you don't succeed, give up and try something else." Not the leader! They know what good lies beyond this brick wall and they will go and get it. Then they will bring others with them! Are you known as a person who is tenacious? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!

  6. Catalytic. 

    A leader is ultimately one who gets people going. They are able to move others out of their comfort zone and on toward the goal! They can raise the passion, enthusiasm and the ACTION of those who would follow. Are you known as a catalyst? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!

  7. Dedicated/committed. 

    Followers want people who are more devoted and committed then themselves. At the first sign of lack of commitment, followers scatter for the doors. If the leader sees the end and is bailing out, they better get out first. Followers follow those who will stick it out because they see the importance of the task and the goal. Are you known as a person who is committed and devoted to the goal? If so, you will become an extraordinary leader!
How does a good leader manage crisis in stressful situations?
    
      Because leaders seek to dissolve effectively the crisis, leaders need to have an entrepreneurial spirit.  Entrepreneurs are risk takers.  Leaders managing a crisis must make critical decisions based upon available information.  The leader must rely upon the information he or she gathers from the assessments, his or her knowledge of the situation, and his or her experience in similar situation to make a decision that involves the risk of success or failure.  Entrepreneurs must be skilled in developing mitigation strategies, project management, and leading an organization during the start-up phase, which are skills a leader can use in resolving a crisis. 

      Leaders managing a crisis must be able to quickly assess the situation, make critical decisions, delegate and communication directions, and be willing to take risks in-order to facilitate effective outcomes.  Therefore, crisis management requires leadership based upon experiential knowledge.

eLearning CE: Activity 3 Kang Yan (05)

What traits does a leader possess?


First, a leader should have outgoing Personalities.

 A sincere liking and respect for other people is a wonderful asset. Being well liked will certainly help in working in teams or any other social situation. Humor and warmth are also part of being outgoing.

 Second, a leader is responsible and dedicated to the work.

This is a very important factor when being a leader. A leader should be responsible for his/her team members and the group's well being. Being responsible gives the team member a thought that they are able to trust the leader. A leader should also give in his/her best shot that the work/project. When leaders is seen committed, the members will also follow and try to stay task focus.

Next, a leader should be persistent/patient.

Sometimes, when the group member does somethings wrongly, the leader cannot barge in and give them a scolding. This will only cause the team member to think that he/she is "unworthy" in a team and will start to loose trust in the leader. Being patient with the member instead encourages him/her to try again. This time, going for the better.

A leader is always honest and trustworthy.

Just like leadership, trustworthiness is a very important trait in most teams. When the leader is trustworthy and honest, the members will be secured that they will be able to produce some results from their project. Having trust between the members of the team ensures the team's well being.

Last but not least, a leader comes prepared for meetings and discussions with his/her members. 

Coming prepared for meetings reduce the time wasted and increase the productivity rate of the group.

Despite being a leader, a leader should also be able to be a good leader. Listening to the opinions of the members is an important way of members expressing themselves to the leader.

How does a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

There are two ways to manage these crisis under stressful situations:

The first way is making sure that the team members in the group perform their role.

When this is secured, the stress level will decrease as everyone in the team knows that they are able to rely on one another to get the work done.

Also, sharing the information and crisis with the team members will help.

A leader should not keep all worries and information to him/herself. Sharing it with the team members allows them to have a chance to help solve the crisis the group is facing. They will not feel left out in a project work.

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Eugene Liow (14)

Trait and Process Leadership Models        

Leaders

You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed.

Followers

Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a new hire requires more supervision than an experienced employee. A person who lacks motivation requires a different approach than one with a high degree of motivation. You must know your people! The fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. You must come to know your employees' be, know, and do attributes.

Communication

You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal. For instance, when you "set the example," that communicates to your people that you would not ask them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do. What and how you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your employees.

Situation

All situations are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an employee for inappropriate behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, then the results may prove ineffective.

Various forces will affect these four factors. Examples of forces are your relationship with your seniors, the skill of your followers, the informal leaders within your organization, and how your organization is organized.



A leader must            BE           KNOW             DO


What they are (BE) -- Know who they are themselves, if they can't even lead themselves, how can they lead others?


What they know (KNOW) -- Whether if they know what are they doing, lead requires some base knowledge.


What they do (DO) -- Must take action, don't just talk. Actions always speak louder than words.



Sources : http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html



I believe that a good leader will pull its team of loyal followers and lead them in a calm and relaxing manner out of the crisis under stressful situations.

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Soe Yan Naung @ Norman (19)

Leadership

1.What traits do they possess?


There are seven main traits or qualities found in a good leader. They are

SEVEN PERSONAL QUALITIES FOUND IN A GOOD LEADER

1. A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader "walks the talk" and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.

2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

3. A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.

4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.

