Purpose and Goals of Leadership Leadership is a very broad and undefined topic that has been studied many times from countless different perspectives and viewpoints. The book Leadership Theory and Practice by Peter Northouse cites hundreds of different leadership studies with which the author uses to support several broad leadership theories and approaches. Despite the fact that Northouse tries to emphasize the differences between each theory/approach, a strategy most likely used to aid in understanding each theory, there is a common purpose that underlies each and every one of the theories and approaches outlined by Northouse. This common purpose is to make the organization or company as a whole, which would …show more content…
Since the purpose of leadership involves an emphasis being placed on the well-being and success of followers, it should be no surprise that a key role/responsibility of a follower-centered leader is empowering his/her followers. In a Forbes.com article, author and leadership expert Mike Myatt states, “Leadership is about qualities that recognize others while bringing out the best in them” (A Leadership Job Description, 2012, para. 6). Leaders need to be able to focus on their followers’ needs and support them in anyway possble. Sometimes, leaders need to mediate between their followers who are at odds so as to realign groups members so as to effiecently achieve organizational goals (relational focus). Other times, a leader needs to meet with his/her follower and help define tasks or set a direction for the employee (task focus). What leaders do depends again on what their followers …show more content…
Innovative, honest, visionary, and self-confident are just a few of the traits that could be easily listed. This endless list of traits leaders should possess is a nice tool, but sifting through these qualtities to figure out which ones apply and to what extent would take forever. Some traits could also only apply to certain styles/approaches to leadership, adding an additional layer of difficulty in identifying the characterisitics needed to become an effective and efficient leader. According to Eric Coggins, a professor at Liberty University and author of a leadership focused blog, there are seven specific characteristics that follower-centered leaders have. The chacterisitcs are as follows: leaders should demonstrate moral/social love (as Conggins refers to it as “Agapao” love), humitlity, selflessness, trust, empowerment, vision, and servanthood (Coggins, 2011). Each of these characterisitcs are not necessarily intended to benefit the leader directly, but are intended to aid the leader in his/her mission (purpose) to take care of follower’s