Universally, there seems to be a number of key components that are common to most leaders. Six of these components appear to be the essence of leadership. Each of these components are required before an individual can be deemed to be exercising a clear leadership function. The six essential components are:
1. Influence
Leadership is about someone influencing, motivating, or inspiring others. Most theorists believe that influence in the leadership relationship is multi-directional and is not restrained by position. It is widely believed that these influence behaviours must be non-coercive although the reality is that this is more likely a perception rather than a reality.
2. Followers
Other people aside from the leader are a necessary component of leadership. Some theorists also stress that followers have responsibilities and obligations to leaders. The belief is that responsible followers must exercise choice and be allowed to do so. A responsible follower will choose dissent when faced with leadership influence that the follower believes is unlawful or unethical.
3. Goal
Leadership is greatly enhanced when there is a mutual or shared goal, mission or vision. If there is no mutual goal, mission, or vision then it is unlikely that a group will form or stay together. Nevertheless, the goal or mission may not be grand or visionary but may be as simple as to survive in the current environment, to co-exist as a group or to win a game of football. The goal here is to develop a mutual goal that brings the team together and provides focus and purpose.
4. Purposeful Action
Leadership involves doing something or taking action towards the successful achievement of the group’s goal. Although achievement is seen by some as the hallmark of leadership, other theorists believe it is the striving for achievement that is characteristic of leadership.
5. Consent
Effective leadership requires the consent of those being led; the followers. Consent suggests that there is a direct relationship between the leader and the followers, and as a consequence, there are responsibilities on both within an effective leadership relationship. In some circumstances, the leader is expected to ‘pressure’ followers to achieve the goal. In other contexts, followers will resist force and coercion.
6. Ethics
Related to follower willingness or conviction is the concept that leadership has a moral or ethical component. Followers see the difference between striving for a goal that they believe to be ethically sound and one that is ethically or morally wrong. This distinction is made to differentiate between those leaders that are influential and visionary but morally or ethically corrupt and those that are equally influential and visionary but morally and ethically sound.
Leader Responsibilities
It is necessary for leaders to have more than just an academic appreciation of ethics. Leaders require an understanding of how ethics influences their decision-making and actions. Leaders have specific responsibilities that relate to the individuals and the teams they lead. There are three fundamental ethical responsibilities that leaders are required to discharge. These are:
- Serve as role models worthy of emulation.
- Promote ethical development for followers.
- Develop and sustain an ethical climate within the group that they lead.
