Defining Leadership

The two questions asked were as follows:

What is your definition of leadership (max 15 words)?

Think of the best leader you have ever worked for or with. What three adjectives would you use to describe their leadership style?

These questions did provoke a lot of interest. Thank you to everyone for your replies. Trying to define leadership is, of course, an enormous challenge, and we are not the first to attempt it. Indeed, if you 'Google' the word 'leadership' there are 126 million references to choose from! Visit any branch of Waterstones and you will find shelf after shelf of books on the subject. University business schools no doubt have professors who have spent their academic careers in pursuit of the answer.

But that doesn't stop us trying, and maybe not making it too complicated, let's leave that to the professors!

Over the past five years or so leadership has become something of a passion for me. I have seen so many examples of what I believe to be poor leadership and have also come across some great leaders. There are some consistent traits I seem to see in these great leaders.

The adjectives

Your choice of three adjectives to describe the best leader you have ever worked for or with supported so much of what I have seen. Somewhat unscientifically I have simply picked out those words most commonly chosen by respondents.

Out on its own at number 1 is inspirational

Next most common were approachable, enthusiastic and motivational

Behind these came four more words, confident, driven, empowering and focussed.

Not a bad list as far as I am concerned.


The definitions

I've listed at the bottom of this page all the definitions that were submitted. Analysing them, I've picked out the following themes:

Setting out a vision and purpose: a leader sets out and articulates a clear vision. They provide direction, a sense of purpose and meaning.

Translation into action: a leader defines clear goals and creates a plan. They are clear in thought, decisive in action. They ensure best practice.

Leading their team: they enable others and develop their team. They direct, guide, influence and motivate others. They inspire their people and get them to want to do things. They engage their people through their enthusiasm. They create excitement and confidence in their people. They remove doubt and give clear guidelines and support.

Role modelling: they realise that leadership is not about action, it's a position. They display integrity, are principled and lead by example. They do the right things and demonstrate respect and trust. They are clear thinking, instil confidence and are passionate. They are hard working and demanding.


I think that the consistent themes from your definitions have pulled together a compelling picture of great leadership. I'm also delighted with the acknowledgement by many that leadership is not just about what you do, but who you are, and how you behave.

I have taken the liberty of choosing my favourites from all the definitions received. Again there is nothing academic or scientific about this, they just resonate with me.

In equal third place...

A positive, inspirational and challenging approach to life that makes people feel excited and confident in moving things on

A clear vision, and the ability to inspire people to join you on that journey

Anyone who can inspire, motivate and gain the commitment of people to achieve great things

In second place...

Provide a vision, create a plan, take decisive action and inspire others to follow

and my (totally subjective) favourite...



Coaching and conducting an orchestra where every other musician is in tune and in pace

Other Leadership Quotes

I'd like to just add a few other leadership quotes I have come across.

'Great leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion.' (Jack Welch)

'If you haven't been frightened by leadership you haven't understood.' (Ray Noyes)

'Before you are a leader success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader success is all about growing others.' (Jack Welch)

'Being a leader is like being a lady. If you have to tell someone you are one you're probably not.' (Margaret Thatcher)

The Leadership Model I Use

When I work with individuals, teams or groups on leadership I base my model of highly effective leadership around five distinct themes, summarised as follows:

Setting the direction: a leader sets the direction for their team or organisation. They listen to stakeholders to understand what they need, they provide clarity of purpose and vision, and communicate them superbly. They create a clear strategy and ensure that every single person understands their role and goals in delivering that strategy.

Aligning the organisation: they ensure that the whole organisation is aligned behind the strategy to enable its delivery. They recruit the best people, align rewards, ensure systems and processes work effectively and that decision-making is effective.

Engaging their people: a leader unlocks the potential of their people by inspiring and engaging them. They listen to them, involve them and treat them with respect. They provide constant updates on how they are doing and enable superior performance. They clear the way for them. They empower them through providing freedom within a clear framework. They build a high performance culture where people are encouraged to give their best.

Translation into action: they not only create the strategy, they ensure it is executed effectively.

