Leadership Development in Islamic Perspective

LEADERSHIP SKILLS zia@ziaahmed.org 1 Introduction - Leadership Skills • LEADERSHIP SUCCESS… ..Developing and using skills that move organization and people forward towards a common goal and objectives. Leadership is action, not position. By: Donald McGannon, Broadcasting Executive 2 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills • Role of leaders as visionaries and entrepreneurs, mentors and change agents, team-builders and servant-followers • Success measured in terms of increased competitive advantage, improved customers service, nurture diverse workplace and meet unprecedented global, ethical and business challenges 3 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills LEADERSHIP HOLISTIC LEADERSHIP ENTREPRENEURSHIP zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 4 Leadership Skills - Holistic Leadership • Leaders who have the wisdom, talent and insight to determine the direction of the organization, and to create the environment in which everyone can operate (Hammer) • Holistic leadership calls for leaders to make full use of the analytical as well as the intuitive mind • Often associated with spiritual quest for wholeness, meaning, identity and creating happiness 5 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Holistic Leadership Science Rational Explanation Scientific & Rationale Solution World of uncertainty, complexity and accelerating change HOLISTIC ERA Reason Spiritual Era zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 6 Leadership Skills – Holistic Leadership Holistic Leadership Theory Traditional leadership theory Highly structured Focus on planning Control of tangible objects and people With changing business climate Importance of intellectual and human capital knowledge Leadership no longer about monitoring and control alone Leadership is about controlling results zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 7 Leadership Skills – Holistic Leadership Key Leadership Tasks Establishment and communication of vision Understanding and meeting others’ needs Adequate rewards and recognition Learning and coaching Empowerment of workforce Building culture and community Morality and ethics Paving the way Continuous improvement 8 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills – Holistic Leadership Holistic Leadership Model • Dimensions of Leadership Intellectual understanding Strategic thinking, new knowledge and business insights Emotional and social competence Establishing and maintaining relationships Physical and mental health To face hectic business environmental and pressures Spiritual insight Personal values shape organizational culture 9 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills – Qualities of Leader Indispensable Qualities of a Leader (written by John C. Maxwell) 1. Character - Inspires confidence “Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence” - Bernard Montgomery, British Field Marshall. 2. Charisma - “1st impression seals the deal” Be more concern about making others feel good about themselves than you are making them feel good about you 10 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensible Qualities of a Leader…continued 3. Commitment - “Doers vs Dreamers” People do not follow uncommitted leaders 4. Communication - “The art of simplifying the complicated” “Educators take something simple and make it complicated; Communicators take something complicated and make it simple” - John C. Maxwell 11 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensible Qualities of a Leader…contd 5. Competence - Goes beyond words A competent leader must be able to say it, plan it and do it in such a way that others know you know how - and know that they want to follow you 6. Courage - “1 person with courage is Majority” Leadership is the expression of courage that compels people to do the right thing. “Courage is fear that has said its prayers” - Karl Barth, Swiss Theologian 12 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensible Qualities of a Leader…contd 7. Discernment - Intuition, Intellect, Experience Smart leaders believe only half what they hear; Discerning leaders know which half to believe 8. Focus - 70%, Strength - 25%, New Things - 5% Weakness Effective leaders spent more time focusing on what they do well than on what they do wrong. Incompetence is universal Strength is always specific! 13 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensable Qualities of a Leader…contd 9. Generosity - Putting others first The measure of a good leader is not the number of people who serves him, but the number of people he serves. 10. Initiative Always look of opportunities and be ready to take action Know what they want Push themselves to act Take more risks Make more mistakes than others 14 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensible Qualities of a Leader…contd 11. Listening “The ear of a leader must ring with the voices of the people” - Woodrow Wilson, American President 12. Passion - The 1st step to achievement Ghandi - Human Rights Winston Churchill - Freedom Martin Luther King Jr - Equality Bill Gates – Information Technology (IT) 15 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensible Qualities of a Leader…contd 13. Positive Attitude - If We Believe We Can, We Can 14.Problem Solving - Rise to the challenge Anticipate problem Accept the truth See the big picture Tackle One thing at a time Do not give up major goal 16 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensable Qualities of a Leader…contd 15. Relationships Ability to treat people as individual 16. Responsibility 17. Security Only secure leader empower others 18. Self Discipline The 1st person you lead is YOU 17 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Indispensible Qualities of a Leader 19. Servant hood To get ahead, put others first. 