Transferable Skills - FINAL ASSIGNMENT 2009 - Essay Example

This was magnificently exemplified by our rescue operations leader, Giwrgos Antwniou, whose leadership and decision making played a key role in saving the lives of many people and the town from flames in the least time possible. Contrary to the old emphasis on leader as the boss, today’s leadership is more of partnership with their people. Certainly, leadership has moved from ‘command-and-control’ role of judging and evaluating to a role of ensuring accountability through support, coaching, and cheerleading.

In a situation of fire crisis, the practice that ultimately helped in saving the town and the lives of people was approach adopted by our leader in guiding and monitoring the activities after delegating tasks to each of the rescue team members including the fire men. The charge that the leader took, though was that of authoritative and commanding, received absolutely no retaliations or resentment from any of the people around. The leader assumed the most desirable role of a situational leader in this context.

Situational leadership is, indeed, endured as an effective approach to managing and motivating people because it fosters a partnership between the leader and the people that the leader supports and depends upon. In other words, situational leadership is not something that is done to people, but it is something done with people (Blanchard, K 2001; p 3). The leader, Giwrgos Antwniou, helped people work in time of crisis through his guidance and motivation ensuring each of the members is self-reliant achiever.

His leadership style helped harness others’ emotions, heart, energy, and skills in support of the crisis situation and their individual goals of saving the lives of people. The leadership adopted by the leader opened up communication with all team members, who initially were strangers to most of the other team