Leadership and Decision-Making

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING
LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING
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LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING
Introduction
It is important that we understand the importance of leadership and the literature
associated with it. When it comes to leading a team, a country, a group or a company, it becomes
extremely important to have a strong and prolific leader. Leadership is a skill that comes from
hard work and determination. Along with leadership, decision-making is also an important and
essential trait to have being a leader. In this assignment, I will discuss the two components –
leadership and decision-making while focusing on a prominent leader namely Barack Obama.
Barrack Obama is the former President of the United States who had served the country from
2009 to 2017. He has been known for being a spot free leader without having a single
controversy against him.
This assignment is divided into three parts. In the first part, I will highlight the leadership
story of Barack Obama including his leadership traits, leadership style and his decision-making
style. In the second part, I will conduct three tests using three diagnostic tools to assess my own
leadership effectiveness and overall effectiveness as an individual. These include leadership
skills test, locus of control test and emotional intelligence test. This part will also include the
strengths and weaknesses that I have as a leader. After assessing the strengths and weaknesses, I
will develop a leadership development plan that will include my goals towards becoming a better
leader. The last part that is, part three will have a leader’s feedback on my development plan.
Part 1:
Leadership qualities in Barack Obama
Perseverance and conviction

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LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING
Perseverance refers to the quality of not giving up something in spite of delay and
difficulties and achieving success. This quality is considered one of the most powerful leadership
traits because leaders with this quality always strive for excellence. Conviction means being
certain about anything. A leader without conviction is not a leader. Barrack Obama had both
perseverance and conviction. He started his political campaign in 2008 with the slogan “Change
we believe in” and he truly believed in this slogan (Theguardian.com, 2019). In an instance when
he had to take a stance on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the world listened to him because of the
conviction with which he spoke.
Motivation
Motivation is something that could help people achieves anything in the world.
Motivation is a quality that comes naturally and for that, one has to lead by example. Barack
Obama was an example of motivation from a very early age when he was not even the president.
It was never easy for Obama, coming from a mixed community, to complete such a long journey
towards becoming the leader of the world’s most powerful country (Pbs.org, 2019). Obama was
always optimistic about things and he used to motivate other people especially those who had
faced racial discrimination not to feel low.
Inspiration
A great leader has the ability to inspire people with both his actions and words. Inspiring
people is not very easy and Obama did it easily. His rise from a biracial boy to the President of
the United States is itself inspirational. He hailed from a multiracial family with members
belonging to different parts of the word. His father was from Kenya while his mother was born in

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LEADERSHIP AND DECISION-MAKING
Kansas. He had to face some hardships but he never gave up and reached where he always he
wanted to reach. He has always inspired others through his words.
Good communicator
It is true that unless one becomes a good communicator, one could never become a good
leader. Communication is a very essential trait for a leader. Without this quality, a leader could
not be able to motivate or inspire others. When it comes to Obama, he is an excellent
communicator. He is clear about what he says and expresses his intentions without any chaos.
One of the biggest qualities of the leader is that he is a calm listener. When one listens carefully
and calmly, it becomes easier for communicating. In 2008, Advertising Age awarded Obama
with the Marketer of the Year Award for his election campaign (Theguardian.com, 2019). This
was all because of his hold in communication.
Leadership style of Barack Obama
The leadership style of Barack Obama has characteristics of a cross-cultural and
transformational leadership. The cross-cultural leader is the one who allows members of other
cultures to express their ideas and thoughts and values them. The leader having cross-cultural
style of leadership always shares the responsibility of decision-making with other members and
makes sure that people from all cultures are included (Eisenbeiß and Brodbeck 2014). Obama
had worked very hard to improve the image of his country as an inclusive country with respect
for every culture. Prior to Obama’s administration, America did not have much to boast about in
cross-culturalism (Elkatawneh 2016). Obama made sure that he established good and positive
relations with all the nations and enhance the country’s image as a welcoming country.