What defines leadership?

Yuhong’s new blog talks about leadership. She quite accurately points out that in research, as in all creative work, leadership is a very important quality. I’ve struggled myself with the concept while I was filling out funding applications (yes, I’m still working on funding). People ask you to prove you are a leader… but what does it mean to be a leader?

Yuhong proposes the following definition:

  • Always take into account everyone’s interest
  • Be generous
  • Have a vision

I like Yuhong’s definition!

Published by

Daniel Lemire

A computer science professor at the University of Quebec (TELUQ).

4 thoughts on “What defines leadership?”

  2. Hi Daniel,

    My suggestion for completing the leadership definition:
    – That people follow without being asked to and without even noticing it

    Reply

  3. Yan’s comment to me implies that leadership is brought by genes. I don’t believe
    leadership can’t be trained. For me, the leadership is
    a kind of disciplines. If you understand its principles, you will follow it.
    Some people’s inherited characteristics make them easier to grasp the disciplines,
    some others need more training. People got to tell them explicitly what is
    leadership.

    Reply

  4. Hi Daniel

    Having been in business for over 25 years and worked with both ‘managers’ and ‘leaders’ I would suggest thst leadership is about the ability (whether conscious or otherwise) to inspire people to their best efforts for a common goal.

    Peter Fisher

    Reply

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