Suggested Competencies for Effective Leadership in Organizations
Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright 1997-2008.(This file is referenced from Introduction to Leadership and Leadership Development Planning. Readers might best be served to first read the section Gaining Broad Perspective on Leadership before continuing through the rest of the information in this topic.)
Sections of This Topic Include:
Using the List of CompetenciesLeading Yourself
Core Competencies to Lead Individuals, Groups and Organizations
Leading People -- Other Individuals
Leading People -- In Groups
Leading People -- Organization-Wide
Using the List of Competencies
Challenge of Identifying Competencies Needed by Leaders
The particular competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) that a person needs in order to lead at a particular time in an organization depend on a variety of factors, including:1) Whether that person is leading one other individual, a group or a large organization;
2) The extent of leadership skills that person already has;
3) That person's basic nature and values (competencies should be chosen that are in accordance with that nature and those values);
4) Whether the group or organization is for-profit or nonprofit, new or long-established, and large or small;
5) The particular culture (or values and associated behaviors) of whomever is being led.
The above considerations can make it very challenging when trying to determine what competencies someone should have in order to be a better leader. Perhaps that's why leadership training programs in institutions typically assert a set of standard competencies, for example, decision making, problem solving, managing power and influence, and building trust.
Don't Get Hung Up On Categories -- Different People Will Categorize Topics Differently
If the reader had the opportunity to review a variety of leadership development programs, he or she would notice a wide variety of approaches to categorizing topics. Don't get hung up on the "right" way to categorize the topics.
Competencies Are Cumulative from Leading Individuals to Organizations
Leading in successively larger contexts (from individuals to groups to organization-wide efforts) requires successively larger sets of competencies. For example, "core" competencies are the minimum needed in leading others, whether other individuals, in groups or organization-wide efforts. To really be effective at leading other individuals, one should have the core competencies plus certain other competencies to lead individuals, etc.Leading Yourself
Setting Direction
Career Development (includes several topics, for example, career planning, finding jobs, etc.)Personal Development (includes several topics, for example, assessments, setting goals, etc.)
Effectively Leading Yourself
Personal Productivity (includes several topics, for example, decision making, problem solving, etc.)Personal Wellness (includes several topics, for example, self-confidence, assertiveness, etc.)
Also Consider
Managing YourselfCore Competencies to Lead Individuals, Groups and Organizations
Setting Direction
Decision making -- setting a course of actionPlanning -- Basics (establishing goals and how they will be reached)
Problem Solving (analyzing alternatives and selecting a course of action)
Influencing Others to Follow Direction
Managing Power and Influence ("Various Methods of Influencing Individuals" are listed below)
Also consider
Basic, Entry-Level Skills in Organizational ManagementBasic Guide to Management and Supervision
Leading People -- Other Individuals
(Be sure to read the above section Using the List of Competencies.) To lead other individuals, one should have the core competencies (listed above) plus the following competencies listed below.
Setting Direction (depending on the situation)
Establishing Performance GoalsVarious Methods of Influencing Individuals
CoachingCounseling
Delegating
Mentoring
Selling
Work Directing
"Advanced" -- Effectively Leading Other Individuals
Building TrustCommunications (face-to-face)
Conflict (Managing Interpersonal Conflict)
Handling Difficult People
Listening
Motivating Others
Sharing Feedback
Valuing Diversity
Also consider:
Basic Overview of SupervisionLeading People -- in Small Groups
(Be sure to read the above section Using the List of Competencies.) The following methods apply to small groups in which the leader can frequently accomplish face-to-face contact with members. To lead others in small groups, one should have the core competencies (listed above), competencies to lead other individuals (listed above), plus the competencies listed below for leading others in small groups.
Methods of Influencing Groups
FacilitationGroup-Based Problem Solving and Decision Making
Meeting Management
Project Management
"Advanced" -- Effectively Leading Groups
Conflict Management in GroupsGroup Dynamics (basics about nature of groups, stages of group development, etc)
Systems Thinking (seeing larger structures and patterns in processes of groups and organizations)
Team Building
Leading People -- in Large Groups and Organization-Wide
(Be sure to read the above section Using the List of Competencies.) The following methods apply to large groups in which the leader cannot frequently accomplish face-to-face contact with members. To lead large group and organization-wide efforts, one should have the core competencies (listed above), competencies to lead other individuals (listed above), competencies to lead others in small groups (listed above), and competencies listed below for leading others in large groups and organization-wide efforts.
Setting Direction
Strategic Analysis (environmental scan and SWOT analysis)Strategic Direction (mission, vision, values and goals)
Methods of Influence
Organizational Performance Management (includes numerous methods and movements)
"Advanced" -- Effectively Leading in Organizations
Organizational Change and DevelopmentOrganizational Communications
Systems Thinking (seeing larger structures and patterns in processes of groups and organizations)
Return to Leadership Development Planning
For the Category of Leadership:
Related Library Topics
Recommended Books
For Leading Yourself, See
Personal Development -- Related
Books
For Leading Other Individuals, See
Supervision -- Related
Books
For Leading Teams, See
Facilitation and Teams -- Related
Books
For Leading Organizations, See
Organizational Development
-- Recommended Books
For Management, See
Management -- Recommended Books
Basics and General Information
Field
Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Provides step-by-step, highly practical guidelines to recruit, utilize and evaluate the best employees for your business. Includes guidelines to effectively lead yourself (as Board member or employee), other individuals, groups and organizations. Includes guidelines to avoid burnout -- a very common problem among employees of small businesses. Many materials in this Library's topic about staffing are adapted from this book.
Field
Guide to Leadership and Supervision With Nonprofit Staff
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Provides step-by-step, highly practical guidelines to recruit, utilize and evaluate the best staff members for your nonprofit. Includes guidelines to effectively lead yourself (as Board member or staff member), other individuals, groups and organizations. Includes guidelines to avoid burnout -- a very common problem among nonprofit staff. Many materials in this Library's topic about staffing are adapted from this book.
The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just hover your cursor over the image of the book. A "bubble" of information will be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.
