PROGRAM WOMEN LEADERSHIP SCOALA CU CLASELE I-VIII NR. 28 ALEEA CIRCULUI NR. 1 SECTOR 2, BUCURESTI ROMANIA

THE QUALITIES OF A LEADER

Speaking about leadership may prove to be, if not a challenge, a very difficult task having in view the complexity of the topic, the divergent opinions and the confusion between manager and leader, between the formal position and the personal ability to rule.

Are there born leaders or do they grow to be leaders? What should our features be in order to qualify for a leadership position? What is the difference between a leader and a manager? Who decides if you are a leader or not?

If I were to give the definition of what I call “a leader”, I would say they are that person able to influence the others to contribute according to their capacities to accomplishing the leader’s vision. One can infer some necessary features of a leader out of this definition:

1. Having a vision: A leader is the one who has a vision on things, a factor of change, one who follows R.W.Emerson’s advice: “Don’t go wherever your road takes you to. But go where there is no path at all and leave a trace”.

The leader is an innovator who, having the experience of the past and acting at present, shapes the future. They assume risks and dare ask more than all the others, they decide what direction to follow. Much too often, people don’t think big. They are afraid of risks. Leaders aren’t. They have a long term perspective and scrutinize the horizon.

2. Influencing and transforming: A leader has the capacity to communicate and to fulfill this vision, the power to persuade the people around them to follow them. Gilmore’s law says: “Look over your shoulder now then so that you can make sure someone does follow you”.

If people don’t follow you out of passion and pleasure, we know for sure we cannot speak of leadership. A leader doesn’t need managerial tools in order to motivate their employees, they are able to motivate by their own enthusiasm, by the confidence they inspire, by their own example.

3. They are an example for the others Leaders are those who give the tuning. The leader’s attitude will shape the attitude of the other employees. A leader cannot demand from the others a thing the leader does not possess.

4. They have the ability to “generate” leaders If managers are inclined to rely on systems and commands, leaders rely on people. To ensure success, leaders identify each and everyone’s potential and cultivate it. They become the mentor of their team.

Women play a vital role in this century and thus a new leadership style was born. Its coordinates are elegance, flexibility and passion, this is the feminine leadership. The importance of feminine leadership in the Romanian society is continuously growing due to dynamics, change and risk exposure. Feminine leadership brings about balance, cooperation and mutual benefits.

A woman leader’s profile includes a strong personality, logical thinking in a perfect balance with intuition, responsibility, unprejudiced acting and a permanent thirst of knowledge, as well as unlimited access to information and valuable resources. “A project centered on feminine leadership is very suitable nowadays. The involvement of the modern woman in society development is a phenomenon that deserves all our attention and interest. No matter which is their domain of activity - politics, business, culture or civil society - women bring in everything they do dedication, intuition, charitable spirit and empathy” (from the message of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret of Romania).

In Romania there are certain women leaders who are able to be successful business women, mothers, wives and extraordinary friends. Angela Cretu, the leader of Avon Cosmetics, is such an example.

Adelina Maria is Secretary General of the “Leaders” foundation. In 2008 she initiated the first school of leadership in Romania, targeting on 18 to 25 year olds. Leadership Academy is another new program on the Romanian market and it was developed by the same Adelina Maria within the “Leaders” foundation since 2009, addressing the new wave of young Romanian managers and entrepreneurs. She is also running leadership courses for high school students.

The vision, performance and the way leaders run their team come first, it is a gender free matter. Inequalities between sexes do exist, this is a fact, but women have quite a short way to go up to real equality. This war of the sexes is likely to be won not by the present leaders but by the next generation, provided it is properly educated and uses the enthusiasm only the young have.

Thank you! Cristina Soare