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Cflm2-Character Formation 2

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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION TO CHARACTER FORMATION

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what is character.


2. Identify the character formation.

What is Character?

Character is what motivates a person’s thoughts and actions. It is the inner self made
up of personality traits. It is also taught. Students learn character development through
example and education. We want to grow teens with strong character that will help them build
a successful future.

Good character includes certain characteristics:


A strong sense of morality
Integrity
Honesty
Responsibility
Willingness to stand up for others

Character manifests itself in conduct. Conduct is not the same as character, but it
reveals character. Teens with strong character are better able to avoid risk behaviors, and their
internal compass helps them navigate away from things that might harm them or others.

On its face, “character” is a morally neutral term. Every person, from iconic scoundrels
like Hitler and saints like Mother Teresa, have a character. We use the term character to
describe a person’s most prominent attributes, it is the sum total of
the features and traits that form an individual’s nature.

A person with “good character” when to say a person has a good character or even to
admire a person’s character does not require that they are perfect but it does mean we think
this is a good person worthy of trust and admiration.

So when we say someone has good character we are expressing the opinion that his or
her nature is defined by worthy traits like integrity, courage, and compassion. People of good
character are guided by ethical principles even when it’s physically dangerous or detrimental to
their careers, social standing, or economic well-being. They do the right thing even when it
costs more than they want to pay.

No one is born with good character; it’s not a hereditary trait. And it isn’t determined by
a single noble act.

Character is established by conscientious adherence to moral values, not by lofty


rhetoric or good intentions. Another way of saying that is, character is ethics in action.

But what do we mean by ethics? All Josephson Institute programs,


including CHARACTER COUNTS! and Pursuing Victory With Honor, are based on the Six
Pillars of Character, values that transcend cultural, religious, and socioeconomic differences.
Those six values are trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

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Anne Frank, the 13-year-old victim of Nazi persecution said in her diary, “The formation
of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” I have no doubt that she was right. Of course,
efforts by parents, teachers, and others to instill these values are very important. They can
have a great deal of influence on the values a child adopts, but we must never underestimate
the role of choice (and accountability for making that choice) in the formation of character.

Thus, character is both formed and revealed by how one deals with everyday situations
as well as extraordinary pressures and temptations. Like a well-made tower, character is built
stone by stone, decision by decision.

The way we treat people we think can’t help or hurt us — like housekeepers, waiters,
and secretaries — tells more about our character than how we treat people we think are
important. How we behave when we think no one is looking or when we don’t think we will get
caught more accurately portrays our character than what we say or do in service of our
reputations.

Difference between character and reputation.

Of course, our assessment of a person’s character is an opinion and it isn’t always


right. Abraham Lincoln recognized an important difference between character and reputation.
“Character,” he said “is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think
of it; the tree is the real thing.”

Because the shape of a shadow is determined by the angle of light and the perspective
of the observer, it’s not a perfect image of the tree. In the same way, reputation is not always
an accurate reflection of character. Oscar Wilde once said, Sincerity is one of the most
important qualities in a person. And once you can fake that you have it made.” This cynical
quip explains why some people are able to create a much better reputation than they deserve.
By the same token, there are others who deserve better reputations than they have.

Though reputation is merely a perception it still has very significant real impact.
Reputation is not only the result of what people think of us it often determines what people
who don’t know us think about us, treat us and whether we are held in high or low esteem.

A good reputation for integrity, for instance, is a primary determinant of credibility and
trust, two very marketable assets. Think of how the Tiger Woods “brand” crashed and his
endorsement value disappeared after it was discovered that he constantly cheated on his wife.
Similarly, the once highly respected accounting firm Arthur Anderson had to change its name
(to Accenture) to try to recapture trust after its involvement in the Enron scandal.

Whether fair or not, the indisputable truth is that people, companies and institutions
are likely to be judged by their last worst act. Thus, some unwisely became so preoccupied with
protecting their image that they actually made things worse, undermining their character and
destroying their reputations, by concealing or creating facts to make them look better.

The importance of character is captured in the mantra: “hire for character, train for skills.”

osephsononbusinessethics.com/2015/02/character-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/

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Defining Character

There is no consensus on a definition of character. In fact there seems to be as many


definitions as there are scholars whose research and writing focus on character. In our
discussion of character, we focus on personality traits, values and virtues.

Traits

Traits are defined as habitual patterns of thought, behavior and emotion that are
considered to be relatively stable in individuals across situations and over time. Traits are not
fixed. For example, introverts may be able to learn how to behave in a less introverted way,
while extroverts may learn how to control and moderate their extroverted behaviors when
situations require it.

There are, literally, hundreds of personality traits from A (ambition) to Z (zealousness)


that have been described in the psychology literature. However, through statistical techniques
such as factor analysis, five broad domains, or dimensions, of personality have emerged, and
are now widely used in various forms in employee selection and assessment. The “Big-Five”
traits are:

• Conscientiousness
• Openness to experience
• Extroversion
• Agreeableness, and
• Neuroticism

These five traits feature prominently in tests or inventories and they have come to be
known as the FFM, or the five-factor model, a robust model of personality. Although the Big
Five dominate the personality literature, there are various other traits that
warrant consideration and measurement, such as self-confidence, ambition, perfectionism,
dominance, rigidity, persistence and impulsivity.

Some personality traits can be inherited. For example, studies have shown that
identical twins that have the same genes show more traits that are similar than non-identical
twins. Traits, of course, also evolve through life experiences and deliberate developmental
exercises such as coaching.

Values

Values are beliefs that people have about what is important or worthwhile to them.
Values influence behavior because people seek more of what they value. If they can get more
net value by behaving in certain ways, they will. Values therefore can be seen as the
guideposts for behavior. Some people value their autonomy very highly, some value social
interaction, some value the opportunity to be creative, some value work-life balance, and so
on. Values may change with life stages and according to the extent to which a particular value
has already been realized. For example, a new graduate strapped by student loans may value
a high starting salary. That same person 30 years later may well pass up a high-paying job for
one that paid less, but allowed him to live close to his grandchildren or somewhere with greater
access to recreational activities.

An individual’s values are in large part derived from the social environment in which he
or she lives. In Western democracies, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are some of the

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things we value. Other societies value order, harmony, non-violence and equality. If we are
brought up with strong religious traditions, some of us develop values based on the teachings
of those religions. Similarly, our value frameworks may be influenced by our home life,
fraternal societies we join, experiences obtaining an education, the companies we work for, our
friends, and many other social influences.

An important sub-set of values consists of those with ethical or social dimensions, such
as honesty, integrity, compassion, fairness, charity and social responsibility. Such moral
values may be strongly or weakly held and influence behavior accordingly.

Values may be espoused though they may not necessarily be manifested. For example,
it’s not unusual for people to experience value conflicts in certain situations. When loyalty
conflicts with honesty, when fairness conflicts with pragmatism, or when social responsibility
conflicts with obligation to shareholders, people become conflicted. And when their actions are
inconsistent with their values, they either experience guilt, anger and embarrassment. People
try to minimize such cognitive dissonance by rationalizing or even denying their behavior,
discounting the consequences of it or simply blaming others.

Virtues

From the time of the ancient Greeks, philosophers have defined certain clusters of
traits, values and behaviors as “good,” and referred to them as virtues. Virtues are like
behavioral habits – something that is exhibited fairly consistently. For example, Aristotle wrote
that: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Aristotle identified and defined twelve virtues: Courage, Temperance, Generosity,


Magnificence, Magnanimity, Right ambition, Good temper, Friendliness, Truthfulness, Wit, and
Justice. The twelfth virtue is Practical Wisdom, which is necessary to live the “good life” and
thus achieve happiness or well being.

Consider the virtue of Courage. Traits such as openness to experience, self-confidence


and persistence contribute to individuals acting in distinctive ways – for example, putting
themselves on the line and acting in a courageous fashion. Having values such as integrity,
treating individuals with respect and achievement predisposes individuals to demonstrate
courageous behavior. Furthermore, a person with integrity tends to act in a different way than
a person who lacks integrity, even if both individuals find themselves in the same situation.
Then there is a set of actual behaviors that individuals engage in – on a fairly consistent basis
(meaning across situations and over time) – and that friends, colleagues and observers
characterize or describe as courageous. These behaviors may have become societal
expectations.

https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/developing-leadership-character/

Character Formation
Character formation is concerned with “being.” It helps a leader reflect greater Christ-
like characteristics in his personality and everyday actions. Character formation sustains
greater levels of influence. Character formation means developing greater intimacy with Christ
and experiencing more of his presence and power for ministry.

Four kinds of checks, or tests, help form character:

1. Integrity checks
Integrity checks test inner convictions against outward actions. Early in their
development, leaders face personal inconsistencies. Resolving them forces leaders to grow
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deeper in their walk with Christ.

2. Obedience checks
Obedience checks test a leader’s desire and willingness to respond to the truth God has
revealed. It is a call for action. These checks build greater character depth.

