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• Powerful and Effective Leadership – Within Reach!
Does It Matter How You Define Leadership?
It matters! The experts agree…
Yes, it matters a great deal how leadership is defined. Gary Yukl, Ph.D. (2006) is widely
recognized as an authority on the subject. Dr. Yukl convincingly asserts that the definition of
leadership is not precisely defined. He poses this question in many of his writings and provides
answers to this important question. He points out that although the term is broad by nature,
viewed quite differently by academicians, and prescribed variously by practitioners, the fact
remains that it is too important a phenomena to eschew definition due to the complexity of the
intervening arguments. With this in mind, it is of great importance that those studying leadership
consider a number of elements of leadership that can be measured through research processes.
Yukl (2006) discusses roles, influence processes, behaviors, traits, and situational variables that
comprise lines of research in leadership.

Accordingly, in line with the academic perspective Lord and Brown (2004) do an excellent job
of discussing the need for understandings of cognitive, social, and personality psychology to
understand how the results of these lines of research can be integrated in order to understand
dynamics of processes of leader and follower interaction. Their thoughts take into consideration
an arguably complete, if not theoretically exhaustive, perspective of matters related to a working
definition of leadership.
From the perspective of the practitioner, transformational leadership theory provides useful
definitions of elements of leadership that integrate a broad range of social process, while
simultaneously providing useful subsets of leadership typologies that answer the oft-debated
manager versus leader discussion. By describing leadership in hierarchal typologies of
charismatic, transformational and transactional leadership, Bass (1985) and a host of other
theorists have conceptualized a model that is inclusive of aspects of traits, influence, behaviors,
and contingencies (Antonakis, Avolio & Sivasubramaniam, 2003; Yukl, 1996) that is useful as
applied science in organizational environments.
With the perspective of academic research and practical application in mind the facts are clear
that the definition of leadership is complex. However, complexity is no reason to avoid
definition. The challenge for those that would apply scientific standards to the definition is to
seek integration of theory and practice, regardless of the difficulties the definition presents.
How does this make a difference to me as a leader and my organization? The answer is not as
complex as this brief article would lead us to believe.
Let me explain. First, academic and scientific leadership theories describe predictable function of
leadership in organizations. Secondly, the application of this theory can make a difference in real
world applications. Third, practitioners that understand these concepts have answers that can
address and moderate organizational dynamics to help the implementation of effective
leadership.
Moreover, effective implementation of leadership can bring positive impact to all levels of
organizational hierarchy.
References
Antonakis, J., Avolio, B. J., & Sivasubramaniam, N. (2003). Context and leadership: An
examination of the nine-factor full-range leadership theory using the multifactor leadership
questionnaire. Leadership Quarterly, 14, 261-295.
Lord, R. G., & Brown, D. J. (2004). Leadership Processes and Follower Self-Identity. Mahwah,
New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers
Yukl, G. A. (1996). Antecedents of influence outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81(3),
309-317.
Yukl, G. A. (2006). Leadership in Organizations (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Pearson Education, Inc.
Posted by John J. Earll | in Publications |
One Comment on “Does It Matter How You Define Leadership?”
• Powerful and Effective Leadership – Within Reach! | Management Vision, P.C. Says:
February 16th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
[...] Does It Matter How You Define Leadership? [...]
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