11 Slide Leadership Powerpoint

Definition of Public Leadership

There are many definitions of a public leader and public leadership. This is because there are many definitions that define a leader. It could range from a villager who takes time to advise the young people in that village, a gang leader, or even a political leader (Grint, 2016). However, when it comes to public leadership, a public leader has been defined in simple terms as a person who holds a public office and has the mandate to serve and offer guidance to the community.

The public leader is expected to serve various purposes including creation of an inspiring vision for the society, motivating and inspiring people under them to make efforts to achieve that vision, managing vision delivery and offering other forms of support to the teams commissioned to spearhead projects aimed at attaining that vision. In vision definition, the public leader is expected to apply various skills, including decision making and problem-solving, analytical as well as innovative skills (Tummers, 2016). The leader is expected to be a team player and a motivating factor to the people. Besides, the leader is expected to give direction in case of any confusions or clarifications that may be needed in the process.

Overview of Public Leaders

There are many leaders both incorporate as well as public administration who have done remarkable things in their capacities. These leaders have brought various transformations and left notable marks of change. For this assignment, I chose to discuss formers American President Truman and Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The aim of this section is to identify how the two leaders applied leadership skills as public leaders to bring reforms in their societies and also internationally.

The 33rd American president Harry Truman was eulogized as the decisive president of the USA. Many people have termed that compliment as deserving for him. This is because, he was the president that made many decisions on behalf of the USA that defined the direction of America on both national and international issues (Leland, 2017). These included the debates on atomic bombs, the interests of the USSR in Turkey and Greece, as well as the ideological battle between communism and capitalism. The president displayed leadership qualities like problem-solving, consultation, and team spirit as well as determination.

Truman made firm decisions and was always ready to be held to account for those decisions. This shows that he was always confident in the choices he made. He always took the time to consult his cabinet before making key decisions. This again shows a leader who encourages teamwork and collective responsibility in making decisions. According to Truman, it was better to have pooled brains involved in making critical decisions than having one head to do the work (Leland, 2017). He always took time to listen to the two sides of an argument before he made any decision.

Lastly, Truman never feared criticism at any point in his leadership. According to him, criticism was healthy and indicated a democratic nation. Besides, he also gave his critique on matters he felt were wrong without fear. This was evident when he attended a meeting with the Ku Klux Klan, not intending to identify himself with the group but to criticize them. He referred to them as a bunch of cheap fakers and told them to go to hell (Leland, 2017). This shows a leader who clearly defined his position and defended it without fear.

Margaret Thatcher also displayed great qualities in her leadership. Some of the most memorable traits that she will be remembered for is leading by conviction and not consensus. She was leading at a time when every decision she took faced great criticism and opposition (Tengblad, 2018). These decisions included privatization, reforms in education, and the position of Britain in the Falklands war. She also could turn her weaknesses or criticism to her advantage. This was manifested when one of the young Journalists referred to her as the Iron Lady, with an intent of mockery. However, she used this to her advantage and to drum support for She opinions. Besides, she also brought great reforms at a time when Britain was regarded as the Sick Man of Europe (Tengblad, 2018). These reforms included the deregulation of the London Stock Exchange, which made the city to be a leading financial center.

Leadership Roles

The former South Africa President Nelson Mandela, De Klerk, and Bishop Desmond Tutu played a significant part in bringing changes in South Africa on political and social fronts. In the 1990s, the country was facing significant challenges, including Apartheid, which was regarded as the major challenge of the time.

After his release from prison in 1990, Mandela revived the ANC party and embarked on tours across Africa to lobby for the liberation of the countries under colonial rule. These countries included Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The revival of ANC led to a liberation struggle where the prisoners in Robben Island began a hunger strike to demand their release so that they could support ANC in its operations (Salmon, 2019). Mandela also proved excellent diplomacy skills by accepting to hold talks with the government of the day concerning the killings of demonstrators in the same year. Besides, he had an influential personality, and this was displayed by the great reception he received globally in his visits. One of the significant marks that he left was his fight against Apartheid by using the ANC party. He also opposed the delay tactics that were being used by the regime to deny them freedom.

Desmond Tutu is remembered for the reforms that he brought using his position as a clergyman. He was in the forefront in leading demonstrations like civil disobedience, including leading the Ecumenical Defiance Service and also taking part in significant protests (Salmon, 2019). He also agreed to host Mandela and his wife in the Bishop’s Court after Mandela’s release from prison. Besides, he invited Mandela in his church to address the congregation against Apartheid. Moreover, he encouraged the use of non-violent approaches to fighting racism.

F. W De Klerk is remembered for allowing the protestors to carry on with their demonstrations despite attempts being made by the local administration to stop the protests. He granted them the freedom to demonstrate. He also engaged in talks with ANC leaders like Zuma, Mandela, and Mbeki about the mode of transition for the country from the colonial rule (Salmon, 2019). The most significant mark that he left was that of lifting the ban against ANC and allowing for the release of Mandela.

Gender Diversity

Gender diversity in the work environment could be described as the act of granting equal opportunities to men and women to serve in any capacity. In the past, men dominated many places of work, and women were allowed temporary roles (Bendl, 2019). Women were viewed as being inferior to men in the workplaces. However, this has changed immensely in the current days. Many organizations and states are appreciating the contribution of women in leadership and even workplaces (Bendl, 2019). Women have now occupied even the highest offices that were formerly male-dominated. We have seen women CEOs, Presidents, and Prime Ministers who have done remarkable things in society.

I remember I once worked in an organization where my head of the department was a woman. There are a lot of things to appreciate in her way of leadership, including excellent organizational skills, commitment as well as paying attention to all the details in the workplace. Besides, I realized that women are more concerned about the affairs of their workers as compared to men. The only shortcoming I would say I observed was the great emphasis she laid on uplifting the female workmates forgetting that the men also required attention.

Strengths

My leadership capacity will be greatly influenced by my public relations skills. This includes my capability to influence action, my outgoing nature, and perfect communication skills. My ability to influence people towards a particular direction can help me to lobby the members of the public to support a particular agenda or plan. Besides, my outgoing nature is crucial in enabling me to interact with the people I lead and get their views and opinions. Lastly, my communication skills are essential since communication is key to the sharing of views and ideas.

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