What is leadership? The ultimate question.
Especially because when it comes to defining leadership, everyone has an opinion.
Myself included.
In that vein, the Internet is littered with vast troves of perspectives that all try to tackle this enigmatic question.
However, attempting to define leadership is both stimulating and maddening due to the inherently subjective nature of the concept.
Furthermore, its significance changes across cultures and institutions.
Yet, people throughout the world seek to understand the prophetic implications of leadership.
This motivation is due to the fact that deciphering its constructs should lead to some sort of gain. Otherwise, defining it as an exercise unto itself is ultimately useless.
As such, understanding leadership is undeniably fundamental for professionals and experts who aim to coral its varying undertones to effectively execute a business strategy.
While recognising valuable qualities that attribute to a great leader is integral, it’s not the same as understanding leadership.
Okay. So what is leadership?
Ultimately, and without cynicism, creating a fixed definition implies a severe set of standards that are immutable and final.
Leadership is an organic process that needs to change depending on the goals at hand, and the risks involved.
At its most basic level, leadership relates to motivating a group of people to dominate over another group of people.
While there is a callous and somewhat militant ring to that concept, the premise is undeniable.
In a business, the goal is to beat other rival businesses. Specific roles continuously analyse and plan the right strategy so that their business plan returns a higher profit than that of their competitors.
Furthermore, someone may have the raw qualities that give them the potential to be a leader.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they exercise leadership.
What does that even mean?
An individual may have social influence on their team, ambitious vision, and a plan, but if they are incapable of accomplishing a goal, then they don’t possess great leadership.
As in, a high ranking person on a ship may be responsible for guiding a crew to a destination, but only once the cargo and ship arrive can that person truly be considered the captain of that enterprise.
Basically, someone can look great on paper, but does that translate into real life?
The beautiful thing about leadership is that it can be exercised by anyone. There is no hard and fast definition, because there are no hard and fast rules in life or business.
Challenges exist because they’re situations that demand adaptability, insight, and playing outside of a comfort zone.
Thus, anyone ready to tackle those challenges with a team they motivate, respect and urge to greatness can show leadership.
Read more: