Question

What does leadership mean?

Answer 1

Leadership can mean many different things to many different people. However for me leadership means setting a vision or a goal and ensuring that you influence people in such a way that follow you and believe in that goal and selflessly contribute to the achievement of that goal. In the process of achieving that goal, the leader also identifies the potential among his followers and delegates appropriate responsibilities to them based on their potential. Based on this, leadership encompasses the below

1. Vision : A leader should have a vision or a goal in mind. The goal should be ambitious and it should be such a goal that your followers also believe in that goal

2. Influence : Leadership means one should be able to influence people. A leader cannot be a good leader if he or she cannot influence people. Only when people are influenced, they will follow you and contribute to your goal

3. Delegation of power : A person with good leadership skills knows that goals cannot be achieved by a single person. Hence he or she identifies people who have specific potential and delegates responsibilities to them so that the goal is broken down into smaller and more easily achievable sub-goals.

4. Outcome oriented : A good leader also has a very clear idea of the outcomes which are needed to achieve his or her goal. The leader knows the resources available, the constraints and the series of steps which needs to be undertaken to achieve the desired outcome.