20. Teach ability To keep leading, keep learning 21. Vision One seize only what one can see. Vision leads the leader 18 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills Islamic perspective of Holistic Leadership • Leadership in Islam Definition - Process of moving and guiding people in a planned direction in which is truly in their long term best interest. Leadership is about making a change for the better Objective - Provide for happiness (al falah) in this world and hereafter (dual worldview) Mechanism - Obedience to the Shariah. Act in accordance with the injunctions of Allah and His Prophet 19 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills • Guiding Principles Trust (Amanah) Responsibility (Taklif) Accountability (Mas’uliyyah) • • The Prophet Muhammad, (PBUH) is the greatest leader of all time Prophet’s Leadership Qualities: Guiding others through modelling Talent and technical specific skills Initiative and drive Charismatic inspiration Preoccupation with role Clear sense of purpose Results oriented Cooperation work with others Encourage and nurture others below Optimistic zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 20 Leadership Skills 3 Stages of Islamic Spiritual Development STAGES ISLAM IMAN IHSAN AND TAQWA DEFINITION Explicit Declaration through ‘Shahadah’ to show one’s belief in Allah Almighty and his messenger Muhammad • Absolute belief in the tenets of Iman • Peace with God and Submission to Him • Love of God • Feeling of God’s Presence IMPACT ON BEHAVIOUR • Belonging to God • Bows thinking to God • Follows the Prophetic guidance • Believe in life hereafter and accountability • Follower of God • God-consciousness actions • Responsible for actions • Good deeds Attaining God’s pleasure Best Behavior Additional Commitment Duty and accountability to God • Frame of mind reflects Islam • Just Behavior 21 • • • • zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills Islamic perspective of holistic leadership 10 Essential Personal Qualities of Muslim Leaders 1. Fasahah - Eloquence. Communication skills are necessary for any leadership role "I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right. Sincere regard for truth is loyalty and disregard for truth is treachery. The weak amongst you shall be strong with me until I have secured his rights, if God will; and the strong amongst you shall be weak with me until I have wrested from him the rights of others, if God will. Obey me so long as I obey God and His Messenger (Muhammad, pbuh). But if I disobey God and His Messenger, ye owe me no obedience. Arise for your prayer, God have mercy upon you.“ Abu Bakar when he was appointed as khalif 2. Adl – Justice O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witness to fair dealings and let not hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just that is next to piety (Quran 5:8) 22 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills 3. Shura - Mutual consultation or decision making. What kind of counselors do we need? Extract of Letter written by Khalifah Ali bin Abi Talib addressed to Malik Bin Al Haris on his appointment as Governor of Egypt (655 C.E.) “The worst of counselor is he who has served as counselor to unjust rulers and shared their crimes. So never let men who have been companions of tyrants or shared their crimes be your counselors. You can get better men than these, men gifted with intelligence and foresight, but unpolluted by sin, men who have never aided a tyrant in his tyranny or criminal in his crime. Such men will never be a burden to you. On the other hand, they will be source of help and strength to you at all times”. zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 23 Leadership Skills 4. Taqwa - Fear of Allah It is only the evil one that suggests to you the fear of his allies; be you no afraid of them, but fear Me, if you have faith! (Quran 3:175) 5. Yaqin - conviction. The leadership of Abu Bakar in handling the Romans, those who refused to pay zakat and the false prophet musailamah. Umar thought that it would not be a good idea to fight those people just because they fail to pay zakat. Abu Bakar replied “Revelation finished and religion was completed. Would it decrease while I am alive? When Umar say the strong conviction and firmness of Abu Bakar he immediately changed his position. 24 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills 6. Ma’refah - Knowledge [and] God will exalt by [many] degrees those of you who have attained to faith and, [above all,] such as have been vouchsafed [true] knowledge: for God is fully aware of all that you do.