week 2 cled 780 replies
arnita
weekoneresponds.docx4
Miriam Midzi
4:48pmJan 16 at 4:48pm
I used to think that a manager was the same as a leader until I became a manager and I would come across these questions: Are you a manager or a leader, how do you make your decisions? Most times people use manager and leader interchangeably without even giving it a thought. Kotter explained it so well when he said, " Management is a set of processes that can keep a complicated system of people and technology running smoothly. The most important aspects of management include planning, budgeting, organizing, staffing, controlling, and problem solving. Leadership is a set of processes that creates organizations in the first place or adapts them to significantly changing circumstances. Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles." (Kotter, 2012). Leadership sees where the company is, where the company should be at, and sells the idea to the rest of the team to win their trust and inspire them to work towards the main goal. Managers buy into leadership's vision and make it happen with the rest of their teams.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was a leader who recognized the current affairs of segregation in America and had a dream, or a vision of how America should look like in the future. He inspired those who were around him to see the future and do something to reach to a segregation free America. Dr. King was a leader of American civil rights movement who organized peaceful protests in order to be heard so that there would be no segregation in the nation. Even though he died before he saw many changes, he inspired enough people who carried the vision he had, and we can see that there have been so many changes in the nation. Dr. King was educated, intelligent, man of faith in God, humble and a man of integrity. "His verbal ability was extremely strong. The "I have a dream" speech was delivered during the march on Washington where he called for an end to racism. Over 40 years later the powerful speech lives on. Dr. King inspired many with his speech." (PennState, 2016).
Dr. King had a vision and established a direction to take, and he aligned people who listened to take action to establish his vision. He also motivated and inspired believers, African Americans and anyone who desired change to fight for equality. These qualities made him a leader and not a manager. Managers manage someone's given vision by producing what's needed to see the vision come to pass. Dr. King was the visionary.
References
Kotter, P John. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.
PennState. (2016). The traits of a leader: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership: PSYCH 485 blog. Sites.psu.edu
4:36pmJan 16 at 4:36pm
Discussion Thread: Leaders and Managers
Week #1
What this student believes to be the best explanation of what makes a leader a leader is a combination of important things. The first is to be an individual with personal values and integrity (the same inside and out) with a commitment to Christ. The second is to be rooted and grounded in Godly spirituality which manifests an inner peace. The third is the ability to separate the important from the unimportant first making God top priority. The fourth is to have inclusive vision allowing others to contribute collectively through social influence towards achieving the same goals together in reality. To lead by example, to inspire and motivate oneself and others, and to influence and direct followers from where they are towards a vision of where they need to go are some examples of what makes a leader a leader (Brendfeld, n.d.; Graham, n.d.; Liberty University, n.d.).
The person this student would like to recognize as an effective leader is Dr. Ellamae Dennard. Dr. Dennard holds three doctoral degrees, one in education, one in Christian counseling, and one in Christian leadership. She was a teacher for many years before she became the director of education for all Anglican schools in the Bahamas. After years of directing, she was offered and accepted the position of dean at the University of the Bahamas. After her retirement from educational leadership, she moved to Florida and began a small church called Light of the World Ministries. It was led by her and her husband for many years until his recent passing. After she retired from ministry leadership, she moved back to the Bahamas to relax, help raise her grandchildren, and to continue the work of the Lord through ministry outreach in her local community.
The reason this student believes that Dr. Dennard is effective as a leader is because she led by example. She is a woman of integrity, the same kindhearted person any day of the week and whatever she says she will do, if it is God’s will, she would surely get it done. If she could not get it done, she would humbly apologize and be honest about the circumstances. Dr. Dennard was kind but firm in her ministry leadership and serious about the things of God. She was a charismatic leader who included every member of the congregation in vision meetings pertaining to the direction of the church and was open to the ideas and opinions of others, always seeking the Lord first before decision making with the church. In times of conflict, she would either allow management to take over completely, assert authority and encourage compromise, or begin reasoning over again with her followers “as the Spirit leads church” she would always say. Dr. Dennard is an effective leader still today because she believes that she is called by God to lead, was led by him to achieve the skills necessary to become a great leader and has faith that God will always guide her leadership.
This student would distinguish between Dr. Dennard’s leadership and management using their definitions. According to Kotter (2012) “Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles” (para. 20). Dr Dennard’s leadership is an example of what great leadership looks like through her establishing direction, then aligning people, and then motivating and inspiring them towards common goals. According to Kotter (2012) “Management is a set of processes that can keep a complicated system of people and technology running smoothly” (para. 20). Management’s role is to plan, organize and problem solve. This follower, along with a few others, filled the roles of managers within the church to provide support for our effective chosen leader to produce the best results.
References
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading Change, With a New Preface by the Author. Harvard Business Review Press.
Bredfeldt, G. (n.d.). CLED 780, Week one, lecture one: The essence of leadership. Liberty University. https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/216753/pages/watch-the-essence-of-leadership?module_item_id=18693142
Billy, G. (n.d.). CLED 780, Week one, lecture two: Qualities of a leader. Liberty University. https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/216753/pages/watch-qualities-of-leadership?module_item_id=18693146
Liberty University (n.d.). CLED 780, Week one, lecture three: Invictus 2009 what is your philosophy of leadership. Liberty University. https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/216753/pages/watch-invictus-2009-what-is-your-philosophy-of-leadership?module_item_id=18693151
