Who is a Leader?

A leader is a person or a group of persons that direct and guide other people or a body of organization to achieve a common goal.

A leader is a person who allocates task, co-ordinates, instructs and energize other people by successfully carrying out certain task. a leader shows the way and guides another person or a group of persons to attain a set goal.

Leadership: Leadership is the process of leading. It is the ability to cor-ordinate, influence and direct other people to achieve a set goal.

Types of Leadership Style

• Democratic style: A democratic style of leadership is a situation where the leaders allow his/her followers to contribute to the decision and policy making of the group or organization. In this leadership, the leaders listen to the voice of the followers before making a final decision.
• Autocratic style: This is the leadership style where the leaders do not listen to the voice of the followers, the leader makes decision on their own. The leader leads by giving commands and order. the interest of the people are not put into consideration before making policy.
• Laissez-faire style: A laissez-faire leadership is a situation where the leader is carefree, he does not care about the followers. He neither allows contribution from followers or neither give commands. He careless with decision makings. Leaders like this are taken for granted and hardly achieve goals.

How Leaders Are Chosen

Leaders of any group are chosen through the following ways:

• Election: In most countries and organization leaders are chosen by election, this is where people vote for the leader of their choice. Example of leadership by election is the presidential election, governorship etc
• Qualification or experience: A person can also emerge as leaders because of the number of years he has spent doing the job. E.g the post of a bank manager or post of a personnel manager are all based on the qualification and level of his experience
• Force: Some people becomes leader by imposing themselves on the people
• Birth or inheritance: A person can emerge as a leader of his people if he is born into a royal family where the power or right to rule is hereditary.E;g is the king of a town, the child of the king becomes the next ruler of the people.
• Leadership through appointment: This is where people are appointed by other leaders to occupy a post or position. Examples: post of commissioners, ministers,board chairman etc.

Qualities of a Good Leader

• A leader must be firm and courageous
• Tolerance and respect

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JSS1 Social Studies Third Term: Social Order- Leadership and Followership I