(al-mujadalah: 11) 7. Sabr - Patience Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently preserve. Who say when afflicted with calamity “To Allah we belong and to him is our return” (Quran 2: 155-156) Or do you think that you shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered sufferings and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: “When (will come) the help of Allah” Ah the help of Allah is (always) near! 25 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills 8. Leen - Leniency It was by the mercy of Allah that you were lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if you had been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round you. So pardon them and upon the conduct of affairs. And when you are resolved, then put your trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). Quran 3: 159 26 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills 9. Tadhhiyah - Self-Sacrifice God has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods: for their (in return) is the garden (of paradise): They fight in His cause and slay and are slain, a promise binding on Him in Truth, through the Law, the Gospel and the Quran: and who is more faithful to his covenant than God? They rejoice in the bargain which we have concluded: That is the achievement supreme. Quran 9:111 Attitude and sacrifice of the prophet and him companions: Invocation of the prophet just before the battle of Badr “O God, here is Quraysh with all her tribe seeking to belie your Prophet. O God, give us the assistance which you promised. O God, if this little army perishes, when will you be worshipped again?” 27 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills The above invocation of the prophet indicates that even at the perilous moment before battle, the prophet’s mind is centered upon completion of his mission so that Islam prevails on this earth. The prophet is never concerned for himself and had indeed sacrificed everything for the sake of Allah and His religion - Islam. zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 28 Leadership Skills Statement by an Italian scholar, Leone P Di Teonao Caetani, writing in the late 17th century about the companions of the Prophet: • • These men were the true moral heirs of the prophet, the future apostles of Islam, the faithful trustee of all that Muhammad had revealed unto the men of God Into these men, through their constant contact with the Prophet and their devotion to him, there had already entered a new mode of thought and feeling, loftier and more civilized than any they had known before: they had really changed for the better from every point of view, and later on as statesmen and generals, in the most difficult moments of war of conquest they gave magnificent and undeniable proof that the ideas and the doctrines Muhammad had been seed cast on fruitful soil, and had produced a body of men of the very highest worth • zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 29 Leadership Skills MA’REFAH MA’REFAH SHURA SHURA YAQIN’ SABR YAQIN’ SABR LEEN LEEN Qualities of Muslim Qualities of Muslim Leader Leader FASAHAH FASAHAH TADWA TADWA TADHIYYAH TADHIYYAH ADL ADL zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 30 Leadership Skills - Entrepreneurship • Definitions: Economic term describing the process of bearing risk of buying at certain prices and selling at uncertain prices Concept of bringing together the factors of production Innovation and creation of new enterprise Process of identifying, developing and bringing a vision to life, the end result of which is the creation of a new venture, formed under conditions of risk and considerable uncertainty (The Entrepreneurship Centre of Miami University of Ohio) • Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing mature organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities. 31 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Entrepreneurship • An entrepreneur is a person who is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation. (Schumpeter) New good or quality New method of production New market New source of supply New organization • Entrepreneurial activity involves identifying opportunities within economic system (Penrose) • Entrepreneurship is about taking risk. (Frank H. Knight and Peter Drucker) zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 32 Leadership Skills ENTREPRENEURSHIP Exploitation of Opportunities within Market In the direction or combination of productive inputs Bearing risk while pursuing opportunities Creative and Innovative actions zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 33 Leadership Skills Definition of Modern Entrepreneurship • The dynamic process of creating incremental wealth • 4 basic aspects of entrepreneurship: Creation process of new value Devotion of necessary time and effort Assuming risks Rewards - independence and personal satisfaction zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 34 Leadership Skills • • • • • • Entrepreneurs have many same character traits as leaders Entrepreneur vs Managers (more methodical and less prone to risk taking) Tough, pragmatic people, motivated by overwhelming need for achievement Ethics and well-meaning self-interest that leads to satisfying needs of others, lessen shortages and increase happiness. Multiply goods not just divide Ethos of good businessman