At a time when our world is suffering from one of its biggest crises – the leadership vacuum – I think it might be worth our while to revisit the idea of leadership and the core qualities of great leaders
Few things move men and women as much as the inspiring words or daring examples of a great leader. Over millennia of human history, a galaxy of leaders have led people all over the world to achieve extraordinary things. Not just in times of war to win battles but in peaceful times as well to establish business empires, create things of beauty or make planet earth a better place to be. Some of the biggest names in leadership that immediately spring to mind: Mahatma Gandhi, George Washington, Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ernest Shackleton, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr, Winston Churchill, Gloria Steinem, Buddha, Pope John Paul II, Dalai Lama, Jack Welch, Steve Jobs...
Not a comprehensive list for sure, nor does it belong to a particular eon or creed or flavor – but certainly worthy of our aspiration, emulation or, simply, following.
There are some key questions we have always been asking about leadership: What is leadership? What makes the people named above or hundreds of others like them across centuries so different, so influential, so long-lasting despite their limited tenure and many human frailties? What intrinsic or acquired qualities have made them win wars, inspire trust in people, heal their minds and souls, change the way we relate to society, or create organizations and objects that become the envy of the world?
Questions like these have intrigued the best of human minds and the answers still continue to evolve even after relentless honing and refinement. But given that the world is going through multiple crises which, I believe, can be better tackled with effective leadership, it may not be out of place to address its core principles and ideas.
First and foremost, the very term leadership, according to Oxford dictionary, means “the action of leading a group of people or an organization, or the ability to do this.” So the most essential thing about a leader is that he or she gets other people to achieve some goal.
But a mechanical get-things-done-through-people definition is not what leadership is all about. Let's look at what some of the world's best minds have said about leadership.
Dwight D Eisenhower: “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible...”
Stephen Covey: “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”
John Quincy Adams: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Our chief want in life is someone who shall make us do what we can.”
Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
Tom Peters: “Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.”
There are thousands of such interesting, inspiring or illuminating viewpoints and opinions. But the critical thing to note is, it is the leaders – whether of a country, a society, an organization or even a function within a firm – who make things move. Who take the initiative to urge people to come together for achieving something. Who are always taking it upon themselves to learn new things, try new ideas and leave a legacy of innovation, creativity, and can-do spirit. They may lean toward certain personality traits, but they are all distinguished by the integrity of their values and the emotional maturity of their actions.
They are all, without doubt, leaders.
We don't seem to have many of them left, do we? So, how can we create, nurture or empower more leaders?
Think about it...
Few things move men and women as much as the inspiring words or daring examples of a great leader. Over millennia of human history, a galaxy of leaders have led people all over the world to achieve extraordinary things. Not just in times of war to win battles but in peaceful times as well to establish business empires, create things of beauty or make planet earth a better place to be. Some of the biggest names in leadership that immediately spring to mind: Mahatma Gandhi, George Washington, Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ernest Shackleton, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr, Winston Churchill, Gloria Steinem, Buddha, Pope John Paul II, Dalai Lama, Jack Welch, Steve Jobs...
Not a comprehensive list for sure, nor does it belong to a particular eon or creed or flavor – but certainly worthy of our aspiration, emulation or, simply, following.
There are some key questions we have always been asking about leadership: What is leadership? What makes the people named above or hundreds of others like them across centuries so different, so influential, so long-lasting despite their limited tenure and many human frailties? What intrinsic or acquired qualities have made them win wars, inspire trust in people, heal their minds and souls, change the way we relate to society, or create organizations and objects that become the envy of the world?
Questions like these have intrigued the best of human minds and the answers still continue to evolve even after relentless honing and refinement. But given that the world is going through multiple crises which, I believe, can be better tackled with effective leadership, it may not be out of place to address its core principles and ideas.
First and foremost, the very term leadership, according to Oxford dictionary, means “the action of leading a group of people or an organization, or the ability to do this.” So the most essential thing about a leader is that he or she gets other people to achieve some goal.
But a mechanical get-things-done-through-people definition is not what leadership is all about. Let's look at what some of the world's best minds have said about leadership.
Dwight D Eisenhower: “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible...”
Stephen Covey: “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”
John Quincy Adams: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Our chief want in life is someone who shall make us do what we can.”
Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
Tom Peters: “Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.”
There are thousands of such interesting, inspiring or illuminating viewpoints and opinions. But the critical thing to note is, it is the leaders – whether of a country, a society, an organization or even a function within a firm – who make things move. Who take the initiative to urge people to come together for achieving something. Who are always taking it upon themselves to learn new things, try new ideas and leave a legacy of innovation, creativity, and can-do spirit. They may lean toward certain personality traits, but they are all distinguished by the integrity of their values and the emotional maturity of their actions.
They are all, without doubt, leaders.
We don't seem to have many of them left, do we? So, how can we create, nurture or empower more leaders?
Think about it...
