Do we really understand the meaning of leadership? Depending on the generation that you belong to, leadership has various meanings to it. I have identified a couple of perspectives how leadership is viewed by some Leadership Gurus in the industry
- Leadership is influence (John Maxwell)
- Leadership is people engagement (Unknown)
- Leadership is someone who has followers (Peter Drucker)
- Leadership is the capacity to translate vision to reality (Warren Bennis)
- Leadership is empowering others (Bill Gates)
From some of the derivations that I have concluded, it seems appropriate to link leadership to affecting other – the impact of your leadership on others. It’s directly related to influence and not authority or power (in legacy terms). Leadership requires others in accomplishing goals and objectives that are set out by an organization.
In conclusion, leadership is a process. It is a process that requires influence of your surroundings – social influence, which optimizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal.
Remember to constantly understand your role in leadership so that you become a current, trusted and respected leader.