3. Spiritual authority
Spiritual authority is the source of true credibility in leadership. While there are other
legitimate means of authority, spiritual authority is foundational to accomplishing vision.
Spiritual authority is the direct result of God doing a greater work in the deeper areas of a
leader’s life.

4. Word checks
Word checks test a leader’s ability to hear from God through his Word and through
prayer, fellowship and divine intervention. Leaders must learn to hear from God, especially in
their personal growth and development. Effective leaders minister out of who they are in
Christ. As a leader grows in character, God grants a greater ability to lead (spiritual authority).
Followers recognize this growth in spiritual authority and grow in their capacity to trust and
follow a leader.
https://acts29-today.blogspot.com/2011/08/leadership-101-character-formation.html

The Six Pillars of Character


The Six Pillars of Character are the core ethical values of CHARACTER COUNTS! These
values were identified by a nonpartisan, secular group of youth development experts in 1992 as
core ethical values that transcend cultural, religious and socioeconomic differences.
The Six Pillars of Character are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness,
caring, and citizenship. We recommend using the Pillars in your character education initiative
in this specific order and using the acronym “T.R.R.F.C.C.” (terrific).
Each of the Six Pillars of Character help instill a positive school climate and a culture of
kindness, making schools a safe environment for students to learn.

TRUSTWORTHINESS
Be honest in communications and actions.
Don’t deceive, cheat or steal.
Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do.
Have the courage to do the right thing.
Build a good reputation.
Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and
country.
Keep your promises.

RESPECT
Treat others with respect and follow the Golden Rule.
Be tolerant and accepting of differences.
Use good manners, not bad language.
Be considerate of the feelings of others.
Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone.
Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements.

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RESPONSIBILITY
Do what you are supposed to do.
Plan ahead.
Be diligent.
Persevere.
Do your best.
Use self-control.
Be self-disciplined.
Think before you act.
Be accountable for your words, actions and attitudes.
Set a good example for others.
Choose a positive attitude.
Make healthy choices.

FAIRNESS
Play by the rules.
Take turns and share.
Be open-minded; listen to others.
Don’t take advantage of others.
Don’t blame others carelessly.
Treat all people fairly.

CARING
Be kind.
Be compassionate and show you care.
Show empathy.
Express gratitude.
Forgive others and show mercy.
Help people in need.
Be charitable and altruistic.

CITIZENSHIP
Do your share to make your home, school, community and greater world better.
Cooperate.
Get involved in community affairs.
Stay informed; vote.
Obey laws and rules.
Respect authority.
Protect the environment.
Volunteer.
https://charactercounts.org/character-counts-overview/six-pillars/

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CHAPTER 2 : LEADERSHIP

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what is leadership.


2. Identify the character of leadership.

Leadership: a Definition

According to the idea of transformational leadership , an effective leader is a person


who does the following:
1. Creates an inspiring vision of the future.

2. Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision.

3. Manages delivery of the vision.

4. Coaches and builds a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision.

Leadership brings together the skills needed to do these things. We'll look at each
element in more detail.

1. Creating an Inspiring Vision of the Future


In business, a vision is a realistic, convincing and attractive depiction of where
you want to be in the future. Vision provides direction, sets priorities, and provides a
marker, so that you can tell that you've achieved what you wanted to achieve.
Therefore, leadership is proactive – problem solving, looking ahead, and not
being satisfied with things as they are.
Once they have developed their visions, leaders must make them compelling
and convincing. A compelling vision is one that people can see, feel, understand,
and embrace. Effective leaders provide a rich picture of what the future will look like
when their visions have been realized. They tell inspiring stories , and explain their
visions in ways that everyone can relate to. Leadership combines the analytical side of
vision creation with the passion of shared values, creating something that's really
meaningful to the people being led.

2. Motivating and Inspiring People


A compelling vision provides the foundation for leadership. But it's leaders'
ability to motivate and inspire people that helps them deliver that vision.
One of the key ways they do this is through Expectancy Theory . Effective
leaders link together two different expectations:

1. The expectation that hard work leads to good results.

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2. The expectation that good results lead to attractive rewards or incentives.

This motivates people to work hard to achieve success, because they expect to
enjoy rewards – both intrinsic and extrinsic – as a result.

Other approaches include restating the vision in terms of the benefits it will
bring to the team's customers, and taking frequent opportunities to communicate the
vision in an attractive and engaging way.

What's particularly helpful here is when leaders have expert power . People
admire and believe in these leaders because they are expert in what they do. They
have credibility, and they've earned the right to ask people to listen to them and follow
them. This makes it much easier for these leaders to motivate and inspire the people
they lead.
Leaders can also motivate and influence people through their natural charisma and
appeal, and through other sources of power , such as the power to pay bonuses or
assign tasks to people. However, good leaders don't rely too much on these types of
power to motivate and inspire others.

3. Managing Delivery of the Vision


Leaders must ensure that the work needed to deliver the vision is properly
managed – either by themselves, or by a dedicated manager or team of managers to
whom the leader delegates this responsibility – and they need to ensure that their
vision is delivered successfully.

4. Coaching and Building a Team to Achieve the Vision


Individual and team development are important activities carried out by
transformational leaders. To develop a team, leaders must first understand team
dynamics.
A leader will then ensure that team members have the necessary skills and
abilities to do their job and achieve the vision. They do this by giving and receiving
feedback regularly, and by training and coaching people to improve individual and
team performance.
Leadership also includes looking for leadership potential in others. By
developing leadership skills within your team, you create an environment where you
can continue success in the long term. And that's a true measure of great leadership.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_41.htm

THE CHARACTER OF LEADERSHIP

Leaders with character achieve results that transcend everyday organizational


imperatives and outcomes. A study of world leaders over the past 150 years asserts

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that managers who possess strong character will create a better world for everyone,
while leadership generally is vital to the social, moral, economic, and political fabrics
of society.

However, we often take the character of leadership for granted. We expect good
leaders to be strong in character, that is, to have a moral imperative underwrite their
actions. These leaders with character have been identified as authentic leaders: They
are what they believe in; show consistency between their values, ethical reasoning and
actions; develop positive psychological states such as confidence, optimism, hope, and
resilience in themselves and their associates; and are widely known and respected for
their integrity.

Nonetheless, the key attributes of authentic leaders, or leaders with character,


remain problematic. To identify these attributes and better understand them, we
undertook a study. This paper is based on that study and in it we identify the three
underlying dimensions of leadership character – universalism, transformation, and
benevolence. We also suggest ways of further enhancing these dimensions and their
constituent attributes.

A. Universalism- represents an understanding, appreciation, and tolerance for the


welfare of people generally, and is a macro perspective approach to work and
life. The character attributes of respectfulness, fairness, cooperativeness, and
compassion in particular fit best with this definition of universalism.
1. Fairness is treating people equitably and in a just manner.
2. Cooperation- the ability to work as a team has been praised as a strategic
advantage. Unfortunately, many corporations prevent good teamwork
through antiquated organizational structures and protocols.
3. Compassion has deep religious connotations, for it refers to showing
concern for the suffering or welfare of others, and shows mercy to others. In
a company sense, compassion manifests itself when leaders make an effort
to understand the needs of their employees and take steps to address those
needs and concerns
4. Spiritual Respect for individual beliefs and customs has a long history. In
Athenian society, Plato viewed leadership as “an activity with utility for the
polis, the activity of giving direction to the community of citizens in the
management of their common affairs, especially with a view to the training
and improvement of their souls.” The reference to soul suggests that leaders
engage the full person and help make him or her a productive and morally
strong member of society through their contributions in the workplace.

B. Transformation

Transformation is how leaders achieve universal and benevolent outcomes,


and is the second main factor of leadership character. Transformational
leaders with character have courage, passion, wisdom, competency, and
self-discipline in their leadership repertoire.

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1. Courage is having strong convictions about the strategic objectives of the


company and being prepared to harness the minds of workers and
company resources to achieve those objectives. There are no second-
place getters in this approach to business. Courage is not constrained by
fear of the unknown and thrives in the problems and promises of
dynamic environments.
2. Passion is about energy and deeply committed enthusiasm to producing
the best one can. In business, passion is an indicator of a company’s
guiding principles, its raison d’etre, and helps others identify the
underlying culture of the organization.
3. Wisdom is the ability to draw on one’s knowledge and experience to make
well-formed judgments. It also involves the use of one’s power and
personal authority to implement an effective course of action.

4. Those actively pursuing a career as a leader need to be competent in


order to maintain the confidence of others. They need to be expert in
something to the extent that their expertise commands the respect of
peers and followers.
5. Leaders with self-discipline exercise appropriate personal control over
their thoughts and actions and are able to manage and express emotions
in constructive ways. They are well organised and able to persist in the
face of difficulties. Through self-discipline, leaders engender confidence
in their followers that they can be relied upon to make rational and
logical decisions. As a consequence, their capacity to influence others
often increases. Lao Tzu proposed that through mastering ourselves we
find true power.

