1.2 Leadership Defined

Leadership has been essential to the progress of humankind. The purpose of leadership is evident in the many collective human achievements that could never have been accomplished by one person alone. So what exactly is leadership?

As it turns out, there are hundreds if not thousands of different definitions of leadership. Leadership has been discussed and studied for millennia. The Greeks, including Plato and Aristotle, wrote about leadership. So did the ancients from Egypt, China, India, and essentially all over the world. As times have changed, our explanations of leadership have also changed. Our understanding has become more comprehensive and sophisticated as we've realized the many dimensions and complex nature of leadership.

The Blind Men and the Elephant

Our descriptions of leadership sometimes depend upon the viewpoint we are taking or the different lenses we are using. These different viewpoints are reminiscent of the parable of the blind men and the elephant. As the story goes, six blind men from India went to discover for themselves what an elephant is. They each touched one part of the elephant to learn about its nature. One touched the tusk, another the trunk, another the ear, another the tail, and so on. They then came together to describe what they had felt and discuss what they had learned. They quickly discovered they were not in agreement and dissolved into an argument about the nature of the elephant. The one who touched the tusk claimed that the elephant was sharp like a spear, while the one who touched the trunk argued that the elephant was shaped like a snake—but the one who touched the ear was convinced the elephant was much more like a fan. Although the six men did not describe the elephant in the same way, there was some truth in each of their reports.

The elephant is not just the trunk or the tusk or the eye; it is a living whole that cannot be summed up by one of its parts alone. Similarly, leadership is composed of many different aspects and dimensions, and if we experience only one of these aspects or dimensions, we will miss out on the perspectives that the rest of them provide.

Perspectives on Leadership

To begin our discussion of defining leadership, let's turn to some of the great thought leaders who have studied the topic deeply. We’ll also consider the ideas of those who have successfully practiced leadership. Here are 12 insightful quotes on leadership:

1. “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”—Warren Bennis1

2. “Leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.”—John C. Maxwell2

3. “[Leadership is] the art of getting someone else to do something that you want done because he wants to do it.”—Dwight D. Eisenhower3

4. “The leader is the one who climbs the tallest tree, surveys the entire situation, and yells, ‘Wrong jungle!’”—Stephen R. Covey4

5. “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”—Bill Gates5

6. “Conviction, commitment, credibility—the three pillars of morally courageous leadership.”—General John Michel6

7. “Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.”—Peter Northouse7

8. “Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision, and inspires them to make it happen despite the obstacles.”—John Kotter8

9. “The first job of a leader is to inspire trust.”—Stephen M. R. Covey9

10. “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.”—Peter Drucker10

11. “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.”—Harvey S. Firestone11

12. “Leadership is an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their mutual purposes.”—Joseph C. Rost12

Defining Leadership

Some of the most common themes that emerge from those attempting to define leadership include (1) envisioning a new future, (2) engendering shared purpose and trust, and (3) influencing, inspiring, lifting, and empowering others toward accomplishing a common goal. Given this, we define leadership as follows:

Leadership is creating a positive vision of the future; building relationships of trust; and inspiring, orchestrating, and empowering a group of followers to make that vision a reality.

Fundamental to leadership is the creative process. Leadership includes creating an idea and then working with others to make that idea a reality. It involves having a dream about a better future state that comes from a passion within. In 1963, Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream.” His vision of civil and social equality for Blacks and whites was first created in the heart and mind. Then came the challenge of working with others to translate that dream into reality. That reality was the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was created as a result of his leadership efforts.

Implied in our definition of leadership is the notion that the vision is not self-centered nor destructive, but rather it is positive in the sense that it’s about a goal that is larger than self, something that builds and lifts in a positive direction.

At its core essence, leadership is influence. Leaders have the ability to influence through inspiring the heart of others, orchestrating processes, and empowering others to grow and develop. Leadership inspires and is enabled through relationships of trust.

Leadership typically includes a group of followers who share in the vision or goal of the leader. Importantly, leadership must be results oriented so that the vision doesn’t die as just an idea, but rather comes to fruition as it is worked toward and eventually implemented.