Decisive Leadership

One of the most frustrating things to followers is having an indecisive leadership. Whenever people feel like their leadership doesn’t seem to have a firm stand on an issue, frustration sets in. An organization with a captain who seems to have no sense of direction is bound to crumble to small tiny pieces because of the perceived lack of firmness on the part of the leadership.

Proponents of hands on leadership argue that this type of leadership ensures that everything and every aspect of an organization is always in the radar of the top leadership. Despots and dictators have perfected the art of hands on leadership to the point of making their juniors irrelevant and discontented since the “big man” will seem to be running the whole organization or country singlehandedly.

On the other hand leaders who employ a hands off approach to management might seem out of touch with the reality on the ground and on some happenings within the organization. Such leaders might wake up one day to find an organization in disarray because everyone seems to be doing what they deem fit in an alleged directionless organization. The upside of hands off leadership lies mainly in personal development of the junior managers. This is partly because it inspires confidence and decision making in the part of the junior managers who feel part and parcel of the decision making process. It also makes junior managers responsible for their decisions since they are not working like puppets.

Regardless of whether a leader employs a hands on or a hands off approach, he or she needs to be the radar to the entire organization and people need to trust that they are being led towards their destiny as a society and as individuals. Top leaders should firmly chart the way for the entire organization. Jesus Christ is the best example of a leader who leads his organization by making firm decisions which might be unpopular but fruitful.

It is therefore imperative for leaders to be on the forefront when it comes to making decisions for the good of the followers in order to avoid a case of the followers trying to “lead themselves” which is a recipe for chaos.