Key leadership skills differentiate leaders who are considered to be great from those who do not have the leadership skills. Leadership skills and styles are acquired from other people; they can also be acquired from organized training, for example, in seminars and workshops. Koenig quotes Koontz and Weihrich who define leadership as the process of influencing people so that they can contribute to the organization and the group goals. The author notes that, leadership can also be defined as the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how they are supposed to be done to ensure that they are effective and that the process involved is facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish their shared objectives._x000D_
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According to Mobley, Li and Wang, leadership should include the development of a taxonomy that is based on better leadership roles and a better understanding of the required outputs of these roles. Leadership differs from the managements’ and supervisors’ roles although some organizations tend to combine them._x000D_
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Joseph Smith was a religious leader based in America who had leadership qualities that contributed to his success as a church leader. Joseph Smith played a significant role in giving the new perspective about God which prevailed. He proclaimed that God is the universal father hence people are expected to make him personal. This means that individuals were expected to know about God and proclaim his name without fear. He made Jesus Christ known among people by informing them that he was the son of God. In addition, he elevated man to a new level by proclaiming that he was a liberal son of God who had the potential of being like God. According to Joseph Smith, a leader is supposed to teach correct principles. However, it is necessary for a leader to first know and understand the principles that he or she is supposed to teach before carrying out the actual exercise. Understanding is made up of mastering the content which is meant to save time especially when it comes delivering the contents to the congregation. Joseph Smith had good leadership qualities that enabled God to use him as a vessel for his word. This is because God is very keen when it comes to making choices about people who are supposed to deliver his message._x000D_
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Joseph Smith was a charismatic leader. A charismatic leader is a leader who posses certain personal qualities by virtue which sets him apart from other leaders in terms of powers or qualities. Conger and Kanungo note that, field studies were carried out on charismatic leaders in business found out that subordinates often described their attraction to the leader’s qualities of self-confidence, strong convictions in the mission, a willingness to undertake personal risks and a history of prior accomplishment._x000D_
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Joseph Smith led people with integrity a trait that made him become a successful leader. Integrity means doing the right thing and what is good regardless of the situation that one is in. Integrity also means that a leader is supposed to be righteous which should be from the bottom of one’s soul. Integrity should be displayed in actions, deeds and thoughts. This is a trait that enabled Joseph Smith to go an extra mile because he believed in doing right and serving people in a manner that is considered right. However, this is not reflected in the religious leader who is being discussed in this context. As much as the leader has integrity, there are some elements that make him fail as a leader, for example, the religious leader is fond of favoring some people especially the ones that he knows well. This leads to discrimination in the church because one finds that, the leader responds to church events differently. There are events that the leader attends faithfully and arrives on time, but there are events that the leader delays which leads to impatience and issues among the members of the church. This creates a gap among members of the church which is not right because a leader is expected to bind people together._x000D_
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According to Columbus personal integrity also refers to trustworthiness and performance of duties without corruption. Leaders tend to ask for incentives for them to perform certain tasks. This should not be the issue especially when it concerns church leaderships. Leaders should realize that leadership in the church is a call and should, therefore, obey God’s law when performing their duties. Leaders should, therefore, preach peace, be good in making wise and informed decisions. Leaders who have integrity are favored by God just as Joseph was favored by God in every circumstance._x000D_
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Joseph Smith was a persistent leader. Joseph Smith had goals that he wanted to achieve as a leader. He used to create rituals and avenues that enabled different people to come to the presence of God. This is a step that Joseph Smith took because he felt that there was need or rather he had an obligation of bringing other people to God. Joseph Smith later on came up with more goals that assisted him in performing his duties effectively. This led to the creation of Zion which was seen as a perfect society._x000D_
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Joseph Smith’s effort was meant to bind people together and he never not gave up at any time. Today’s leaders are not that persistent enough and I can bear witness. This is evident especially when it comes to dealing with the youth. Most youth groups are trying to come up with different ways of worshipping God, for example, through dancing and this has been rejected by some leaders. The leaders claim that the youth have lost direction and have even gone to the extent of discriminating them in the church which is not right. Leaders should realize that the world is changing rapidly, new and better ways of doing things are coming up hence they should give the youth group enough time and space for them to utilize the talents that they have. However, the leaders have a responsibility of monitoring this group of people closely because some of them are likely to be carried away by earthly pleasure and peer influence which can lead them to a different destination. They should emulate Joseph Smith who never gave up under any circumstance._x000D_
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Enthusiasm is a trait that religious leaders should have for them to spread the word of the lord and at the same time handle the congregation. According to Miller, enthusiasm is a vain belief of private revelation, a vain confidence or divine favor or communication that leaders should have. Joseph Smith is a leader who had this trait which enabled him to succeed in his work. Enthusiasm is an essential trait because helps people to show great excitement and interest in a certain subject. Leadership begins with one showing interest in the field even before one starts to perform duties. This is because one cannot do or perform a duty well if he or she has been forced to do it. In short, enthusiasm is all about loving what one is doing and commitment towards one’s work. However, it is important to note that this is a trait that lacks in many leaders. Joseph Smith is a leader who humbled himself in his work. Joseph Smith performed his duties out of inspiration; he had passion and did his work without pride. This is because to him leadership is a call, hence one is expected to love what he or she is doing and do it as if one is doing for God, which is also quoted in the bible._x000D_
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Today, some religion leaders do not understand what leadership is all about. Some become leaders join leadership in the church for reasons best known to them especially the ones that are related to money and wealth. This is a factor that has contributed to the emergence of false religious leaders who are concerned about making money and not lead the children of God. It is important to note that these leaders are likely to cause confusion among the Christians because they do not know what they are doing. Recently, I came across a person who referred to himself as a religious leader. He was preaching to people who were not attentive because the message and method of delivering the message was not in order. Later on, the preacher requested people to give him money or contribution that would enable him to spread the gospel. It is evident that the preacher was preaching to make money but not to feed the children of God with food for the soul._x000D_
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In conclusion, religious leaders are expected to follow the steps of the early leaders who had leadership traits that enabled them to succeed in their work. This is because leadership has lost meaning a factor that has resulted to leaders doing things for their own selfish gain. Joseph Smith is a leader who is expected to be an example to today’s leaders because he succeeded in his work, proclaimed the name of the lord and did what was right and according to God’s teachings.