Leadership plays an important role in the success of any organization. Covey (1996) indicated that leadership is about going somewhere or leading the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. Leadership is closely associated with the way the organization will work towards its vision and mission. Leadership should be there to ensure that it articulates the customer needs within the organization in ensuring that the customer’s needs are met in a timely manner. Covey (1996) says that “leaders play the role of developing a compelling vision and a clear sense of where the organization is headed to” (p. 156). In this context Covey (1996) said that a compelling vision tells people in the organization its purpose and where the organization is headed. This therefore means that leaders play the role of creating a clear vision and direction and communicating it throughout the organization. The leaders also pay the role of ensuring that there is people involvement in the process of shaping the direction and vision of the organization.
Leaders play the role of implementing the vision, mission, goals and the objectives of the company. Covey (1996) says that “once vision has been set leaders play the role of placing established goals and strategies in order of priority and then they begin ensuring that implementation begins” (p. 157). According to Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) this is accomplished when the leaders coordinate their teams. Leaders achieve this through developing full communication, mutual understanding, information and cohesiveness by being together.
Leaders play the role of developing plans, timelines, work distribution and assignments (Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff, 2000). This is an integral role of leaders because they determine how duties are executed through coming up with the work plans. They do this by clearly indicating who does what at what time and therefore ensure that the team meets deadlines (Covey, 1996). Through this role leaders enhance the effectiveness of the organization and at the same time build confidence with the customers.
Leaders play the role of team building and creating collaborations with other teams in the organization (Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff, 2000). Leaders accomplish this by ensuring that they set meeting dates and also consult with other team members on the agendas to be discussed for example during those meetings. The leaders ensure that team members are on time to meetings, members do not miss meetings and that meetings work deadlines (Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff, 2000). Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) argued that leaders also check progress at each stage of the tasks and come up with ways of dealing with exceptions such as by communicating among members and sharing information with other team members.
Leaders should play the role of guiding their organizations to meet the challenges of the changing business world. Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) continue to say that since the last two decades managers job has changed from managing by control to managing by commitment. Covey (1996) says that this should equally be reflected by organizational leaders and it implies that organizational leaders should focus also on leading by commitment not by control. Leaders should focus on team motivation and output and from the traditional functions of planning, organizing, staffing and evaluation to the functions of coaching and facilitating (Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff, 2000).
In their further Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) said that leaders should play the role of directing the behavior of group members in pursuit of common goals. Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) also say that a leader’s most important function should be to empower other members to take on leadership roles. The leader should then develop shared leadership roles. The leader should identify styles and approaches to leading. Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) also continue to say that a leader should have the ability and willingness to take responsibility of directing their own behavior in a particular area.
In conclusion Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff (2000) indicated that “organizations with strong and effective leadership at all levels achieve superior results where else organization with inconsistent leadership achieve inconsistent business results” (p. 141). As a result Lumsden, Donald & Wiethoff said that effective leaders can turn fledging companies into viable competitors to other companies therefore its their role to ensure that they lead their teams to deliver superior results and to work towards achieving team effectiveness (2000).