in which one person can enlist the aid and support
of others in the accomplishment of a common task
". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.
Leadership is "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal". The leader may or may not have any formal authority. Students of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values, charisma
, and intelligence, among others.
The search for the characteristics or traits of leaders has been ongoing for centuries.
Every organization must be prepared to abandon everything it does to survive in the future.
Managers think about today. Leaders think about tomorrow.
Good leaders put out fires. Great leaders prevent them.
Leaders manage change. Managers control process.
We must be the change we wish to see in the world.
Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.
As we, the leaders, deal with tomorrow, our task is not to try to make perfect plans. Our task is to create organizations that are sufficiently flexible and versatile that they can take our imperfect plans and make them work in execution. That is the essential character of the learning organization.
A new leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless ... someone's got to make a wake up call.
Think of managing change as an adventure. It tests your skills and abilities. It brings forth talent that may have been dormant. Change is also a training ground for leadership. When we think of leaders, we remember times of change, innovation and conflict. Leadership is often about shaping a new way of life. To do that, you must advance change, take risks and accept responsibility for making change happen.