C. Benevolence- The third major dimension of leadership character is benevolence,


and is associated with loyalty, selflessness, integrity, and honesty.

1. Loyalty - Leaders who demonstrate organisational loyalty show a deep


commitment to building organisational sustainability. Such leaders
have been described as having the resolve to do whatever it takes to
make a company great irrespective how hard the decisions or how
difficult the task.
2. Selflessness-The character attribute of selflessness requires leaders to
put others’ interests ahead of their own.
3. Integrity-The word integrity comes from the Latin word ‘integritas’,
meaning wholeness, coherence, rightness, or purity. Integrity has been
defined as consistency between word and deed or “the perceived
degree of congruence between the values expressed by words and
those expressed through action.”
4. Honesty- is absolutely essential to leadership and character. People
value working for leaders they can trust.

https://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/the-character-of-leadership/

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CHAPTER 3 : IMPORTANCE & ROLE OF CHARACTER IN LEADERSHIP

Objectives: 1. Distinguish the importance of character in leadership.


2. Identify the role of character in leadership.

The Importance Of Character In Leadership

When we talk about leadership development, the focus is often on people


skills, communications skills, vision, intelligence, business acumen, even
boldness. Yet none of that will make a leader without the foundational
leadership quality of good character.

Character is fundamental to effective leadership because good character builds


trust, and without trust, people will not follow you. Without followers, obviously, one
cannot lead.

However in this age of individuality we rarely talk about what defines good
character. In his book “Return on Character,” Fred Kiel defined a leader of good
character as someone who scored high on integrity, responsibility, compassion and
forgiveness. This definition becomes clearer in his description of a leader with dubious
character: Someone who tells the truth about half of the time; who cannot be trusted
to keep their promises; who often passes blame to others; who punishes well-
intentioned people for making mistakes; who is bad at caring for others.

Another way to define good character is to ask what makes a person


trustworthy, as we already defined that good character enables trust. So, what makes
someone trustworthy?

• They do what they say they’ll do – i.e. they keep their promises.
• Their behavior is reliable because over time they have shown consistent
behavior and responses to similar situations
• They are truthful and deeply honest
• They make well-considered choices by being open to counsel and the
perspectives of others
• They are brave in that they always do what is right, even when it is hard
• They look out for the common good, rather than just serving their own desires

If you scored yourself on the above behavioral standards of “good character,”


you likely did not hit a perfect score. Don’t despair. Good character is more nurture
than nature. John Maxwell, the leadership development expert, identified four key
building blocks to develop strong character:

• Self-discipline & moral courage: To do what is right, even if you don’t feel like
it – i.e. to practice the self-control to balance your own desires with the needs of
others and the courage also to face the fears, risks and dangers of standing up
for what is right.
• Core values: A clear sense of the values that guide your behavior every day.

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• A sense of identity: Truly knowing yourself and your beliefs. The


second stanza of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” perfectly captures this concept:

“If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their
doubting too;”

• Integrity: The practice of aligning your actions, feelings and thoughts with your
values.

Good character is not just for the noble hearted. It is a choice. In fact, it is a
series of consistent choices over a length of time. Our character is formed every time
we face a defining moment that challenges us to sort through our core values and
principles. If we are willing to use our self-discipline and self-control to try and do the
right thing – each and every time – during those defining moments, over time these
decisions will shape our personal and professional identities. So character is not just
talk. It is not just a matter of knowing who you are and what your values are. Your
character -the balance of your values, virtues and vices -expresses itself through your
actions. And that is the foundation of leadership.

The Role of Character in Leadership

Matter of Trust
Leadership must be trusted to make the smartest decisions and do the right
thing, especially in difficult conditions. Trust is achieved by demonstrating
competence and through strong character. Hiring executives must believe they can
trust the leader as must employees who follow her. Once a leader's character is
proven untrustworthy, her ability to lead will diminish. Keeping leaders who have
poor character and can't be trusted will diminish morale.

Commands Respect
Good character in leadership commands respect. Besides being trusted, these
leaders have the respect of their teams and even the competition. A person with good
character is courteous, never demeaning. He is accepting of others and appreciates
hearing opposing viewpoints. As a result of his willingness to listen and accept, his
respect increases. People with poor character aren't respected because they have
shown that they will not make good choices or make decisions that are in the
interest of the team.

Brings Excellence
Leadership with good character brings a spirit of excellence to a small
business. These leaders expect more than the status quo from themselves and the
people they lead. This character attribute encourages team members to learn more
and do more. With excellence comes responsibility. This leader takes responsibility
for their actions, even when it means owning up to mistakes. They have a strong
sense of accountability and expect the same from their team members.

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Genuine Care
People with good character genuinely care about the people they work with.
While a respectful distance must be maintained in working relationships, genuine
concern for others is important for small business. Teams are often smaller than
groups in large companies, commanding a greater need for stronger inner-company
ties. This character attribute may manifest as caring concern, helpfulness and
compassion.

https://smallbusiness.chron.com/can-leaders-acquire-lose-power-within-organization-79558.html

The Characteristics & Qualities of a Good Leader

Based on our research, we’ve found that great leaders consistently possess
these 10 core leadership skills:
Integrity
The importance of integrity should be obvious. Though it may not necessarily
be a metric in employee evaluations, integrity is essential for the individual and the
organization. It’s especially important for top-level executives who are charting the
organization’s course and making countless other significant decisions. Our research
show that integrity may actually be a potential blind spot for organizations. Make sure
your organization reinforces the importance of integrity to leaders at various levels.

Ability to Delegate
Delegating is one of the core responsibilities of a leader, but it can be tricky to
delegate effectively. The goal isn’t just to free yourself up — it’s also to enable your
direct reports, facilitate teamwork, provide autonomy, lead to better decision-making,
and help your direct reports grow. In order to delegate well, you also need to build
trust with your team.

Communication
Effective leadership and effective communication are intertwined. You need to
be able to communicate in a variety of ways, from transmitting information to
coaching your people. And you must be able to listen to, and communicate with, a
wide range of people across roles, social identities, and more. The quality and
effectiveness of communication across your organization directly affects the success of
your business strategy, too. Learn how better conversations can actually improve your
organizational culture.

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Self-Awareness
While this is a more inwardly focused skill, self-awareness is paramount for
leadership. The better you understand yourself, the more effective you can be. Do you
know how other people view you, or how you show up at work? Take the time to learn
about the 4 aspects of self-awareness, and how you can dig into each component.

Gratitude
Being thankful can make you a better leader. Gratitude can lead to higher self-
esteem, reduced depression and anxiety, and even better sleep. Few people regularly
say “thank you” at work, even though most people say they’d be willing to work harder
for an appreciative boss. Learn how to give thanks and practice more gratitude in the
workplace.

Learning Agility
Learning agility is the ability to know what to do when you don’t know what to
do. If you’re a “quick study” or are able to excel in unfamiliar circumstances, you
might already be learning agile. But anybody can foster learning agility through
practice, experience, and effort. Explore how great leaders are great learners, with
strong learning agility to get started.

Influence
For some people, “influence” feels like a dirty word. But being able to convince
people through logical, emotional, or cooperative appeals is a component of being an
inspiring, effective leader. Influence is quite different from manipulation, and it needs
to be done authentically and transparently. It requires emotional intelligence and
trust-building. Find out how the 4 keys to influencing others.

Empathy
Empathy is correlated with job performance and a critical part of emotional
intelligence and leadership effectiveness. If you show more empathy towards your
direct reports, our research shows you’re more likely to be viewed as a better
performer by your boss. Empathy can be learned, and in addition to making you more
effective, it will also improve work for you and those around you.

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Courage
It can be hard to speak up at work, whether you want to voice a new idea,
provide feedback to a direct report, or flag a concern for someone above you. That’s
part of the reason courage is a key skill for good leaders. Rather than avoiding
problems or allowing conflicts to fester, courage enables leaders to step up and move
things in the right direction. A psychologically safe workplace culture encourages
speaking the truth.

Respect
Treating people with respect on a daily basis is one of the most important
things a leader can do. It will ease tensions and conflict, create trust, and improve
effectiveness. Respect is more than the absence of disrespect, and it can be shown in
many different ways. Explore how you can cultivate a climate of respect at work.

https://www.ccl.org/blog/characteristics-good-leader/

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CHAPTER 4 : CHARACTERISTIC AND TRAITS IN LEADERSHIP

Objectives: 1. Distinguish the traits in leadership.


2. Identify the character driven leadership.

Leaders do not command excellence; they build excellence. Excellence is


“being all you can be” within the bounds of doing what is right for your
organization. To reach excellence you must first be a leader of good character.
You must do everything you are supposed to do.

