Leadership is Arbitrary
Do you know what the formal definition of Leadership is? Probably not. So go on and look it up in the dictionary. Ok, well at least Google it. Webster’s Dictionary defines leadership as, “the office or position of a leader,” while dictionary.com says leadership is, “the ability to lead.” So, why are these definitions so vague? It is because leadership is arbitrary. We all come from different backgrounds and are equipped with our own personal experiences and ideas. This allows us to view leadership from different perspectives, thus hinting at why it is so hard for any one person to form a definition of leadership that everyone agrees with.
I believe that there are numerous characteristics that contribute to the effectiveness of a leader, but I think they are pointless unless you know when to use them. One of the discussions we had in class centered on group roles. A few of the roles include: motivator/encourager, organizer/planner, physical doer, mediator, listener, and follower. I believe that the best of the best out there in Leadership Land are able to successfully preform all of these roles. I’m not saying that they are perfect at them all, but they at least know how to perform them with an adequate level of proficiency. And by no means should a leader try to perform them all at once, yet the real key in effective leadership is being able to sense which role the group is lacking the most and to tackle that role.
Therefore, my definition of leadership is the ability to know which role your group most needs you to play and to be able to adapt to that role. This is just one of the (how many people are there in the world?) 7 billion definitions of leadership that exists. No single definition is any more right or wrong than any other, and why? Because, leadership is arbitrary.
October 10th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
I think you’re right; leadership really is subjective, and it’s easy to see that through the activites in the LLC class where we stand on opposite sides of the room according to our opinions.
Part of my definition of a leader as well is that they should have the ability to perform roles that are necessary in different situations; versitality is what makes a leader effective.
October 10th, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Agreead, there are so many facets of leadership. My definition of a leader is someone who knows how to collaborate well with others to achieve certain goal, and when needed, can step up to the plate. Basically someone who can lead and follow.