Twelfth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Strong leadership is necessary to be able to establish performance direction and to cope with urgent changes. The challenges that every supervisor, manager, or director faces center around the task of bringing people together to function as a team. An effective team leader has a variety of traits and characteristics that encourage team members to follow him or her. Team leaders may naturally possess certain qualities, such as compassion and integrity, or learn leadership skills through formal training and experience. Being an effective leader can instill confidence in the team as well as contribute to the growth of the department through improved team productivity. This study examines why leadership is important in the workplace and how employees can develop effective skills. A leader provides focus to the team by clearly defining goals and explaining objectives; empowers team members to work at their full potential; and makes responsibility for decision-making.