Title: Role of Effective Leadership in Stress Management
Abstract: The 'human resources' are the most important determinant in the success of any organization. When compared with other resources like money, machines, materials and even time, this is the only resource which will not deplete over time and has the potential for advancement or improvement. Hence money invested in human capital by way of training will always give handsome returns in the future which may be evidenced by increased domain knowledge and also change in behaviour, through enhancement of knowledge, skills and attitude. Training and developmental programmes sharpen the skills of the employees so as to be competitive in the business world.The corporate world has realized the significance of its manpower. Harnessing the full potential of the employees is imperative in gaining a competitive edge over similar organizations in the industry. Stress management and leadership have attracted the attention of researchers the world over for more than half a century and still the two areas have not lost their significance in the study of interpersonal interaction and dynamics.Manager vs. leaderIn the words of Peter F. Drucker, is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. Leadership is the ability to influence the activities of others to achieve a purpose, rather a goal, the tool used in the process being communication. Though leadership and management are two terms which are used interchangeably, there is significant difference between the two. An executive can be a manager by virtue of his position in the organizational hierarchy but he may not be a leader. Leadership deals directly with people and their behaviour. It is a variable or an aspect of management. Management, a broader concept, includes the activity of leadership but may also involve non- behavioural functions, i.e., routine, day-to-day activities such as planning, organizing, coordinating, leading and controlling. A leader is one who can make others innovate and create a vision. An effective leader has a passion for a cause. He holds certain values. He has a vision and confidence. He has humility and has communication and interpersonal skills. He is proactive. Leadership is similar to succession planning in Human Resources Management (HRM). The leader leaves a trail behind for others to follow, unlike the manager. On the contrary, a manager may not necessarily be a leader.For the manager to become a leader, he needs recognition as a leader from his subordinates. The subordinates should find something worthwhile in the leader to imbibe and evolve. Leadership is the ability to influence the group to achieve the target (Robbins, 1993). A leader is somebody who shows direction to a group of people. That means leader needs a set of people whom he can lead or direct. He cannot direct himself. Thus the term follower is a corollary of the term leader.The dictionary meaning of leader is: The person who guides or takes by going in front. This connotes that the leader needs certain qualities, traits or style which differentiate him from his followers or that make him prominent when he is in the same group. Just the title or the designation will not make a person a leader. To function as leaders, they must have an emotional appeal that instils in other people the desire to follow them. Leaders will be able to lead only when they can effectively influence people over extended periods of time. To become successful, leaders must develop the following perspectives: Communicate a global vision, be technologically savvy, embrace an open- minded leadership style, champion diversity (style, culture and leadership), display flexibility and respect toward employees and foster a coiporatc culture of teamwork.Ineffective leadership and stressInadvertent management of men, money, machines, materials or time can result in stress. Thus stress management is a key factor since stress is part and parcel of managerial excellence of executives in the corporate sector. …
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-12-01
Language: en
Type: article
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