Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to guide and inspire an individual or a group of individuals. Leaders motivate others to do perform better and give their best to a task. It is an intangible skill some people are born with, while others can learn to acquire leadership skills. Today, organizations have realised that good leadership allows them to achieve better results. Because of the stress laid upon leadership skills in management, many HR management courses also include it in their syllabus.

Modern organizations believe that employees cannot be just forced to perform their tasks. They need to thrive in the organization and that requires them to be passionate about their work and take responsibility for it. In order to do so, they need to be motivated well. The modern-day manager therefore has a task cut out for him. He is not just a manager with the primary responsibility to delegate responsibilities and ensure that the team meets all the deadlines. Today, he is also required to have good leadership skills so that he is able to guide his team and be a source of inspiration for them when they are chasing tough deadlines or have difficulty in performing a task well. This alone fact is promoting many leaders to upscale their skills by enrolling into online leadership courses.

Difference Between a Leader and a Manager

A manager can simply pass down orders and give directions to people. He demands compliance from people and expects them to meet their targets. A leader also ensures that the team reaches targets on time and complies to regulations and requirements. However, his job is not limited to getting the team to achieve their goals. He guides his team through rough times and inspires them to set higher targets. He inspires them to do their best work in their routine jobs as well.

Impact of Leadership on the Organization

Leadership positively impacts the business and the environment at the work floors. Good leadership reflects through several elements within the organization. Some of them are listed below –

1. Good leadership improves employee retention

Inspiring leaders build trust and loyalty in the team. Because they know how to motivate their team and share a good rapport with them, their team members are comfortable working with them.  This comfort with their manager makes them stay longer in their jobs. This leads to increased employee satisfaction. Employees who get heard and get opportunities to grow do not leave the organization. Thus, the organization is benefits from a good leadership in the form of a high rate of employee retention.

2. Good leadership leads to revenue enhancement

Leaders improve their team’s performance and push the team members to outperform themselves. In this way, they help their organization achieve success faster. This may lead to an increase in revenue generated.

3. Good leadership explores avenues of innovation

One of the highlights of a good leader is his capacity to motivate his team and make them feel like leaders in their own right. He encourages them to take ownership of their job tasks and helps them open up their minds to new possibilities. This leads to an environment where people are enthusiastic about their work and look forward to doing new things. This is a culture where innovation thrives because the team knows that their good ideas will be heard.

4. Good leadership looks for and develops leadership of the future

A manager’s task is to ensure that all the current tasks are performed according to an organization’s strategic needs and objectives. He has to manage the team that he has in a fruitful manner and meet the deadlines. He has to control his team members’ actions when needed. In reality, managers work with a short-term view. Leaders on the other hand, have a long-term view of any situation. So, when they manage their teams, they keep note of their team’s inherent abilities. They nurture their teams accordingly and give them tasks that help them shine through their abilities. They train the team members and to hone them for the future. For those who exhibit leadership skills, a good leader identifies and guides them to become the organization’s leadership of the future.

An appropriate leadership style can impact an organization’s performance in a positive manner. It can strengthen the existing skills of its workforce and look for newer avenues of growth. It is also necessary to note that a good leader also exhibits a variety of leadership styles at display. This variation is critical as organizational needs vary often. A good leader can be dictatorial when he has to push his team to achieve specific numbers and he can provide a shoulder to lean on when a team member is in need of emotional support. A good leader knows the skills and shortcomings of his team in and out.