What is Leadership

I had a recent conversation in which the goal was to accurately define leadership. This is a harder task than it may seem at first because leadership is often a subject on which most people have their own definition. This doesn't make them right or wrong, but simply suggests that everyone has experienced leadership, good or bad, and has come away with their own modified definition.

On this particular afternoon the question of defining what leadership is, turned quickly to defining what leadership isn't. One person shared that leadership is not consensus taking. "It's not putting your finger in the air and seeing what people want to do," they said emphatically,"anyone can take a poll, that's not leadership."

Most of the group nods their heads.

Sometimes it's easier to say what something isn't, than to define it. So for about 20 minutes are little motley group shared experiences with leadership, frustrations and victories, but mostly talked about what leadership is not.

So what is leadership? I will give you my definition. You don't even need a pen to write this down...it's one word.

Influence.

Leaders have a natural ability to influence others. This isn't born of position because many people in 'leadership' positions today, across both the non-profit and for-profit worlds, aren't leaders at all. A job title doesn't make you anything. 

I asked someone recently about how you can identify a leader. They responded, "put five people in a room and give them a project. In fifteen minutes you'll know who your leader is." They are the one who in very short order will have people looking to them for direction. It happens naturally and you know what...everyone is happy with it. Leadership is a gift, and it's just one of many. Others who bring different skills to the party look to leaders. When someone has confidence in their leadership, when they know that they are serving their needs and have given them the greatest opportunity for success, they thrive great things happen.

I can put a gun to someone's head and demand their wallet, but this isn't influence it's coercion. Some people lead this way, using fear and intimidation to achieve their goals. But pure leadership draws in people, it creates something that people flock to, want to be a part of. Real leadership will have real followers. John Maxwell once wrote in his book 'The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership', "He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is taking a walk." Robert Greenleaf, the creator of the Servant Leadership concept has said that the 'only test of leadership is the evidence of followers."

Leaders have followers, otherwise your not leading. In our society where leaders are often celebrated its tempting for people to try and take on the mantle or convince themselves that they are leading when in fact they aren't exercising anything of the sort.

Every person brings unique and important skills to the party, and humility should be a hallmark of leadership. Good employees should recognize their own skills, and good leaders should praise and value those skills. It's when everyone is working in their strengths that great things are accomplished.