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The need for developing a vision or a set of goals”. These
appropriate vision and
definitions highlight the role of
the leader as a change agent, who
values is a perennial
accomplishes change by setting a
concern for leaders of vision for the followers, and then
all times.
inspiring and persuading them to
work for it. The mechanism for
accomplishing this is to develop
leaders among the followers—by
empowering them and giving them the autonomy
to perform routine activities so as to enable the
leader to focus on the higher tasks of leadership.
The role of leaders as change agents who create
the relevant kind of vision, values, strategies,
inspiration, and motivation for the followers is
illustrated by the lives of many a great leader.
However, the need for developing appropriate
vision and values is a perennial concern for leaders
of all times.
Modern India is a case in point. Very many of
our organisations are visionless; most of them
live day-by-day and not in the long term. Also,
corruption is rampant in many institutions. Most
of our government institutions just limp along and
there have been lapses in many of India’s projects
due to corruption and inefficiencies among its
leaders. There are, however, a few silver linings in
its leadership horizon.
Leadership development
A question often asked is how individuals develop
leadership competencies and attitudes. One of
the dominant perspectives is that leaders are born
and there is no need to develop them. It is logical
to suggest a role for the genes in the making of a
leader, but the environment plays a large role in
developing leadership qualities in individuals—the
family, the community in which one grows up,
and education.
Role of families
American psychologist David McClelland had
observed that the development of achievement
orientation is initiated by the nurturing of
independent thought and action provided to a
child by the family. It is logical to argue that the
same would be true for leadership development
as well. The experiences of early childhood make
a major contribution to the development of one’s
personality, and impact a child’s development as
a future leader. There are three specific attributes
required for a family to be able to nurture their
children towards leadership: godliness, love, and
caring for one another. The process started in the
family may be further strengthened in the school
and the community, provided they have supportive
culture and systems.
Role of the community
The culture of a community and the behaviour
of its leaders, especially the political ones, have a
significant influence on the value system developed
by the next generation. Corruption, communalism,
and casteism have become the bane of the country,
and ethics has taken a backseat.
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Role of schools
There has to be focus particularly on early-stage
education, as this is the most impressionable period
in the life of individuals, when they would acquire
values. There is hardly any disagreement among
various schools of thought in psychology in this
regard. Transactional analysis believes that the
personality of a child is almost made by the time
86 INDIAN MANAGEMENT NOVEMBER 2015