What is Leadership?

Which definition is true?

The organisation I work with, Fusion, is in the middle of a healthy identity crisis.

For 48 years, my father was the dominant personality as the founder and leader.

Last year that changed and we are in the process of coming to terms with a different reality.

Part of the challenge facing Fusion is naming what leadership actually is.

Since our inception, and through all our training, we have upheld two ideas about leadership:

1) That leadership is a function and not a job description

2) That “We have the mind of Christ” rather than any one individual having all the answers.

But how does that actually work in practise?

Leadership is an interesting thing. I have spent most of my adult life trying both to do it and understand it.

The bible seems to indicate that leadership is a gift:

Romans 12:6-9 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Whether a gift or a function, what is it?

A number of people have had a go at defining what leadership is, here is just a sample:

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.
Theodore M. Hesburgh

A Leader is a dealer in hope
Napolean

Leadership is influence.
John C. Maxwell

Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell

Leadership is causing people to take effective action
Louis A. Allan

All of these definitions sound good don’t they?

I have been helped and inspired by them all, however they are different!

I think they are probably all true, but what does that mean?

How can we know what leadership actually is?

I believe Leadership is probably more complex than can be simply defined by one statement, however I will continue this line of questioning tomorrow as I introduce you to a book I have found very helpful, and explore the leadership of Jesus.