Introduction

This Leadership Assignment will give us clear picture about leadership and the importance of leadership in companies. We will discuss in detail about few outstanding business leaders in Asia and their leadership style. All the research material used in this assignment has been sourced from accredited authors and some researcher findings. The Library (college) and associated academic journal and some e-journal websites were referenced to make this assignment. Leadership is often described as an influence process. The process of inspiring, influencing and guiding others to participate in a common effort. According to Brian O'Nail, "Leadership is influencing people to get things done to a standard and quality above their norm. And doing it willingly. Welcome to the second in a series of research reports from Leadership South West, the regional Centre of Excellence in leadership, based at the Centre for Leadership Studies at the University of Exeter. Whereas the first report explored the question What is leadership? this second report will look at What is leadership development: purpose and practice. The aim of the report is to explore the current range of approaches to leadership development available to individuals and organisations and the assumptions and principles that underlie them. The intention is both to provide practical advice on best practice but, above all, to challenge organisations to consider the ways in which they go about developing management and leadership capability and what they hope to achieve by doing this. This report will not, however, explore the content of leadership development programmes in any great depth, nor will it pay much consideration to the different organisational contexts in which it can be applied. Both of these are, without doubt, considerable factors in the effectiveness or otherwise of leadership development initiatives and merit far greater consideration than given here. For this reason, they will form the focus of subsequent reports. Leadership Development: A Necessity or a Waste? Like so much within the field of leadership studies the issue of leadership development and its impact remains highly contentious. Whilst many reports propose that enhancing leadership capability is central to improved investment, productivity, delivery and quality across both the public and private sectors (CEML, 2002) others question the value of leadership training Central to the argument about the effectiveness of leadership development is the question of whether or not you can train or develop leaders. Early theories of leadership proposed that great leaders emerged because of an innate combination of ability and personal characteristics (i.e. a belief that leaders were born not made). Subsequent models have questioned this assertion, arguing that leadership behaviours

and competencies can be learnt and/or acquired over time. The current popular view probably lies somewhere in between, to the extent that whilst many leadership qualities (such as communication skills, strategic thinking and self-awareness) can be developed, core personal characteristics (such as dominance and sociability) are less amenable to change and will influence the type of leadership style adopted. In turn, the relative effectiveness of any of these styles will be determined by a whole host of situational and contextual factors.

Leader and Leadership Leader and Leadership have been part of our history and we have seen many examples and heard many stories about such leaders. Jesus Christ is the perfect example of a great leader in The BIBLE. When we were in school we read about Charismatic leaders like Alexander the Great; Augustus-the first Roman emperor; Charlemagne the Great; William the Conqueror, Genghis Kahn-Emperor of all Mongols, Napoleon Bonaparte, Knights and Kings who lead their armies to victories in battlefields. They were normal people who inspired others for a common cause and who are remembered even today for their courage to take decisions, for their ability to influence people. They are remembered for how they motivated everyone around them and how they created followers. In recent times we have read about leaders like Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi, Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Dalai Lama etc. In sports we have great leaders of their game who influence other athletes around them and who play for their countries and who lead their teams to victory. Sports stars like Lance Armstrong, Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Michael Schumacher, David Beckham, Tiger Woods etc. They create such fan following that big commercial giants hire them to market their products, and these players become an iconic figures. They are admired for their innate ability and knowledge that they posses about the game and for their leadership ability. Leadership and leaders are everywhere and in every field. Even in our houses. Our mother and father can be great leaders to each one of us. Lets see leaders and leadership from the business perspective. Fortune magazines analysis of 10 most admired companies in the world was summed up by Thomas Stewart as The truth is that no one factor makes a company admirable, but if you were forced to pick the one that makes the most difference, youd pick leadership.(Mar 1998,p.72) Leadership definedLeadership is the ability to influence people toward the attainment of organizational goals. There are three aspects of Leadership people, influence and goals. Leadership occurs among people, it involves people being influenced and this influence is used to achieve the goals of the organizations. In general, Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more unified and coherent. Leadership involves creating a change and not maintaining a status quo. Leader VS Manager

