exemplary leadership
Leadership is the ability to guide individuals, teams, or groups towards accomplishing specific goals or achieving a shared vision. There is often a debate on whether leaders are born, or it is a learned behavior. However, exemplary leaders work to make others feel strong, able, and devoted. They strengthen the capability of people to deliver their promises. Exemplary leadership focuses on five competent practices, including “modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart” (Cutler, 2014). Although exemplary leadership is challenging because of responsibilities and pressure that come with it, successful leaders possess effective skills and qualities.
From my professional career as an accountant in one of the real estate companies in the state, the organizational manager is one of the exemplary leaders that I have come across. First, his behavior is relative to exemplary leadership style because he possesses leadership skills and innate qualities; thus, a born leader. The five leadership competencies of an exemplary leader behavior make a considerable difference in his devotion and work performance. His level of commitment, engagement, and employee satisfaction are among the qualities that inspire the shared vision. He inspires in a manner that makes others see exciting and foreseeable possibilities. He also challenges the process and enables employees to act. Cutler (2014) claims that successful leaders search for opportunities and look for innovative ways by taking risks. My manager is also one of such leaders who challenge innovative ways, foster collaboration, motivates and engages employees, as well as builds spirited teams.
In order to be an ethical leader, one needs to model ethical leadership behavior, then adopt transparency and open communication. My manager’s ethical behavior has enabled him to earn respect and the title of a great leader. He models the way by establishing principals and ethical guidelines that govern the workplace. Cutler (2014) argues that a leader must demonstrate not only exemplary but also ethical behaviors; otherwise, his leadership ability and credibility could be undermined. My manager manifests leadership virtues of trust, honesty, justice, and transparency in the decision-making process. He establishes a value statement and insists that everyone should follow them.
One of the most effective traits of an ethical or moral leader is respectful of others. Cutler (2014) defines a moral leadership as the act of providing meaning and valuing others. All these are directed by moral beliefs, values, dignity, and doing right to others. A moral leader shows respect to all team members, and this is what my manager does in the organization. He exhibits exemplary behaviors that relate to moral leadership, including respect the followers, value to the opinions and contributions of the team. He is also generous, compassionate, and values justice. Thus, these leadership behaviors have enabled him to prove his leadership capabilities to individuals, teams, and organizations as a whole.
My organizational manager’s behavior related to Collin’s model of level leadership. Collins developed the concept of “Level 5 Leaders” that displays the mixture of powerful personality behaviors and indomitable will (Cutler, 2014). My manager displays high capability individual behavior that creates a high-quality contribution to the workplace. He is a team leader who also contributes significantly as a team member towards the success of the company. Besides, a competent manager, who is capable of overseeing people and resources, thus offering support towards attaining predetermined objectives. He displays effective leaders by steering the company towards compelling and well-defined goals to keep the firm functioning at a higher performance. Lastly, he is an executive leader who combines unique capabilities by combining what Collins recognizes as personal humility and professional will.