Being a role model: great leaders understand that it is the way they act and behave, every day, that will determine how their people act and behave. They consistently model the behaviours they wish to see in others. They build a culture of trust.


I was delighted that this model is so much in line with your definitions, It's a reassurance that at least I'm on the right path!

1. I do believe there is a real difference between leadership and management. Both are honourable professions, and no organisation can be effective without people performing both of these roles. Indeed, these roles are performed by the same person. However, I think all to often people focus too much on their management responsibilities (grounding out results, fixing systems, day to day challenges) and less on leading (inspiring and motivating their people, planning for the future, sharing the vision.) How do you divide your time? Do you need to consciously change the balance?

2. Leaders do not have to be at the top of organisations or teams. Anyone can be a leader. As Stephen Covey says 'leadership is a choice'. Leaders can exist at every level in any organisation.

3. That's because great leaders understand they do not just lead their people. They lead in every direction. They can lead upwards (their boss and beyond), lead sideways (inside and outside their organisation) and lead their people. They also lead themselves (through role modelling). So much of leadership is about influencing and inspiring others. It is rarely, if ever, about telling.

4. Great leaders do not have to have big egos or loud, forceful personalities. Indeed in his excellent book 'Good to Great' Jim Collins sets out a compelling, well-evidenced case that in truly great companies who deliver sustained superior results, the leaders display just the opposite characteristics. He describes those leaders as displaying personal humility with professional will.

And finally...

I do see this as being the beginning of the debate, not the end. This is a fascinating subject which we can never stop learning about.

Moreover, in the workplace nothing is more important. Unless we can develop great leaders, who inspire and engage their people, we will never unlock the potential that exists in everyone. In particular we need to focus on developing the next generation, those who will lead people and organisations to greatness in the decades ahead.

Great leaders can and do transform teams and organisations.

Please keep contributing to the debate. E-mail me or contact me via the web site link.

I finish with a quote from Sheila Murray Bethel, which captures the point that we are always learning

'Leadership is not something that you learn once and for all. It is an ever-evolving pattern of skills, talents and ideas that grow and change as you do.'

Enjoy the journey!

The full list of definitions


The ability of an individual or a group to enable other individuals or groups to follow a chosen path

Coaching and conducting an orchestra where every other musician is in tune and in pace

A clear vision of where we are going, the ability to listen to other peoples ideas and to involve them in planning, the ability to make small feel big and big feel enormous, personal integrity, making achievement of goals fun

The principled ways things are done, by example. A commitment to develop a team

A set of behaviours, skills and traits that are used, depending on the people and the circumstances at any given moment in time

The ability to direct, guide, influence and motivate others

Making sure you do right things, not just things right

A personal attribute that enables an individual to get people to want to do something the individual defines

Someone who can make a group of people happy to participate on a common journey

Captain with the ability to steer the quickest route by way of the calmest waters

Having clear aims and goals, inspiring teams to input and learn, giving respect and trust

A provider of direction, encouragement and enthusiasm who instils best practice, confidence and clear thinking

Provide a vision, create a plan, take decisive action and inspire others to follow

The ability to motivate others through knowledge, clear thought and action

The ability to inspire the team to achieve the leader's desired end result

A positive, inspirational and challenging approach to life that makes people feel excited and confident in moving things on

Leadership is an action not a position

Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things

Providing clear guidance and support to those you are leading.

To give direction and a sense of purpose and meaning

To take the first step in guidance towards direction with followers

Removes clutter and doubt, to re-assure you that success will follow

Being able to deliver a message or strategy cohesively through the people in your team

A clear vision, and the ability to inspire people to join you on that journey

Anyone who can inspire, motivate and gain the commitment of people to achieve great things

Self critical, passionate, listening, hardworking, demanding, rewarding individual seeking better than self to team

Articulates a vision, facilitates framework to deliver and supports, creates 1+1+1=4+ environment

Providing a vision that is clear and followed and driven by individual commitment

An individual capable of organising, motivating and focussing a group of individuals to deliver team/company objectives

Creating a sense of direction with space, political or other, to let people perform in