Leader 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. SOUL Visionary Passionate Creative Flexible Inspiring Innovative Courageous Imaginative Experimental Initiates changes Personal power

Manager 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. MIND Rational Consulting Persistent Problem Solving Tough-minded Analytical Structured Deliberate Authoritative Stabilizing Position Power

Leadership Traits Leaderships success is highly dependent on the personal traits of the leaders. Some traits are god gifted and leaders are born with it, while other traits can be learned over time. Like knowledge and communication can be learnt in schools/universities or by experience. Few traits of successful leaders are self-confidence, alertness, energy, decisiveness, knowledge, communication, personality, popularity, integrity, goal driven, ethical conduct, honesty, humble. leadership always encouraging people to share their thoughts and ideas. Yes, this was one of the things that was uniquely Dhirubhai his warm arm around the shoulder of the employees did much more than words in letting every employee know that he belonged to the company, that he had trust in him.

Studying the characteristic of leadership is useful because we tend break things into characteristics to make big concepts easier to handle. There are common traits that define leadership, and finding them only takes some study of those who have been successful. By actively building on these traits you can develop into a stronger leader. Here are some of the most common traits in the characteristic of leadership: Empathy: Creating a legitimate rapport with your staff makes it less likely that personal issues and resentment can creep in and derail the group. When your team knows that you are empathetic to their concerns, they will be more likely to work with you and share in your vision, rather than foster negative feelings.

Consistency: Being a consistent leader will gain you respect and credibility, which is essential to getting buy-in from the group. By setting an example of fairness and credibility, the team will want to act the same way.

Honesty: Another characteristic of leadership that lends itself to credibility. Those who are honest, especially about concerns, make it far more likely that obstacles will be addressed rather than avoided. Honesty also allows for better assessment and growth.

Direction: Having the vision to break out of the norm and aim for great things --then the wherewithal to set the steps necessary to get there-- is an essential characteristic of good leadership. By seeing what can be and managing the goals on how to get there, a good leader can create impressive change.

Communication: Effective communication helps keep he team working on the right projects with the right attitude. If you communicate effectively about expectations, issues and advice, your staff will be more likely to react and meet your goals.

Flexibility: Not every problem demands the same solution. By being flexible to new ideas and open-minded enough to consider them, you increase the likelihood that you will find the best possible answer. You will set a good example for your team and reward good ideas.

Conviction: A strong vision and the willingness to see it through is one of the most important characterizes of leadership. The leader who believes in the mission and works toward it will be an inspiration and a resource to their followers.

Of course, there are several other theories about leadership and leadership styles where different skills come into play. But no matter what your approach, if you display the previous traits you will be well equipped to lead a team successfully.

Leadership Approaches Transactional Leaders He/she is a leader who clarifies the roles and responsibilities of his subordinates, clarifies their task requirements, initiates structures for them, provides rewards to his subordinates, and displays/shows consideration for his subordinates. They believe in organization norms and values. Charismatic Leaders He/she is a type of leader who has the ability to motivate their subordinates to do more than what is normally expected. They excite, stimulate and drive employees to work harder. Charismatic leaders include Hitler, Martin Luther king Jr etc. Transformational Leaders- He/she is a type of leader who is a charismatic leader but has the special ability to bring about innovation and changes in the organization. They have the ability to change the organizations mission, structure, operation, rules etc. Interactive Leaders- He/she is a type of leader who is concerned about consensus building, and wants everyone to participate in the decision making, and is very caring for their subordinates. They like interacting with subordinates before decision making and they like free flow of ideas between the subordinates. Servant Leaders- He/she is a leader who works to fulfil the subordinates needs and requirements, who works to fulfil their subordinates goals and as well as achieve the organizational goals. They provide their subordinates with whatever they need to serve the customer. Autocratic Leaders- He/she is a type of leader who wants to centralize power and authority with themselves. They make the decisions for their subordinates and their followers have to follow it. They rely on carrot and stick approach to reward and punish their subordinates. They are the kind of leaders who do not delegate authority. Democratic Leaders- He/she is a type of leader who delegates authority to their subordinates; they encourage participation of employees in decision making process. They consult with others to solve problems and they empower their subordinates if necessary.