Organizations will not achieve excellence by figuring out where it wants


to go, having leaders do whatever they have to in order to get the job done,
and then hope their leaders act with good character. This type of thinking is
backwards. Pursuing excellence should not be confused with accomplishing a
job or task. When you do planning, you do it by backwards planning. However,
you do not achieve excellence by backwards planning. Excellence starts with
leaders of good and strong character who engage in the entire process of
leadership. And the first process is being a person of honorable character.

A strong person can be good or bad. A gang leader is an example of a


strong person with a bad character, while an outstanding community leader is
one with both strong and good characteristics. An organization needs leaders
with both strong and good characteristics — people who will guide them to the
future and show that they can be trusted.

To be an effective leader, your followers must have trust in you and they
need to be sold on your vision. Korn-Ferry International, an executive search
company, performed a survey on what organizations want from their leaders.
The respondents said they wanted people who were both ethical and who
convey a strong vision of the future. In any organization, a leader's actions set
the pace. This behavior wins trust, loyalty, and ensures the organization's
continued vitality. One of the ways to build trust is to display a good sense of
character composed of beliefs, values, skills, and traits (U.S. Army Handbook,
1973):

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Beliefs are the things we hold dear to us and are rooted deeply within us.
They could be assumptions or convictions that you hold true regarding people,
concepts, or things. They could be the beliefs about life, death, religion, what
is good, what is bad, what is human nature, etc.

Values are attitudes about the worth of people, concepts, or things. For
example, you might value a good car, home, friendship, personal comfort, or
relatives. Values are important as they influence a person's behavior to weigh
the importance of alternatives. For example, you might value friends more
than privacy, while others might be the opposite.

Skills are the knowledge and abilities that a person gains throughout life. The
ability to learn a new skill varies with each individual. Some skills come
almost naturally, while others come only by complete devotion to study and
practice.

Traits are distinguishing qualities or characteristics of a person, while


character is the sum total of these traits. There are hundreds of personality
traits, far too many to be discussed here. Instead, we will focus on a few that
are crucial for a leader. The more of these you display as a leader, the more
your followers will believe and trust in you.

Traits of a Good Leader

o Honesty — Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all your actions.


Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust.
o Competent — Base your actions on reason and moral principles. Do not
make decisions based on childlike emotional desires or feelings.
o Forward-looking — Set goals and have a vision of the future. The vision
must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders envision
what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick priorities
stemming from their basic values.
o Inspiring — Display confidence in all that you do. By showing
endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will inspire
others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary.
o Intelligent — Read, study, and seek challenging assignments.

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o Fair-minded — Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice is the enemy


of justice. Display empathy by being sensitive to the feelings, values,
interests, and well-being of others.
o Broad-minded — Seek out diversity.
o Courageous — Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless
of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Display a confident
calmness when under stress.
o Straightforward — Use sound judgment to make a good decisions at the
right time.
o Imaginative — Make timely and appropriate changes in your thinking,
plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and better
goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative!

http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadchr.html

Character Driven Leadership - Three Key Principles

Your character is who you really are, not your personality. The reason for this
is because your principle actions are an extension of who you really are: your
character. While your personality will create actions and tendencies, your overriding
decisions come from a much deeper place inside you.

So, what is the difference between personality and character? Why is character more
important for leaders than personality? “Character Driven Leadership” and can help
us understand the differences better.

1. Inside vs. Outside – Character traits are those that are on the inside of a person
more so than personality traits, which are mainly on the outside. By this I mean
that your personality is much more visible to those that do not know you. Within
a short time of meeting someone, you can generally tell if they are outgoing or shy,
assertive or reserved, cheerful or gloomy. What is much more difficult to see
immediately is who they are at their core: honest or dishonest, disciplined or
undisciplined, selfless or selfish.

2. Impact of Action – Your character has much more of an impact than your
personality. If you have a personality trait of cheerful, you may make others
happy in the short term. However, if you are cheerful but dishonest, the short
term happiness you give to someone will be overshadowed by the long term effects
of the dishonest way you treat them.

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3. Ability to Choose – Personality traits tend to be predetermined. If personality traits


were taught, then children raised in the same house, with the same parents, in the
same conditions at the same time would all end up basically the same. We rarely
see siblings that have identical personality traits. Character, on the other hand, is
something determined by choice. Each of us chooses the type of person we will
be. We can be taught good character, even from an early age. Our parents,
teachers and others can demonstrate and push us towards good character.
Ultimately, however, we all choose the person we want to be. If you are selfless,
honest and disciplined, it is because you chose to be that way. If you are a
narcissist, lack integrity or have a poor attitude, it is because you chose to be that
way.

The most important concept of character is this: your primary, vital and
impactful actions come from your character, not your personality. In other words,
your principal actions are an extension of your character. While your personality is
part of who you are, your decision making, and the impact thereof, comes from your
character. Who you are deep down; who you are at your core determines the principal
actions you take.
https://www.intuitiveaccountant.com/people-and-business/character-driven-leadership-three-key-principles/#.YAEY814zb6o

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CHAPTER 5 : Leadership character and corporate governance

Objectives: 1. Distinguish the leadership character dimension.


2. Identify the issues with character in leadership and governance.

Competencies, commitment and character

Competencies matter. They define what a person is capable of doing; in our


assessments of leaders we look for intellect as well as organizational, business, people
and strategic competencies. Commitment is critical. It reflects the extent to which
individuals aspire to the hard work of leadership, how engaged they are in the role,
and how prepared they are to make the sacrifices necessary to succeed. But above all,
character counts. It determines how leaders perceive and analyze the contexts in
which they operate. Character determines how they use the competencies they have. It
shapes the decisions they make, and how these decisions are implemented and
evaluated.

Focus on character

Our research has focused on leadership character because it’s the least
understood of these three criteria and the most difficult to talk about. Character is
foundational for effective decision-making. It influences what information executives
seek out and consider, how they interpret it, how they report the information, how
they implement board directives, and many other facets of governance.

Participants in this research project identified issues with character in both


leadership and governance. Among them were:

• Overconfidence bordering on arrogance that led to reckless or excessive risk-


taking behaviors
• Lack of transparency and in some cases lack of integrity
• Sheer inattention to critical issues
• Lack of accountability for the huge risks associated with astronomical
individual rewards
• Intemperate and injudicious decision-making
• A lack of respect for individuals that actually got in the way of effective team
functioning
• Hyper-competitiveness among leaders of major financial institutions
• Irresponsibility toward shareholders and the societies within which these
organizations operated.

These character elements and many others were identified as root or


contributory causes of the excessive buildup of leverage in financial markets and the
subsequent meltdown.

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Leadership character dimensions

We define character as an amalgam of traits, values and virtues. Traits, such as


open-mindedness or extroversion, may be either inherited or acquired; they predispose
people to behave in certain ways, if not overridden by other forces such as values, or
situational variables such as organizational culture and rewards. Values, such as
loyalty and honesty, are deep-seated beliefs that people hold about what is morally
right or wrong or, alternatively, what makes the most sense to do, or not do, in
running a business. Virtues, such as courage or accountability, refer to patterns of
situationally appropriate behaviors that are generally considered to be emblematic of
“good” leaders.

The following set of dimensions, together with an illustrative set of elements


that describe each dimension, is unique in that it attempts to integrate age-old
concepts from philosophy with more contemporary thinking from the fields of
psychology, sociology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, management and
leadership. The wording of these dimensions is heavily influenced by the language
used by the executive- and board-level participants in our “Leadership on Trial”
research, subsequent qualitative and quantitative work with leaders, managers and
students to ensure that we had identified relevant dimensions, as well as endless
debate within our own research group.[3] This analysis differs from many other
discussions of character in that it extends the definition of character to embrace other
aspects of personality traits, values and virtues, rather than focusing exclusively or
primarily on its moral dimensions.

]Dimensions of Leadership Character

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Drive

Drive is essential in leaders so that they will establish stretch goals and the
plans to achieve them, behaviors highly valued by boards. Leaders with drive
demonstrate a passion to achieve results, the vigor to motivate others; they
demonstrate initiative and a desire to excel. We prefer to think of good leaders as
having drive that comes from within, rather than “being driven,” which suggests some
external force. Drive should not be confused with hyper-competitiveness, destructive
excess that can impede required collaboration, or with complacency, a
dysfunctional deficiency that can lead to underperformance.

Accountability

Accountability includes a sense of ownership, being conscientious in the


discharge of leadership mandates, and accepting of the consequences of one’s actions.
Good boards demand this of their executives; shareholders require boards and
individual directors to demonstrate high levels of accountability for results and the
ways in which they are achieved. However, taking the whole world on one’s shoulders
is an excess that can result in burn-out or paralyze someone from taking action. On
the other hand, ducking legitimate responsibility results in negligent and reckless
conduct that will lose leaders or directors the respect of their peers, those whom they
report to, and those who work for them.

Collaboration

Collaboration is highly prized as a dimension of leadership character. It is


essential for leaders to form effective teams, to cooperate with others, and to work
collegially. They have to be open-minded, and be flexible so that they can cooperate
with those in their own organizations as well as in external groups. However,
collaboration for its own sake may result in endless deferral of decisions until
consensus is reached, while lone-wolf decision-making squanders the opportunities to
benefit from a diversity of views, better-quality ideas and smoother implementation of
decisions.

