A knowledge and value centered manager is grounded in sound and accurate knowledge of the various themes that have developed throughout the history of management along with a commitment to values and ethical practice (Kettner, 2002). Any manager/supervisor/administrator in any field can be knowledge and value centered. Therefore I have assembled a list of characteristics that can be applied to great leadership in all fields and walks of life.

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To become a knowledge and value centered manager it is vital to be dedicated to a personal continual growth or self-improvement program. A manager who does not assign the same value of personal growth to him/herself will not be able to guide others in their own growth. The most important trait for a knowledge and value-centered manager to have is self-confidence. Without self-confidence most of the following traits on the list will not be possible to achieve. A self-confident manager inspires others to achieve goals that they may not fully agree with or understand.

It is the beginning for the formation of a coherent and efficient team. Self-awareness and self-mastery is number two on the leadership list. In the human services field one will often have to deal with potentially volatile people or situations. Without the ability to control one’s mind, thoughts, feelings, and desires at all times the manager runs the risk of being swept up in the emotions of the situation. This renders any manager ineffective. When a manager can control his/her emotions and thoughts, the manager will be able to maintain patience even in the most stressful situations.

Having patience will allow any manager to be more understanding of another’s situation or position, which will ultimately allow you to better lead that person towards their goal. Understanding and empathy is the next logical characteristic because it develops from having patience. Only when you truly understand someone can you truly help the person. Attentiveness is vital to a manager. It is only what is happening right here and now that is important for everything to move forward, especially when you are dealing with people. Un-attentive managers never have any understanding of what their team needs to succeed.

With integrity a manager makes decisions based on the over-all good of the team. The team easily perceives this which instills trust in their manager. Trust is an element that is necessary for an effective and cohesive team. Decisiveness without recklessness is the ability to know when it is appropriate to make a quick decision and when it is better to research and consider for a time. It is also the ability to assess a situation, recognize when something isn’t working, and make the appropriate changes. This characteristic keeps projects on target and within budget.

A leader is willing to take initiative with a total uncertainty of success or failure. Taking initiative involves a willingness to lose smaller battles in order to win the bigger ones. It also means that a leader does not procrastinate. What can be done today gets done today. A manager’s power of influence is the capacity or power of persons to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc. , of others. Any manager who has a power of influence will never have to spend time convincing anyone to do anything or buy anything. People will simply take action because they want to.

I consider all of the above characteristics to be both knowledge and value based. Without the right knowledge it is impossible to develop and master any of them. Without placing a high value on personal growth, especially in the above areas, an individual will never have the fortitude to succeed in mastering them. Attaining mastery in the above characteristics requires persistence, hard work, and honest soul searching. The reward is well worth the effort.

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