3 replies to this topic

[k_nitin_r]

Hi!

I was just wondering - how do all of you demonstrate leadership at the work place?

I work with a firm as a software specialist so I advise them about software development technologies and try to influence them as they pick one technology over another, despite their stubborn refusal to go beyond what marketing teams pitch to them. What I do is get a buy-in from the developers to use a different technology and once they're on-board, I get the idea across to team leads and have them send a software requisition for the firm to buy licenses, tools etc. In my experience, having developers who are more than willing to start up argument to defend their existing technologies is just the first barrier along the way.

What I do is more of a research job, though I'm expected to do some prototyping and some hands-on work when there's a deadline and they can't find the people with the skills required on a project.

I'm curious about how people in other industries, as well as in other I.T. jobs, demonstrate their leadership skills.

Regards,
Nitin

Edited by k_nitin_r, 15 August 2009 - 12:44 PM.

[ASHISHRANJAN]

hi................
it must be their a leader ship at the workplace
because the worker who is apointed for the
work the are not doing their work properly
so thwir should be aleadership at the workplace

[xuan]

I work as a pharmacy technician, so there doesn't seem to be much opportunity for me to demonstrate leadership on a daily basis. But when we get sick calls and the like, I help to organize the other technicians and redistribute the job duties so that all the work gets done, and also encourage my fellow co-workers when things get rough.

However, I feel as though there isn't really good leadership in my department, especially with the ineffective communication between the upper management and the staff due to the disagreements between the managers themselves.

[rayzoredge]

Leadership demonstrated anywhere has the same concept, no matter what job you hold or where you are on the totem pole.

You lead by example. You garner respect and capability of working with others by doing things with people. Leadership isn't about delegating downwards, which most people would think. It includes doing the dirty work with your subordinates; suggesting ideas and thinking outside the box with/to your peers and management; and showing that you are proactive, eager, and willing to take risk.

Xuan is a leader by helping lead his fellow co-workers into an organized system to be able to work together most efficiently. He took the first step in acknowledging that there was a need for organization and a system of labor and established roles for everyone. A leader also listens, and he does this by consoling others with work-related or personal problems. Taking that first step establishes you as someone that your peers will come to or look up to.

OP is a leader too just by doing his job. He is the subject matter expert in advising others with technologies and leading them to help with all the confusing legalese and licensing crap that businesses have to deal with when concerning software and hardware.

I am a peon at my workplace, but my expertise lies in getting close-out packages for projects and I tell the guys what I need in order to send them out, and of course they look to me to figure out what needs to be done to get the entirety of the project done (including the as-built). I'm also an IT-savvy person, so I help my co-workers with computer problems and try to make their life easier with the crappy laptops that we have to work with thanks to a tight IT budget.

I am more of a leader during my U.S. Army Reserve time, as I am a team leader for our unit's combat medics. As a senior person, I see myself not as a leader, but as the go-to person when questions arise. I take care of my guys and make sure that they are fed first, get the goodies first, and their Army behind-the-scenes administrative crap are taken of. I make sure that they are eligible and put forth favorable actions for them to help bolster their careers and their DA files in order to make sure that they get promoted on time and have opportunities that I never had because a lot of my previous leadership failed me. I am also the go-to guy for medical advice and action, and I take care of anyone that comes up to me with confidentiality and professionalism. Out in the field, I can also consider showing leadership abilities when I hold short classes on combat tactics, volunteer for grunt work and sweat with the rest of the guys, and demonstrate my prowess with certain skills during training exercises... and later, during the real thing.

It's actually quite easy to be a leader in certain aspects and capabilities. It's much harder to become what others consider a leader. You can be a friend and be that someone that others look up to, but a great leader is able to do things that are unexpected and make the tougher calls... and have others listen.