Humanity

Humanity, which we describe as consideration for others, empathy,


compassion, magnanimity and the capacity for forgiveness, is essential to developing
followership. Without it, a person can be an effective boss, but never a good leader. We
do not view humanity as a soft or weak dimension of leadership character but, rather,
as a fundamental strength that is often at the core of fostering quality, candid
conversations, and is essential in supporting other dimensions of character. However,
we recognize that being tenderhearted may induce paralysis in decision-making,
especially in situations in which some people may be disadvantaged, such as
downsizing. We also recognize that being hardhearted, callous, or indifferent destroys
human relationships, and usually results in leaders being rejected by their followers.

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Humility

Humility has long been regarded as an essential quality for leaders; without
humility, it’s impossible to learn from others or from one’s own mistakes. This
dimension embraces a degree of self-awareness, the capacity for reflection, and a
sense of gratitude toward those who have helped one learn or achieve success. Boards
eventually lose patience with CEOs or fellow directors who don’t have an open mind,
or who are arrogant and contemptuous of others. However, as with the other
dimensions, it is important to guard against excessive humility, such as might lead to
self-abnegation. This is actually a failure to recognize personal strengths that can
undermine the self-confidence that leaders must have.

Temperance

Temperance allows leaders to be calm when others around them panic, to think
things through, and to act in the best long-term interests of the organization. It helps
them avoid over-reacting to short-term success or failure, and to assess both the risks
and the rewards of alternative courses of action. Temperance as a dimension is one
that is often not top-of-mind for directors, until some risk blows up in the board’s face
– then it becomes highly prized! However, boards must be concerned when temperance
is so strong that it contributes to undesirable temerity. Boards actually want leaders
to take risks, provided that the leaders understand these risks and know how to
manage them.

Justice

Justice is a dimension of a leader that is central to followers’ decisions to accept


an individual’s leadership. This construct incorporates fairness and even-handedness
in both procedures and outcomes, such as the allocation of work and dispensation of
rewards. It includes a sense of proportionality with respect to praise or censure and –
in a broader sense – recognition of the requirement of a leader to contribute to the
growth and development of the societies within which they operate. Boards sometimes
struggle with this dimension of character, recognizing its importance but wondering
about its role in a profit-maximizing context. But leaders who act unjustly soon find
themselves violating societal expectations; they court reactions such as over-
regulation and excessive controls that will likely undermine long-term performance.
We see this happening in the financial sector today, where executive compensation in
many organizations that were bailed out by government support during the financial
crisis has emboldened regulators and their political masters to push for even more
stringent controls on “too-big-to-fail” banks.

Courage

Courage, both mental and sometimes physical, is a requisite character


dimension for leaders. It includes preparedness to take risks, to challenge the status
quo, to test uncharted waters, to speak out against perceived wrongdoing, and to be
prepared to admit to concepts such as “I don’t know,” or “I screwed up.” Sometimes it
requires courage to adopt a lower-risk strategy, forgoing the immediate returns of a
higher-risk route. It may include a degree of resilience as leaders fail in their first

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efforts to accomplish something. Boards appreciate courage in their CEOs and fellow
directors, although they want to avoid the extreme of recklessness. They realize that
absence of courage results in compliance with authority, a moral muteness that allows
wrongdoing to go unchallenged and unreported, and average or even mediocre
returns.

Transcendence

Transcendence is the dimension that allows leaders to see the big picture and
take the long view. It means doing what’s right for their organizations rather than
pursuing the expedient or momentarily satisfying route, climbing above petty rivalries
or personal feelings. It often requires creativity. Transcendent leaders are optimistic:
they focus on the future and inspire others to do the same. Boards look for
transcendent leaders who keep their feet on the ground while looking over the horizon.
Transcendence is not a detached other-worldliness, which may detract from focus on
the here and now. Nor is it the pursuit of perfection to the point where the
organization fails to achieve acceptable results in the shorter term.

Integrity

Integrity is essentially about wholeness, completeness, and soundness of


leadership character. It is most readily apparent in principles such as honesty,
authenticity, transparency, candor, and consistency, but it is also used to describe
high moral standards. It’s knowing who you truly are, being true to yourself, and
ultimately being complete, together, and morally sound. It’s both saying what you
think and doing what you say. Still, there are times when people with high integrity
display rigidity of thinking and lack of good judgment when required to make
decisions or take actions in complex and ambiguous circumstances that require the
reconciliation of opposing principles.

Judgement

Judgment has a central place in defining an individual’s character. Each of the


other dimensions of character represents reservoirs of varying depth – people may
have lots of courage or a little, or great integrity or not so much. How an individual’s
character influences their actual behavior in a particular context depends on their
judgment. It serves to moderate and mediate the way that the other dimensions
determine individuals’ behaviors in different situations. It acts like the air traffic
controller, determining when courage should be shown and when it is better
suppressed; when collaboration is appropriate and when a leader should go it alone;
when it’s appropriate to demonstrate humility and when to demonstrate great
confidence; when to be temperate and when to be bold; and so on.

veybusinessjournal.com/publication/leadership-character-and-corporate-governance/

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CHAPTERR 6 : DECISION MAKING

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what is decision making.


2. Identify the characteristics in decision making.

What is Decision Making ?

Decision-making is an integral part of modern management. Essentially,


Rational or sound decision making is taken as primary function of management.
Every manager takes hundreds and hundreds of decisions subconsciously or
consciously making it as the key component in the role of a manager. Decisions
play important roles as they determine both organizational and managerial
activities. A decision can be defined as a course of action purposely chosen from
a set of alternatives to achieve organizational or managerial objectives or goals.
Decision making process is continuous and indispensable component of
managing any organization or business activities. Decisions are made to sustain
the activities of all business activities and organizational functioning.

Decisions are made at every level of management to ensure organizational or


business goals are achieved. Further, the decisions make up one of core functional
values that every organization adopts and implements to ensure optimum growth and
drivability in terms of services and or products offered.

As such, decision making process can be further exemplified in the backdrop of


the following definitions.

Definition of Decision Making

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary the term decision


making means - the process of deciding about something important, especially in a
group of people or in an organization.

Trewatha & Newport defines decision making process as follows:, “Decision-


making involves the selection of a course of action from among two or more
possible alternatives in order to arrive at a solution for a given problem”.

As evidenced by the foregone definitions, decision making process is a


consultative affair done by a comity of professionals to drive better functioning of any
organization. Thereby, it is a continuous and dynamic activity that pervades all other
activities pertaining to the organization. Since it is an ongoing activity, decision
making process plays vital importance in the functioning of an organization. Since
intellectual minds are involved in the process of decision making, it requires solid
scientific knowledge coupled with skills and experience in addition to mental maturity.

Further, decision making process can be regarded as check and balance


system that keeps the organisation growing both in vertical and linear

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directions. It means that decision making process seeks a goal. The goals are pre-set
business objectives, company missions and its vision. To achieve these goals,
company may face lot of obstacles in administrative, operational, marketing wings and
operational domains. Such problems are sorted out through comprehensive decision
making process. No decision comes as end in itself, since in may evolve new problems
to solve. When one problem is solved another arises and so on, such that decision
making process, as said earlier, is a continuous and dynamic.

A lot of time is consumed while decisions are taken. In a management setting,


decision cannot be taken abruptly. It should follow the steps such as

1. Defining the problem


2. Gathering information and collecting data
3. Developing and weighing the options
4. Choosing best possible option
5. Plan and execute
6. Take follow up action

Since decision making process follows the above sequential steps, a lot of time
is spent in this process. This is the case with every decision taken to solve
management and administrative problems in a business setting. Though the whole
process is time consuming, the result of such process in a professional organization is
magnanimous.

https://www.managementstudyguide.com/what-is-decision-making.htm

Characteristics of Decision Making

Following characteristics of decision making may be visualized by the study and


analysis of aforesaid definitions:

1. Mental and Intellectual Process


DM is a mental and intellectual process because whatever decisions are taken,
they are based on logical deliberations to make them more rational.
For which intelligence, knowledge, experience, educational level, and mental
facilities are essential.
Similarly, in decision making, the voice of inner consciousness is also
important, along with intellectual logic.

2. It is a Process
Decision making is a process to find out the solution to any problem or for the
achievement of a specific result, problems are well analyzed, during the course of
decision making.
Facts are obtained and analyzed and alternative solutions are developed and
the best possible alternative is selected and in the end, the decision is taken and
implemented.

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3. It is an Indicator of Commitment
This is an indicator of commitment because decision making ties up with the
result of its decision.
The decision-maker has to bear the result of the decisions of one or the other
form.
Not only that, but decision making is also the indicator of commitment because, for
its implementations, individual and collective efforts are required.