Outstanding Business leaders in Asia Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani (1932-201012):-

Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani was an exceptional human being and an outstanding leader. He was man far ahead of his times; he had a great entrepreneurial spirit. He dared to dream on a scale unimaginable before, in Indian industry. His life and achievements prove that, backed by confidence, courage and conviction, man can achieve the impossible. His life journey is reminiscent of the rags to riches story. From a humble beginning, he went on to create an enviable business empire within a span of just 25 years. Reliance Group is a living testimony to his will power, single-minded dedication and an unrelenting commitment to his goals.

Under Dhirubhai Ambanis visionary leadership, the Reliance Group emerged as the largest business conglomerate in India, and carved out a distinct place for itself in the global corporate giants. The Group's track record of consistent growth is unparalleled in Indian industry and perhaps internationally too.

Today, the Group's turnover represents nearly 3 percent of India's GDP. Shri Dhirubhai Ambani was not just firmly rooted in traditional Indian values, but was also a modern man. This was reflected in his passion for mega-sized projects, the most advanced technology and the highest level of productivity.

Dhirubhai Ambani is remembered for shaping India's equity culture, attracting millions of retail investors in a market which were dominated by financial institutions in the 1980s. He revolutionised capital markets in India. From nothing, he generated billions of rupees in wealth for those who invested in his companies. With innovative instruments like the convertible debenture, Reliance quickly became a favourite of the stock market in the 1980s. Indian Heroes.

His corporate philosophy was short, simple - "Think big. Think differently. Think fast. Think ahead. Aim for the best". He inspired the Reliance team to do better than the best - not only in India but in the world. Prestigious awards and titles were awarded to him by national and international organisations.

Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani a brief History:

He was born on 28th December 1932 at Chorwad, in Gujrat, India. He was born into a poor family and his father was a teacher in a school. He is said to have started his entrepreneurial career by selling "pakora (Indian fast food snack)" to pilgrims in Mount Girnar over the weekends.

When he was 16 years old, he moved to Aden, Yemen. He worked as a dispatch clerk with A. Besse & Co. Two years later A. Besse & Co. became the distributors for Shell products and Dhirubhai was promoted to manage the companys oil-filling station at the port of Aden.

Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani returned to India in 1958 and started the Reliance Commercial Corporation with a capital of Rs. 15,000.00. The primary business of Reliance Commercial Corporation was to import polyester yarn and export spices. This company is now Reliance Industries Limited and is India's largest private sector company on fortune 500 list with a turnover of US $28 billion and profit of US $2.033 billion for the fiscal year ending in March 2006. Reliance Industries Limited has a wide range of products from petroleum products, petrochemicals, to garments (under the brand name of Vimal).

Leadership Lessons from Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani:Mr. Dhirubhai never took leadership lessons in school or college, nor did he learn any leadership skills. He developed his own style. Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani never followed the textbook style of management. Instead, he evolved a unique style, which combined the American style of entrepreneurship, with the Japanese focus on the latest technology. And to this, he added the innate

shrewdness of a Gujarati businessman. He learnt leadership from practice and hands on experience, as well inter-personal exploration and development. His leadership was an Art and he practiced this art with perfection. People have written books on his management style and he is looked upon as a GURU of Management in India. He created his own style of leadership and management, which other follow even today; this clearly establishes the relationship between Leaders and followers. He was a transformational leader and influenced everyone who worked with him. He has provided many budding entrepreneurs hope and inspiration. We have learned from Mr. Dhirubhai that if we have a goal and the will power to achieve it, then nothing is impossible.