5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.

6. A good leader, as well as keeping the main goal in focus, is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. While keeping the goal in view, a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.

7. A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.

Source from_http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Personal-Characteristics-Of-A-Good-Leader&id=59305


How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

This is something i found useful to do ahead to fight stress from this site. There are only seven points to follow to handle stress and make your team work well at the same time. If your team is working well why would you be stressed? Right?

  1. Keep everyone informed . Don't let any issue slip away without getting noticed. That's very important in critical times. Make everyone understand what's going on.
  2. Make sure you give clear instructions to everyone , and most important, that everyone has the same information, in that way you'll avoid conflict and misunderstandings.
  3. Be open to receive questions , better yet, encourage your team to ask questions if they need to clear out issues. You have to be sure they're 100 percent with clear information.
  4. You should involve people in key decisions . Of course you will make the last call, but you should ask for the support of your team in your decision making process. You will find your team is a lot more motivated when asked to participate in that decision.
  5. Be there . In difficult times your team is under pressure too, and they also need you to be with them.
  6. Make them know you are there . Make the most of every meeting and contact with your staff and make them know they have your support. Not only be there, but communicate it.
  7. Keep a good sense of humor , you don't need to be Jay Leno to be funny, but keeping a good sense of humor is probably one of the best stress relievers that exists. Good humor, encourages everyone to work in a calm and positive fashion.

This is from_ http://www.bealeader.net/1321/7-tips-to-lead-under-pressure

eLearning CE: Activity 3 - Kristin Chai (1)

What traits do they possess?

Visible - By circulating around the workplace, you will appear more approachable and available. Take advantage of every opportunity to interact with co-workers. Be supportive of others and try to help out with the little things. Walk into the bay area and have a brief conversation as you help a co-worker with a customer's car. Management By Wandering Around (MBWA) works! Make sure to practice visibility upward as well as downward.

Consistent - Don't be a tyrant one day and a pussycat the next. Flip-flopping between styles confuses employees. Stick with one style of leadership. Those who look to you for leadership must know what to expect on a daily basis. Also, make decisions consistently. It is important not to bring personal feelings to the workplace. When dealing with employees, stay focused on the situation or issue, not on the person. We connect with some workers better than others. Try not to let the relationship taint your response. Treat all employees equally. Enforce company policies fairly. It is more difficult with the co-workers who are different from you.

Initiate - Try initiating conversations to help find better solutions. Asking questions is a great way to initiate conversations. Try asking open-ended questions. For example: "What can we do better as a company?" Don't always dictate change. Initiate change by creating an atmosphere where creative juices can flow freely. Encourage suggestions for improvement. Set out a suggestion box and reward good suggestions. Continually strive to get better.

Positive - You set the tone for your environment. An optimistic attitude from a leader can carry over to others. What type of tone are you setting at the shop? Is it one of optimism or one of pessimism? Confidence is contagious; so is the lack of it. Employees mirror the tone that leaders set. Be an encourager.

Responsible - Leaders accept challenges as well as successes. If an employee makes a mistake, it is your responsibility to help him or her improve. Employees will never respect a leader who deflects criticism toward the team. Successful leaders think of themselves as "we," not "I." It is a leader's responsibility to ensure that everyone shares in the team's success.

Listen - The most important characteristic of a leader is being a good listener. Focus on the needs of your employees. Often people feel afraid of, or intimidated by, management. Make sure you show people you are willing to listen to what they have to say, that they are important and worthy of your time.

Open the doors of two-way communication. Don't fall into the trap of telling others what to do without considering their opinions. No person - at any age - enjoys being told what to do. Even if you know the answer, listen respectfully and hear out a question. This will help you open up communication between you and the workers.

Recognize - Most people care more about recognition from peers than about money. When an employee performs well, let him or her know. Each day, give five sincere compliments to various workers in your section. Be on the lookout for something they did well and give them a bit of praise. Happy people give better customer service. Create awards and rewards of good customer service.

Communicate - Good leaders are good communicators. They clearly convey their message in a way that connects with the listener. Good leaders understand that you tailor your message to the needs of each worker. If someone is analytical, construct your message focusing on facts and data. If someone is more relational, construct your message in a way that conveys emotion and focuses on how the change impacts people.

Fun - A successful leader has fun in the process. Lightness can complement the seriousness of the job. A fun environment doesn't indicate a lack of professionalism. In fact, a fun environment contributes to the team's results and retention. Are you a fun leader?

How do you think a good leader manages crisis under stressful situations?

They try to relax and handle it properly. Sharing the work among their teammates and solve it step by step if not if one step is missed out something will go wrong.They do not stress everyone every time they can but they only stress the situation and tries their best to solve it regardless how hard it is as it concerns the country which is a very important case.