Question 1
Geography of leadership in the contextual leadership article is a phrase that tells of how leaders get influence in countries that are not their mother countries. This comes about with time place and influence. Time factor is when the individual’s full leadership training and graduation to become a leader comes about and probably he/she starts with the place that they are in and with the proper skills and qualifications nothing deters them to become leaders.
Geography of leadership is not an appropriate way to study leadership since there are factors that may hinder the person to become a good and influential leader.
Firstly there is consideration of the culture of the people in a given place. If you are a leader created from a culture where people have their norms and believes and you practice your leadership in a place where culture is not no more, it may be difficult to fit in such a society and therefore it would not be useful in Geography of leadership. Time may also be a limiting factor towards creation of a good leader. This is so because a person from one region may not have all the time to be in a different geographical location where he or she cannot meet the family members and they will always feeling to be out of place. Language may also be a barrier towards good leadership creation. A person familiar with only one language as the native language may not be able to fit in most regions where different languages are used (Den & Dickson, 2004).
Qn2.
The events and experiences that research tells us helps create leaders from the interviews with the Lebanese executives are several. To start with influence from their role models overseas was what influenced them the most. It was positive influence since their bosses were also not from the same country and from my perspective it was as if the bosses were telling them that if they could make it there they could make it everywhere and therefore the got the encouragement from people who had done the same.
Secondly it was out of exposure. Working with people of diverse culture.The executives were exposed to different cultures once they settled there and they are also working with more diverse followersin different environs. Once the executives interacted with the people there are some qualities and skills they learnt and adapted from their fellows and therefore making them better and influential leaders.
Out of experience, what affects a person for creation of good leaders is self-motivation. Self-motivation is whereby a person does something to impress themselves and others and more so if they work abroad they would give the best to uphold the name of the organization and country that they work for.
Attendance of workshops and seminars organized by other leaders is another way to sharpen leadership skills (Hofstede, 1980). They are usually beneficial since different leaders give their experiences and what motivates them to become who they are and as a leader who is ready to learn something new, skills are added and this installs good leadership in an individual.
Addition of leadership skills to create a good leader is through reading of articles, books with topics about leadership and with the technology at hand surfing in the internet is another way that would affect a person to become a leader.
Den Hartog, D.N. and Dickson, M.W. (2004), “Leadership and culture”, in Antonakis, J., Cianciolo, A.T. and Sternberg, R.J. (Eds), The Nature of Leadership, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, pp. 249-78.
Hofstede, G. (1980), Culture’s Consequences: International Differences on Work-related Values, Sage, London.
