Leaders make a difference

Recently, my boss give a lashing to several subordinates. It wasn't directed at anyone in particular, as no names were mentioned. However, those harsh comments were meant for a department who hasn't performed well for the past week. There had been a spate of mishandlings and delays. It was coupled with increasing customer complaints.

My boss was harsh, but I felt he did the right thing. Whilst it seemed like open humiliation, it serves as a reminder to all of us that we should be accountable for our own actions. He reminded all of us that we are leaders in our own departments / areas. When there are problems, we should be pro-active to resolve it. Pushing the blame to other people is not what we should do; looking at where we have gone wrong and how we can move on is what we could do. Leaders made a difference.

I read a article a couple of days ago. It states that great leaders empower others. They know that work gives people a sense of identity and therefore ensure that their people believe that the work they do is meaningful and that they have ownership of their jobs. To empower others requires confidence that allows others to be great. Effective leaders empower people by giving them automony, allowing them to demonstrate their competencies, providing them with opportunities to grow, and making them feel that what they do matters to the organisation and the wider community.
I look at myself. I am a leader in my own ways. The question here is how great am I as a leader and and how big a difference I make?