What is a Leader? That’s an easy question, isn’t it? But it is an important thing to consider in our constantly changing and increasingly complex business world. So, what is a Leader?

Some would say that a Leader is the boss. But, wait.  That’s not always true – a Leader may be the boss, but the boss may not always be a Leader. So, again, what is a Leader?

Is it power that makes a Leader? Is the most powerful person the Leader? A man with a gun to your head has power, and can make you follow him, but is he a Leader? I would say “No”.

A Leader has vision, and has the ability to get others to share that vision. Leaders inspire others to follow them to a destination; a destination somewhere other than where they are. Leaders help organizations to move forward to places the organization has never been.

I guess the simplest answer is that a Leader is someone who has followers. Let’s consider that statement.  Well, yes, that’s true. But what makes that Leader effective at getting people to follow them?  That’s at the core of what a Leader is.

Over the years, there have been many theories as to what makes a good Leader and why some can lead and others never seem to get it. Some people feel that Leadership is fixed at birth – that leadership is not “teachable”. Others think that our experiences shape us into Leaders. Still others think that it is a combination of the two. So, again I ask, what is a Leader?

As Lachlan McLean said, “You can only lead others where you yourself are willing to go”. So, Leaders, as the name suggests, start on the path towards their vision, and they help others come along on the journey.

Sometimes, when in leadership positions, it is easy to sit back and dictate orders to other people and expect that things will go your way with little argument. And, true, you probably worked hard to earn your position, but true Leadership is not about titles or position; it is a way of thinking and a way of acting. Don’t forget the path that you took to get there. Other people are now on that same path.

Leaders start things; Managers keep things going. Leaders shape change; Managers keep change at bay. Are you a Leader or just a Manager?

Leadership has become a critical element of creating high performance individuals and through that, organizations. Leadership development today goes beyond a traditional view of leadership, that of leading others. It is also about personal leadership, and leading from the inside out. I think that a great leader is someone who has developed mastery in both areas.

The capacity to establish leadership is a developed skill.  There is no “special” type of person that makes a leader.  However, learning to lead effectively requires skills development and practice.

There is no perfect leader.  Because of that, good leaders are always trying to improve them selves through such methods as self-study, training, education, mentoring, and learning from mistakes. Since there are no perfect leaders, it is hard to build a good leadership model, which is why there are hundreds of them. But, we can be sure of a few things that a good leader possesses:

1.    A clear vision of the future.
2.    The ability to encourage followers to jump onto that  path towards the vision.
3.    A love of self-improvement for themselves and their team. This love makes them good coaches and mentors.
4.    Stong delegation skills.

So to bring it full circle – what is a Leader?  A Leader is a visionary who can help others to see the destination, encourage them to get on the right path, teach them how to move forward, and will empower those people to get things done.