4. It is a Best Selected Alternative

Decision making is the best-selected Alternative.


The best alternative is selected, out of two or more possible alternatives, for
solving any problem.

5. Decision-Making Might be Positive or Negative


Decision making is positive or negative. The decision of implementing any plan
to do some work is positive, whereas the decision not to do any work or not to
implement and plan is negative.
Hence, negative decisions are also as good decisions, as are positive
decisions.

6. It is the Last Process


Decision making is the last stage of the planning process because the result of
the work is derived from it.
This result is derived after detailed logical deliberations about various possible
alternatives.
That is why, decision making which is the last process, is the conclusion of the
intellectual analysis, discussions, deliberations, comparative and analytic study of the
alternatives.

7. Decision Making is a Pervasive Function


Decision making is a pervasive function because it is used in all business and
non-business organizations, for all managerial activities, all the levels of Management,
and in all countries, etc.
Decision making, being a pervasive function, many scholars regard decision
making and management as synonymous.

8. Continuous and Dynamic Process


This is a continuous process because decisions are to be taken continuously in
the business organizations, for routine and Special Tasks.
Besides, it is a dynamic also, because the situations and circumstances of each
decision are different than the situations and circumferences of the preceding
decisions.

9. It is a Measurement of Performance
Decision making is a measurement on the basis of which the success or failure
and execution or non-execution of the decisions taken by the managers depends.

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Hence, the evolution of the efficiency of managers, etc. is possible by the


measurement of decision making.

10. It is a Human and Social Process


Decision making is a human and social process also because all human factors
are to be kept into consideration, before the final selection of any particular
alternative, in the decision-making process.
Similarly, it also includes the use of intuition and Justice.

11. It is n Art and Science, Both


Decision making is an art because decisions are taken for achieving certain pre-
decided objectives, which is possible only by using knowledge, talents, imagination,
and foresightedness.
Besides, decision making is science also, since in decision making certain
sequences are used in a particular sequence.
Principles, causes, and outcomes of decision making have a relationship.

12. Other Characteristics

1. A new decision emerges from the decision making process.


2. Decision making is synonymous with Management.
3. Decision making is part of planning.
4. The forecast is part of decision making.
5. Decision making is different from the decision.

https://www.googlesir.com/characteristics-of-decision-making/#Characteristics_of_Decision_Making

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CHAPTER 7 : DECISION MAKING : Nature, Characteristics, Elements and Process

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what is decision making.


2. Identify the characteristics or nature, elements and importance of decision making.

Decision making may be reviewed as the process of selecting a course


of action from among several alternatives in order to accomplish a desired result.
The purpose of decision making is to direct human behaviour and commitment
towards a future goal. If there are no alternatives, if no choice is to be made,
if there is no other way‐out, then there would be not need for decision making. It
involves committing the organization and its resources to a particular choice
of course of action thought to be sufficient and capable of achieving some
predetermined objective. Managers at all level in the organization make
decision and solve problems.

In fact, decision‐making is the process of reducing the gap between the


existing situation and the desired situation through solving problems and making
use of opportunities. A decision is a course of action consciously selected from
available alternatives, with a view to achieving a desired goal. It is an outcome
of the judgement and represents a choice and commitment to the same.
It is a final resolution of a conflict of needs, means or goals made are the face of
uncertainty, complexity and multiplicity. A decision is conclusion reached
after consideration it occurs when one option is selected to the exclusion of others –
it is rendering of judgement.

Different management scholars have defined Decision making as follows:

Decision making is the selection based on some criteria from two or more alternatives.
(George Terry)

Decision making is defined as the selection of a course of action among alternatives, it


is the care of planning. (Heinz Weihrick and Harold Koontz)

Decision making is the work a manager performs to arrive at conclusion and judgeme
nt. (Louis Allen)

Nature or Characteristics of Decision Making

Decision making is globally thought to be selection from alternatives. It is deepl


y related with all the traditional functions of a manager, such as planning, organizing,
staffing, directing and controlling. When he performs these functions, he makes
decisions. However, the traditional management theorists did not pay much attention

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to decision making. In fact, the meaningful analysis of decision making process


was initiated by Chester Bernard (1938) who commented, The process of decision are
largely techniques for narrowing choice.

The nature of decision‐making may be clearly understood by its following charac


teristics features:
1. Decision making is an intellectual process, which involves imagination, reasoning, e
valuation and judgement.

2. It is a selection process in which best or most suitable course of action is finalized


from among several available alternatives. Such selected alternative provides utmost
help in the achievement of organizational goals. The problems for which there is only
one selection are most decision problems.

3.Decision making is a goal oriented process.Decisionsare made to attain certain goals


. A decision is rated good to be extent it helps in the accomplishment of objectives.
4. It is a focal point at which plans, policies, objectives, procedures, etc., are translate
d into concrete actions.

5.Decision making is a continuous process persuading all organizational activity, at all


levels and in the whole universe. It is a systematic process and an interactive activity.

6.Decision making involves commitment of resources, direction or reputation of the en


terprise.

7. Decision making is always related to place, situation and time. It may be decision n
ot act in the given circumstances.

8.After decision making it is necessary and significant to communicate its results (deci
sions) for their successful execution.

9. The effectiveness of decision‐making process is enhanced by participation.

Elements of Decision Making

There are following elements in decision making:

• The decision maker.

• The decision problem or goal.

• Attitudes, values and personal goals of the decision maker.

• Assumption with regard to future events and things.

• The environment in which decision is to be made.

• Available known alternatives and their estimated or imagined outcomes.

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• Analytical results in the whole perspective.

• The constraints.

• The act of selection or choice.

• Timing of decision.

• Proper communication of decision for its effective execution.

Importance of decision‐making

1. Implementation of managerial function: Without decision‐making different


managerial function such as planning, organizing, directing, controlling, staffing
can’t be conducted. In other words, when an employee does, s/he does the work
through decision‐making function. Therefore, we can say that decision is
important element to implement the managerial function.

2. Pervasiveness of decision‐making: the decision is made in all managerial


activities and in all functions of the organization. It must be taken by all staff.
Without decision‐making any kinds of function is not possible. So it is pervasive.

3. Evaluation of managerial performance: Decisions can evaluate managerial


performance. When decision is correct it is understood that the manager is
qualified, able and efficient. When the decision is wrong, it is understood that the
manager is disqualified. So decision‐making evaluate the managerial performance.

4. Helpful in planning and policies: Any policy or plan is established through


decision making. Without decision making, no plans and policies are performed.
In the process of making plans, appropriate decisions must be made from so
many alternatives. Therefore, decision making is an important process which is
helpful in planning.

5. Selecting the best alternatives: Decision making is the process of selecting


the best alternatives. It is necessary in every organization because there are
many alternatives. So decision makers evaluate various advantages and
disadvantages of every alternative and select the best alternative.alternatives.

6. Successful; operation of business: Every individual, departments and


organization make the decisions. In this competitive world; organization can
exist when the correct and appropriate decisions are made. Therefore, correct
decisions help in successful operation of business.

Decision making is the process of making choices by identifying a decision, gath


ering information, and assessing alternative resolutions.
Using a step‐by‐step decision‐making process can help you make more deliberate,
thoughtful decisions by organizing relevant information and defining alternatives. This

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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

approach increases the chances that you will choose the most satisfying alternative
possible.

Step 1: Identify the decision


You realize that you need to make a decision. Try to clearly define the nature of
the decision you must make. This first step is very important.

Step 2: Gather relevant information


Collect some pertinent information before you make your decision: what inform
ation isneeded, the best sources of information, and how to get it. This step involves b
oth internal and external work. Some information is internal: you’ll seek it through a
process of self –assessment. Other information is external: you’ll find it online, in
books, from other people, and from other sources.

Step 3: Identify the alternatives


As you collect information, you will probably identify several possible paths of a
ction, or alternatives. You can also use your imagination and additional information to
construct new alternatives. In this step, you will list all possible and desirable
alternatives.

Step 4: Weigh the evidence


Draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it would be like if you
carried out each of the alternatives to the end. Evaluate whether the need identified in
Step 1 would be met or resolved through the use of each alternative.

Step 5: Choose among alternatives


Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative
that seems to be best one for you. You may choose a combination of alternatives.

Step 6: Take action


You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alt
ernative you chose in Step 5.

Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences


In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or
not it has resolved the need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met the
identified need, you may want to repeat certain steps of the process to make a new
decision.

http://dcac.du.ac.in/documents/E-Resource/2020/Metrial/427SunitaYadav4.pdf

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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

CHAPTER 8 : MANAGEMENT

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what is management.


2. Identify the characteristics , level and function of management..

Management

Definition: Management can be defined as the process of administering and controlling the
affairs of the organization, irrespective of its nature, type, structure and size. It is an act of
creating and maintaining such a business environment wherein the members of the organization
can work together, and achieve business objectives efficiently and effectively.

Management acts as a guide to a group of people working in the organization and coordinating
their efforts, towards the attainment of the common objective.

