Origin and definition of leadership
The RAE (Royal Spanish Academy) presents three different meanings for leadership: ‘The condition of being a leader’, ‘The exercise of the activities of a leader’ and ‘A situation of superiority in which an institution or organisation, a product or a sector finds itself’.
The same institution traces the origin of the word leader to the English word “leader”, meaning guide.
A somewhat broader definition could be the set of skills and principles with which a person or group of people influence, guide and motivate, based on the premise that a leader must not only take the initiative or manage projects, but also promote collaboration, build trust and encourage teamwork.
Key characteristics of leadership
When exercising leadership, people in leadership positions must have a number of traits.
For example, although this is not exclusive to these profiles, continuous learning is important in order to be able to perform their duties and adapt to changes in the environment.
Resilience is another skill that leaders must have in order to face and overcome obstacles.
Similarly, vision is a leadership skill that enables leaders to anticipate and plan for the future and, on this basis, set objectives.
Honesty and motivation are other important qualities for leadership. Honesty is essential for making decisions and taking action based on ethics and transparency, while motivation is necessary for fostering teamwork and promoting the development of the people who are part of the company.
The ability to communicate effectively works in two ways: being able to convey ideas clearly and actively listening to what your teams have to say.
These communication skills must also be combined with emotional intelligence to understand and manage your own emotions and those of others, and the ability to delegate by trusting your team and distributing tasks appropriately.
The importance of leadership
Leadership is a highly relevant factor in helping organisations, institutions and groups to succeed, and its importance is evident in various aspects.
One of the reasons why leadership is relevant is its ability to achieve objectives by guiding the work of organisations and maximising existing strengths.
Given that even organisations with good resources or adequate planning can fail to achieve their objectives, leadership emerges as one of the pillars on which success or failure in achieving these objectives rests.
In addition to authority and responsibility, leaders must also inspire, guide and motivate other members of the organisation to move towards the objectives set, while also promoting the personal and professional growth of teams, which in turn leads to the recognition of achievements and the creation of positive environments. These ingredients can also help to raise both commitment and productivity levels.
Changing environments and rapid technological developments are also situations that those in leadership positions have to deal with in order to guide teams in times of crisis and minimise any negative impacts.
Effective leadership also serves to make quick and accurate decisions, resolving any conflicts that may arise and maintaining team cohesion.
