Should an effective leader maintains his or her particular principles and objectives consistently without acquiring any other suggestions or popular opinions from others-his or her underlings, friends, even common people as the statement contends? Although I agree that it is important for leadership to insist on the principles and objectives of its own, however, in my view, learning from other people's opinions is extremely necessary as well.
As a leader of a nation, a union, a class or a company, one ought to set up his or her main point of view about his or her statement and insist on it from the beginning to the end. For instance, Martin Luther King, a spiritual leader of African Americans, who called on thousands of African Americans fighting for their equal rights and status with the white people in the United States, remained the principles and objectives that he always believed. He believed that black people are the same as white people and they should not be looked down upon by anybody including themselves. Although, changing the society and the views of most people is a long way to go, he considered, they were going to win some day. Depending on these faiths, he and his advocators as well as thousands of millions African American people even some white people have been changing the society step by step until nowadays. People who wants to be an effective leader must have the ability to stick to his or her principles and objectives which are accepted by the underlings or the citizens as well.
Admittedly, it is essential for a leader to insist on his or her opinion, however, unduly remain to one person's idea should not be advocated. Sometimes, consistently committed to only one person's opinion is a dangerous thing, which may lead a nation, a society, a union or a company to despotic. Throughout the history, the countries that had a despotic leader must to be overthrowed by other countries or by the people who used to live under the leader's despotism. Considered the infamous leaders all of the world--such as Stalin and Hider, no one would not think these individuals as effective leaders, but as their tyrannical objectives and principles had been done for a long term, they were fall from power for the reason that the principles were not in accord with their followers. So, strict adhere to one's principles and objectives may benefit a country, a class or a company for a short time, however, in my observation, if the leader does not take his or her follower's opinion into account, downfall is surely waiting for him or her.
Moreover, in whatever realms, for the leaders, absorbing others opinion is indispensable on his or her way to success. Listening to others' voices means that the leader cares the followers, and wants to be one of them. People willingly follow the leadership not for who they are, but for how they make them feel. The CEO of one of the most successful high-tech companies in Silicon Valley said: ‘In order to willingly accept the direction of another individual, it must feel good to do so. This business of making another person feels good in the unspectacular course of his daily comings and goings is, in my view, the very essence of leadership.' In the precondition that the goal does not changed, the leader should accept some advice and opinions selectivity that may be helpful to accomplish.
To sum up, to be an effective leader of a nation, a union or a company, he or she needs to adhere to particular principles and objectives consistently. Only in this way, a good result which the leader supposed at the beginning can be received in the end. At the same time, an effective leader should not overlook other people's voices that can supply the gap of leader's planning and let the followers conceder that they are being attention to and then willing to work for the leaders.
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本帖最后由 sisixi 于 2008-5-9 17:55 编辑 ]
