Posted: August 1st, 2022

How can Information Technology Enhance Leadership Ability and Skills

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How can Information Technology Enhance Leadership Ability and Skills
To some people, leadership may seem like such a daunting task. Different leadership styles affect people in different ways, and thus it is essential to be specific on what style of leadership one may want to implement especially; in a business setting. Leadership entails having the ability to set direction for others to follow while in pursuit of a common goal. A great leader must possess qualities such as honesty, integrity, commitment, accountability, delegation, as well as having the capacity to inspire others and make concrete well-reasoned decisions. I believe that I may possess a higher leaning towards identifying with the behavioral leadership theory. Currently, I feel like I portray a combination of servant type and laissez-faire leadership. I believe more in servitude and allowing people to do what they please; however, I would like to be more of a transformational leader. This essay discusses how IT courses can enhance one’s leadership ability and skills.
Objectives
My surrounding heavily influences my behavior as an individual, and thus if I surround myself with people that possess inspirational traits I will become a better leader. Surrounding myself with such people and learning more from the leadership development program will also allow me to manage stress more efficiently. The program will also enable me to be able to speak up upon issues that displease me, or those that I would typically keep from others (Hargreaves & Fink, 2012). The program will also allow me to tame self-criticism which has held me back from attaining my full potential. These strategies will be slowly applied to my personal life over time until I can undoubtedly conclude that they are a part of me. Asking myself questions like where I want to be in the future will also allow me to set better targets towards achieving quality leadership ability and skills.
Among the leading theories of leadership, there is; the trait leadership theory, behavioral theories, contingency theories, and transformational theory. The trait theory portrays how certain people are born with the innate ability to lead (Leadership Development Institute, n.d.). The theory dates back to the ancient Greek era where people shared the notion that leaders are born and not made. The other approach is behavioral leadership, which focuses on human behavioral characteristics. It highlights how anyone with the right conditioning could make a great leader (Leadership Development Institute, n.d.). The contingency theory, on the other hand, argues that there is no defined way of leading since every leadership style is based upon specific situations. This leadership style stresses that each method is based upon the circumstances the leader is presented with; it goes on to perpetuate that leaders are more likely to express their authority when the followers are responsive. The transformational theory bases its argument upon human relations. In essence, a leader can influence followers through their inspirational and charismatic personalities.
Key Learnings
The leadership Development provides one with in-depth experiences, mentorship as well as targeted training to ensure the development of an overall quality business leader. According to the Leadership Development Institute, after going through the training, one can unlock their leadership potential while developing new leadership skills needed to achieve impactful results throughout the organization(Leadership Development Institute, n.d.). Before the program begins, participants complete several web-based surveys that are essential for planning on leadership effectiveness. Pre-program assessments are also carried out to identify the individual’s current problem that will be improved on (Komives, & Wagner, 2016). The assessments give one insight to broaden leadership perspective, and they enable one to understand top-priority competencies, clarify development needs and also provide a foundation for growth. Since the program is primarily tailored to one’s personal style and goals people with specific issues will find resolutions for them. In my case, after attending the forum, I am now able to manage stress adequately. I learned that I could write down my anxious thoughts as a way to alleviate the pressure. I found out that I needed to socialize more with people as this would allow me to get out of my head. I also learned about ways that I could use to detect whenever my stress levels rose. The training received from the Leadership Development Institute allowed me to be more proactive towards my management of stress giving me better standing if I was to become a leader.
The program also gives one the opportunity to engage with others. For a few days, individuals are usually presented with their data, experimental activity data as well as allowed to participate in skill-building exercises. This stage also provides one with a simulated business environment to get an individual SWOT analysis. This allowed one to get a 360-degree assessment and gain feedback from peers as well as the allowance of spending the day with a certified leadership coach (Komives, & Wagner, 2016). Such an opportunity allows one to identify their weakness which in my case was a self-critical mindset. I had the habit of thinking that what I said or did was right and this did not always mesh well with any individual I worked with. I was not aware of this up until the time I got into the program. Whenever I received criticism, I often took it negatively, but over time, I have developed a more positive outlook on situations such that I can now calibrate my thoughts into more positive and meaningful ones. This allows me to be a better person even in my pursuit of becoming a transformational progressive leader. This means I can also serve people better as well as take in insights from subordinates or peers without fear of seeming inexperienced.
As a final step in the program, one needed to apply their learnings in a real-world environment. The program, however, offers support during the initial application stages to ensure that one stays on track with the learnings. It provides consultation services with certified coaches in addition to structured processes for conversations with a boss which helps build your own conversational skills. Another assessment to identify progress, as well as eLearning courses that help reinforce the lessons the program offered. I was able to get over some of my other personal issues such as self-judgment and my poor conflict management skills through the program. It is essential to note however that one needs to be open-minded, committed, and observant for one to reap the best out of the experience (Van Dierendonck, 2011). The LDP brings forth bold individuals that can adequately express themselves in a non-self-biased manner. Being adaptive to change also allows you to take up any new information and ideas presented to you and transform them into workable strategies to foster growth and development of self and business (Multiple Ways of Exercising Leadership). I feel that the program is quite beneficial to anyone as I have experienced positive changes after attending it. I know the kind of leader I am and the one I would like to be in the future which I am thus striving towards being.
Application/Synthesis
In information technology, leadership entails the administration of IT infrastructure that facilitates the achievement of business strategies and goals. The critical skills an IT leader must possess are developing interpersonal skills as well as having the ability to inspire others into using IT to improve processes. It allows for the alignment of IT processes with business to drive business. For better application of the LDP processes into business, one may need to ensure the business understand the purpose of having an IT department (Hargreaves, & Fink, 2012). Useful value measurements that govern operations need to be made to ensure everyone understands their scope and contribution towards the business. Strategies such as training of staff on better communication skills while leading by example can allow a quicker way to reach goals while effective delegation strategies will foster a more organized, goal-oriented direction (Lunsford, 2016). These strategies can be applied even at the school level and later on within a larger organization as it is sure to bring positive outcomes. It can start with smaller projects such as group discussions, progress onto environmental work at the club level then advance into professional use at a business level. It is essential that people develop better leadership skills for better management of their time, money and human resources.
Conclusion
In conclusion, leadership is an essential aspect within an organization which can result in an organization either doing well or not. Lack of leadership skills can cause the death of an organization. Many programs offer training for professionals as well as students that would like to pursue leadership in their lifetime. Programs such as the LDP provide top-notch training and assessment to ensure well- rounded leaders. It is essential that one first identifies their weaknesses to work on them for positive results. Leadership can be gained if only one focuses on developing the right skills they can find themselves being better leaders than even their mentors.

References
Hargreaves, A., & Fink, D. (2012). Sustainable leadership(Vol. 6). John Wiley & Sons.
Komives, S. R., & Wagner, W. (Eds.). (2016). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. John Wiley & Sons.
Leadership Development Institute. (n.d.). The LDP Experience. Retrieved from https://leadership.eckerd.edu/leadership-development-program/the-ldp-experience/
Lunsford, L. G. (2016). A Handbook for Managing Mentoring Programs: Starting, Supporting and Sustaining. London, England: Routledge.
Multiple Ways of Exercising Leadership: Increasing the Participation of People of Color in the Leadership of the Nonprofit Sector. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://leadershiplearning.org/system/files/Final_AECF_Appendices_Web.pdf
Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of management, 37(4), 1228-1261.

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