In other words, it is concerned with optimally using 5M’s, i.e. men, machine, material,
money and methods and, this is possible only when there proper direction, coordination and
integration of the processes and activities, to achieve the desired results.

Characteristics of Management

• Universal: All the organizations, whether it is profit-making or not, they require management, for
managing their activities. Hence it is universal in nature.
• Goal-Oriented: Every organization is set up with a predetermined objective and management
helps in reaching those goals timely, and smoothly.

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• Continuous Process: It is an ongoing process which tends to persist as long as the


organization exists. It is required in every sphere of the organization whether it is production,
human resource, finance or marketing.
• Multi-dimensional: Management is not confined to the administration of people only, but it also
manages work, processes and operations, which makes it a multi-disciplinary activity.
• Group activity: An organization consists of various members who have different needs,
expectations and beliefs. Every person joins the organization with a different motive, but after
becoming a part of the organization they work for achieving the same goal. It requires
supervision, teamwork and coordination, and in this way, management comes into the picture.
• Dynamic function: An organization exists in a business environment that has various factors
like social, political, legal, technological and economic. A slight change in any of these factors
will affect the organization’s growth and performance. So, to overcome these changes
management formulates strategies and implements them.
• Intangible force: Management can neither be seen nor touched but one can feel its existence,
in the way the organization functions.
Precisely, all the functions, activities and processes of the organization are interconnected to
one another. And it is the task of the management to bring them together in such a way that
they help in reaching the intended result.

Levels of Management

1. Top-Level Management: This is the highest level in the organizational hierarchy, which
includes Board of Directors and Chief Executives. They are responsible for defining the
objectives, formulating plans, strategies and policies.
2. Middle-Level Management: It is the second and most important level in the corporate ladder,
as it creates a link between the top and lower-level management. It includes departmental and
division heads and managers who are responsible for implementing and controlling plans and
strategies which are formulated by the top executives.
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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

3. Lower Level Management: Otherwise called as functional or operational level management. It


includes first-line managers, foreman, supervisors. As lower-level management directly
interacts with the workers, it plays a crucial role in the organization because it helps in reducing
wastage and idle time of the workers, improving the quality and quantity of output.
The three management levels form the management hierarchy, that represents the position and
rank of executives and managers in the chart.

Functions of Management

• Planning: It is the first and foremost function of management, i.e. to decide beforehand what is
to be done in future. It encompasses formulating policies, establishing targets, scheduling
actions and so forth.
• Organizing: Once the plans are formulated, the next step is to organise the activities and
resources, as in identifying the tasks, classifying them, assigning duties to subordinates and
allocating the resources.
• Staffing: It involves hiring personnel for carrying out various activities of the organization. It is to
ensure that the right person is appointed to the right job.
• Directing: It is the task of the manager to guide, supervise, lead and motivate the subordinates,
to ensure that they work in the right direction, so far as the objectives of the organization are
concerned.
• Controlling: The controlling function of management involves a number of steps to be taken to
make sure that the performance of the employees is as per the plans. It involves establishing
performance standards and comparing them with the actual performance. In case of any
variations, necessary steps are to be taken for its correction.
Coordination is an important feature of management which means the integration of the
activities, processes and operations of the organization and synchronisation of efforts, to ensure
that every element of the organization contributes to its success.

https://businessjargons.com/management.html

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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

CHAPTER 9 : MANAGERIAL SKILLS AND QUALITIES

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what are managerial skills.


2. Identify the qualities of the manager.

What are managerial skills?

There are two types of skills you need to excel in your career: hard skills and soft
skills. To be a successful manager, you need to develop both.

Hard skills are technical, teachable abilities you learn through school, training and job
experience. For example, if you’re a software engineer, one of your hard skills may be
proficiency in programming languages. As a manager, it’s important to develop these
abilities so you can effectively lead others in honing the same skills.

On the other hand, soft skills are applicable in any role or industry and are often even
more important for management than technical proficiencies. Generally, soft skills are
developed over time by managing your responsibilities and interacting with others.
Problem-solving, time management and verbal communication are all examples of
important soft skills.

While hard skills are key when completing specific tasks, soft skills are essential when
directing people, overseeing projects and making informed decisions.

MANAGERIAL SKILLS

Technical Skill

Technical skill is knowledge of and proficiency in activities involving methods,


processes, and procedures.

Thus it involves working with tools and specific techniques. Technical skill is the
ability to use the specialized knowledge, procedures, and techniques of a field of
activities.

Accountants, engineers, surgeons all have their technical skills necessary for their
respective professions. Most managers, especially at the lower and middle levels, need
technical skills for effective task performance.

For example, mechanics work with tools, and their supervisors should have the ability
to teach them how to use these tools.

Similarly, accountants apply specific techniques in doing their job. This skill is most
necessary and valuable at a supervisory level or first-level/first-level management.

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Conceptual Skill

Conceptual skill is the ability to see the “big picture,” to recognize significant elements
in a situation and to understand the relationships among the elements.

Conceptual skill is the ability to coordinate and integrates all of an organization’s


interests and activities.

It requires having the ability to visualize the enterprise as a whole, to envision all the
functions involved in a given situation or circumstance, to understand how its parts
depend on one another and anticipate how a change in any of its parts will affect the
whole.

A manager’s ability to think in the abstract and to view the organization holistically is
important.

Suggesting a new product line for a company, introducing computer technology to the
organization’s operations, or entering the international market; for deciding this
magnitude, a manager requires conceptual skill is his personality.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Communication skill for a manager is a must. The manager must be able to convey
ideas and information to others and receive information and ideas from others
effectively.

A manager’s job is to control the subordinates and gives high-level managers or


administrators information about what’s going on.

Communication skill enables a manager to perform them properly. Most of his time, a
manager’s job is to interact with people inside and outside of the organization.

Manager’s ability to communication with individuals and groups, controlling and


motivation they are what Interpersonal and Communication skill are.

A manager requires having an effective Interpersonal and communication skill to keep


the responsibilities given to him.

Decision-Making Skill

In simple words, a manager’s job is to make decisions that will lead the organization to
the attainment of is goals.

Decision making skill is the skill that makes a manager able to recognize opportunities
and threat and then select an appropriate course of action to tackle them efficiently so
that the organization can benefit them.
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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

Managers are not always going to make the best decision.

But a good manager most often makes a good decision and learns from the bad ones.
Decision making is a skill that improves as managers gain more experience.

Training or educating is also a good method to develop the Decision making the skill of
a manager.

Diagnostic and Analytical Skills

A good manager has Diagnostic and Analytical skills in his bags. Diagnostic skill refers
to the ability to visualize the best response to a situation.

Analytical skill means, the ability to identify the key variables in a situation. Manager
diagnostic skill and Analytical skill helps him to identify possible approaches to a
situation.

After that is also helps a manager to visualize the result or outcomes of these
approaches. This skill sounds similar to the decision making skill, but it is the skill
required to make the decision.

How Managerial Skills are Interrelated

These are the skills an ideal manager must-have. If you look close enough, we will find
the skill are inter-related and irreplaceable. A manager is appointed for making a
decision.

So, to make the decision he or she needs to identify a situation which could be
opportunities or threat.

Conceptual knowledge is essential for this as it helps the manager has a complete
understanding of the organization. A manager cannot decide without diagnosing and
analyzing.

Diagnosing and analyzing the situation is required to tackle a situation and for this
needs information and resources.

Collecting Information and gathering resources requires communication with


colleagues at work and peoples outsides the organization.

Persuading, leading, motivating is required and get the best out of them. A manager
cannot just give decisions and sit in this office; he needs to have technical skills is for
performing the task which was set by the decision.

A good manager has all these skills, but it is not necessarily true that all of them are
equally important or required for the assigned job or post of a manager.
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CFLM2--CHARACTER FORMATION 2

The relative importance of these skills of a manager depends on the manager rank of
his in the organizational
zational hierarchy.

https://www.iedunote.com/managerial
https://www.iedunote.com/managerial-skills

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How to be a good manager and the best way to evaluate managerial


performance

Managers are a lot of things to a lot of people in an organization. For subordinates,


they are mentors and leaders. For colleagues, they are someone to compete with (in a
healthy manner), strategize on new initiatives, discuss new challenges, and come up
with solutions. For management teams, they are team managers, leaders who
contribute to revenue, role-models for employees, leaders of tomorrow, etc.

How does one define a good manager?

That’s a tough one, isn’t it? A good manager’s definition can vary from organization to
organization. A good manager is defined as a leader who can bring out the best
performance from his team, train the team to attain new heights, help everyone align
with company goals, treat people with respect, and help achieve new goals every day.
A good manager ensures great employee experience, a journey that every employee
goes through from hire to exit.

Many employees leave organizations on account of bad or ill-suited managers. Having


the right person for the role is paramount for an organization’s success. They help
arrest employee retention and boost employee engagement, workforce productivity,
staff morale, etc. positively.