Management of employees Dealings with shareholders Public relation policy Management and safeguarding company’s existence • Task is to satisfy demand for products and services in most economical and efficient manner and generate competitive return, servicing population as a whole and takes care of best interest of stakeholders 35 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills Characteristics of Entrepreneurship Enthusiastic Vision Collection of Ideas Clear blueprint to realise vision ENTREPRENEURSHIP Promotes vision with passion Develops strategies to realise vision Takes responsibility Positive Thinker & Decision Maker Takes Prudent Risks 36 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills Benefits of Entrepreneurship: • • • • • • • • • Enormous personal financial gain Self-employment, freedom from the dependency on availability of the jobs offered by others and flexibility of the work force Employment for others, often in better jobs Development of more goods and services, more industries and new markets Encouragement of the processing of local materials into finished goods for domestic consumption as well as for export Income generation and increased economic growth Healthy competition thus encourages higher quality products, development of entrepreneurial qualities and attitudes Promotion of the use of modern technology in small-scale manufacturing to enhance higher productivity Encouragement of more researches/ studies and development of modern machines and equipment 37 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills Islam and Entrepreneurship • Islam does not discourage mercantilism and capitalism as long as it is based on ethics and morality consistent with the Quran and Hadith • Conducted in proper manner in terms of one’s faith, thinking and actions towards Allah (hablun min Allah) and in terms of social and economic activities in society (hablun min annas) • Entrepreneurship is the fundamental pillar that constitutes not only vigour of an Ummah but also strength of Islamic faith zia@ziaahmed.org 38 ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills – Islam & Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Engines of Business and Economic Growth Sustainability of Ummah zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 39 Leadership Skills - Islam & Entrepreneurship • Muslim entrepreneur is multi-dimensional in nature, character and outlook • Best mobilize of resources • Creative in introducing new products and services • Provider of employment • Contributor of Waqf and Zakat • Risk taker • Leader who adds value to economy and community 40 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Islam & Entrepreneurship • Pursuit of knowledge is important to create: A thinking Ummah Science and technology based ummah Ummah that strives for excellence Ummah that is free to determine own future • Creation of Civilization 41 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Islam & Entrepreneurship Capitalist System Capital Have to Bear interest even when venture is loss making Entrepreneurship Return = Interest Return = Profit 42 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Islam & Entrepreneurship Islamic Economic System Capital PROFIT & LOSS SHARING Entrepreneurship Return = Share of Profit Return = Share of Profit 43 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Islam & Entrepreneurship • Profit and loss sharing system • Islamic system - does not consider providers of capital and entrepreneur as separate factors of production • Every person that contributes money to business venture shares the risk of loss and entitled to proportional share of actual profit • Islamic system is protective of entrepreneur • Profits generally higher • Distributed equally amongst capital contributor 44 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership Skills - Islam & Entrepreneurship • Another difference is money in Islam has no intrinsic value, only a medium of exchange • No profit without bearing risks • Asset backed financing • Money contributed bound to be converted to assets having intrinsic value zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 45 Leadership Skills - Summary • Leadership has gained significance as a management concept • Linked to: Increase in rate of change in business environment Association of success to effective leadership Good leadership makes a difference • Concept of intellectual capital and holistic leadership such as stewardship and entrepreneurship are important ideas for leaders to achieve competitive advantage zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org 46 Leadership Skills - Summary Leadership Holistic Leadership Entrepreneurship "A leader is someone who helps improve the lives of other people or improve the system they live under.“ - Sam Ervin zia@ziaahmed.org 47 ww.ziaahmed.org Leadership - Summary • Leadership is based on a spiritual quality -- the power to inspire, the power to inspire others to follow. Vince Lombardi, Football Coach • A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops. U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing 48 zia@ziaahmed.org ww.ziaahmed.org Dr. Zia Ahmed www.ziaahmed.org To Know More E – mail: zia@ziaahmed.org Khan.zia.ahmed@gmail.com zia@ziaahmed.org 49