Strong leadership is critical to an organization's success. Leaders must be honest, trustworthy, respected, and good communicators (Montana and Mitchell, 2005, p. 83). Effective communication is needed to eliminate confusion. Think about how the recipient will interpret the message you are saying or writing. Effective communication can only occur when the recipient of the message understands what the sender intends to say. Anyone can do it, but not everyone is a good leader. “Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to achieve a goal and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent” (Clark, 2010, p. 1). As a leader, inspire your employees by being passionate yourself. Have a good attitude and smile. Know your job and know the job of your employees. Think outside the box to find solutions for your team. In my current job, last year, I experienced one of the most frustrating moments of my twenty-five year working career. In November 2010, the organization was required to undergo a three-year audit to be reaccredited as a law enforcement agency. About two years earlier I had been hired to collect, analyze, and prepare documentation to help the agency achieve this goal. The document files had been sitting dormant for a year as my manager, who held the position before me, was promoted to a management position. In my first year on the job I knew that additional staff would be needed to achieve this ambitious goal. In March of 2010, I contacted my manager to inquire about the amount of overtime I had put in to complete the files. I was met with immediate resistance and almost an angry attitude. I explained why I needed assistance… mid-paper… The success of an organization can only depend on communication. Never underestimate the power of words! References Clark, D. (2010). Character and characteristics of leadership. Retrieved August 26, 2011, from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadchr.htmlClark, D. (2010). Leadership concepts. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from http://www.nwlink.com/-donclark/leader/leadcon.htmlCoffman, C., & Gonzales-Molina, G. (2002). Follow this path. New York, NY: Warner Books.Cottrell, D. (2009). Monday Morning Motivation (1st ed.). New York, NY: HarperCollins.De Ferreire Kemp, F. (2007). Leadership and diversity: constant companions. Industrial Engineer: IE, 39(5), 40-43, Retrieved July 27, 2011, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.csuproxy.egloballibrary.com.Montana, J., & Mitchell, T. (2005) . The Winning Spirit (1st ed.). New York: Random House.