Do you see leadership as occupying a particular position, or having a title which relates to leadership, or being responsible for a group of people or an organization/ministry/nation? Do you see leadership as looking or talking like a leader, or leadership is about having a vision to get a group of people or an organization/ministry/nation to a desired end and seeing to it that it happens, while setting an example for others to follow?
In today’s world, it is very easy to confuse leadership with position, personality and titles. In as much as occupying a particular position in an organization/ministry/nation, or being chosen/elected to lead a group of people makes you a leader, leadership in itself is far beyond that.
Leadership is about having a vision for a group or an organization/ministry/nation and laying down the path with such clarity that people can follow them, influencing others from the position you are with your beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills, and directing or guiding them to accomplish that vision or their vision.
Leadership is where you communicate a vision, instruct, guide, lead and motivate others so as to use their knowledge, skills, gifts or talents, and experience for the benefit of a team, a group of people or an organization/ministry/nation and influence their behaviour to achieve that vision or get something done through a team/collective effort.
Leadership is much about a behaviour rather than a position or a title. Leadership is what you do and not where you sit or what you are called. A person may be in a leadership position and may not be in leadership. Oftentimes, when we see such, we call them “bad leaders”. We may not be fully aware of what leadership really means but we definitely know who is a good or bad leader when we see one. Bennis (1994, p.1) notes that, “To an extent, leadership is like beauty; it’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it”.