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What qualities make managers good or great?

While several traits make a manager good or great, we have highlighted twelve
essential qualities below that have time and again popped in our research and our
organization.

• They care for the team: They care about their team, not only at work but also what
affects them outside work. Individuals are unique, and so are their situations, and
the problems that they go through. They understand and empathize with their team
members, and are ready to help in any way they can.

• They are excellent coaches: They are quick to point out that certain tasks were
not done the right way. It is crucial to let the doer know what was wrong, make
them understand, let them know the right way so that they are ready for next time.
Good managers are great coaches, and they take the time and effort to make their
team understand the rationale behind every action, assignment, to-do, etc. They
frequently meet with their teams, conduct one-on-one meetings, and address any
developmental needs of their teammates.

• They are great communicators: Effective communication is a two-way street. Good


leaders know they need to listen to their teams. Listening to their team’s updates
ensures they are aware of new developments, challenges being faced by the team,
training needs, etc. Effective communicators also need to know that information has
to flow down to get work done effectively. Employees should be aware of things
happening in an organization, any updates from the management team, new
developments, changes in policies, etc.

• They care about development: They want to see their team members grow and
achieve new heights. They understand and support the fact that the growth of team
members affects team performance positively. They take efforts to ensure all actions
necessary to develop team members are taken.

• They are emotionally resilient: In times of intense pressure, significant market


changes, or structural modifications, they stay calm, composed, and be the anchor
that the team needs. They have high emotional intelligence, do not buckle under
pressure, and power through crises.

• They treat everyone fairly: They do not have favorites; they treat everyone fairly
and equally. An employee must always be judged on their performance. No special
treatment, no favors.

• They encourage innovation: They encourage their team members to try new
things, not letting failure stand in the way of something new and great. Allowing
employees to ideate and work on new initiatives and approaches boosts employee
engagement and productivity.

• Recognize team’s effectiveness: Managers understand that their performance is


linked with their team’s and it’s as good as the team’s performance. They help their

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CFLM2-CHARACTER FORMATION 2

teams excel at their work, help overcome any challenges, and put the team before
anything.

• They help in goal setting: Employees need help managing their tasks, deadlines,
etc. Effective managers always help their team in goal setting and management.
They assist in managing individual goals and aligning those with the organization’s
goals.

• They spread positivity: They ensure that employee morale is strong and the team
feels positive. Even in crises, successful managers keep the tone positive. Team
members trust them more and are likely to stay longer.

• They manage teams by trust, not fear: Effective managers trust their teams; they
expect the members to do their work on time and with utmost dedication and
sincerity. They do not govern the team by fear but by trusting them to do their work.

• They empower teams: They are not micro-managers; they trust and empower their
team members. They trust the team to deliver on a task, providing guidance where
needed, and not micro-managing every minute details.

https://www.questionpro.com/blog/how-to-be-a-good-manager-and-the-best-way-to-evaluate-
managerial-performance/

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CHAPTER 10: ADMINISTRATION: SKILLS AND TRAITS

Objectives: 1. Distinguish what is administration.


2. Identify the administration skills and traits.

Administration

The definition of administration refers to the group of individuals who are in


charge of creating and enforcing rules and regulations, or those in leadership positions
who complete important tasks.

https://www.yourdictionary.com/administration

Administrative Skills:

Administrative skills can help you to be well organized, a strong communicator


and enhance your customer service skills. While administrative skills are certainly
important in administrative roles like office managers and receptionists, they are also
helpful in nearly any job. In this article, we take a closer look at what administrative
skills are, why they are important and how you can improve them.

What are administrative skills?

Administrative skills are qualities that help you complete tasks related to
managing a business. This might involve responsibilities such as filing paperwork,
meeting with internal and external stakeholders, presenting important information,
developing processes, answering employee questions and more. There are many
administrative skills that help you perform these responsibilities in an efficient, quality
way.

Why are administrative skills important?

Administrative skills are important because they keep business processes


running smoothly. Any successful, efficient organization should have both
administrative professionals who have strong skills in this area, as well as individual
contributors who have good administrative skills.

Here are a few examples of administrative skills:

Organization

Strong organizational skills to keep your workspace and the office you manage
in order. Having an organized desk, computer and calendar can help you complete
administrative tasks in a quality and time-efficient manner. Administrative
professionals might also be in charge of organizing supply closets, filing systems,
processes and more.

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Communication

Communication is a crucial skill to have when performing administrative tasks.


You must be able to communicate processes and information to others, respond
clearly to questions and requests and more. You must also be able to use
various types of communication including verbal, nonverbal, written and visual
communication.

Teamwork

Having strong teamwork skills can help you when collaborating on


administrative projects, developing a new process, communicating and putting a new
process into place or delegating tasks. Being a good teammate includes practicing
empathy, humility and being a good communicator.

Customer service

In administration, it is common to answer questions for others or perform


certain tasks that others are unable to do themselves. These responsibilities can be
performed well with strong customer service skills which include active listening,
setting expectations and communication.

Responsibility

Tasks related to administration are often important to keeping a business


running efficiently. So, having the responsibility to complete tasks on time and in a
quality manner without much oversight is crucial.

Time management

Because there are so many various responsibilities involved in business


administration, managing your time wisely is a key skill. Maintaining your calendar,
planning time to complete tasks and setting proper timeline expectations are all parts
of being a strong administrator.

Multitasking

As an administrative assistant, you might be asked to handle multiple tasks


simultaneously. It’s not uncommon to have to respond in a timely manner to emails,
answer calls, address in-person requests and handle project requests. Combining
other skills like organization and time management gives you the ability to multitask,
allowing you to manage multiple responsibilities at once by to be able to efficiently.

How to improve administrative skills

Improving your administrative skills can help you to have a stronger work ethic
by completing tasks in a punctual and quality manner while working well with others.
Here are tips you might consider when working on your administrative skills:
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Set personal career goals

Setting specific, measurable goals to increase some or all of the above


administrative skills can help you improve over time. It can help to meet with trusted
friends, colleagues or mentors to identify areas of improvement to determine which
skills you should prioritize.

Get organized

Organization is an important part of being a good administrator. Take time to


make a clean, organized workspace for yourself that can help you prioritize tasks,
manage your time well and respond quickly to others who need the information you
have.

Mimic other strong administration skills

If you have a colleague or manager that has strong administrative skills that
you find effective, try adopting their practices in your own work. For example, if you
find that their style of note-taking is especially helpful, you might also practice taking
notes in this way.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/administrative-skills

Traits for Administration

There are many essential characteristics of a systems administrator that cover a


wide spectrum of personal and professional traits. Despite the unassuming job title,
these professionals often face a diversity of challenges that test their mental and
physical ability. Administrators are primarily problem-solvers and coordinators, so
they need to leverage technical, social and organizational skills on a routine basis.
These characteristics can be learned through practice and self-application, but
students and prospective professionals should consider the demands of the profession
as they prepare for a career.

1. Ability to Communicate and Collaborate

Even though systems administrators are technical experts who are responsible
for the performance of computer and network equipment, they also stand at the
intersection between the leaders of their organization, personnel from other
departments and their team members. Administrators need to understand the various
perspectives within their work environment so they can effectively communicate key
information and collaborate with non-technical professionals. Strong personal
communication ability is also always an asset in administrative roles.

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2. Organizational Awareness

Just as administrators need to understand the perspective of others within


their organization, they also need a solid grasp on the overall processes and objectives
of their employer. Senior professionals often provide advice directly to decision-makers
based on their knowledge and experience. They need to at least understand the major
factors at play, like financial or logistical concerns, and their potential impact on the
entire organization.

3. Advanced Technical Expertise

Above all else, systems administrators are technical experts who are expected to
know more about the computer and network systems than anyone else. They are often
the go-to person for problems and decisions regarding the organization’s systems, so
they need to have a comprehensive and cutting-edge understanding of the technology.
While they usually aren’t expected to be completely familiar with the hardware and
software immediately, applicants do need to demonstrate fundamental skills.

4. Pursuing Professional Development

A strong foundation of academic and internship experience is a good start for


job seekers, but getting hired is certainly not the end of the learning experience. A
consistent desire for professional development is one of the most important
characteristics of a systems administrator. Continuing education and development
also creates opportunities to develop advanced skills to seek specialized careers.
Focusing on cybersecurity can open up opportunities as a data security administrator,
which has strong career potential in the years ahead, according to Forbes.

5. Flexibility and Problem Solving

Administrators solve problems of all shapes and sizes, ranging from simple
cases of operator error to devastating technical difficulties. It’s hard to predict these
issues, so administrators don’t usually have a normal daily routine. Adapting to
sudden or difficult circumstances is just part of the job. As a senior expert on the
organization’s computer systems, administrators need to be able to work under
pressure or under demanding deadlines.

https://affordableschools.net/lists/5-characteristics-of-a-systems-administrator/

Leadership, Decision Making, Management and Administration 68

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