In our opening chapter, we noted that our working definition of leadership looks like this:

Leadership is a reciprocal process of motivating individuals and mobilizing resources in pursuit of goals shared by members of a group, organization, or community.  As an aspect of group innovation and problem-solving behavior, leadership involves the clarification of group goals, the communication of strategies for goal achievement, the initiation of structure in interaction and expectation, and the assumption of responsibility for results.

This article will unpack that definition bit by bit.

• Leadership is a reciprocal process: in other words, it works both ways. Leaders influence followers, but followers also influence leaders. Leaders can’t lead effectively without the consent and support of followers.

• Motivating individuals and mobilizing resources: in other words, leaders not only influence the willing behavior of followers, they also help gather and implement the resources needed.

• In pursuit of goals shared by members of a group, organization, or community: in other words, leaders and followers share similar (though not necessarily identical) goals as members of a small group (like a sports team or a work team), a large formal organization (like a corporation or a government bureaucracy), or an entire community (like a large neighborhood, a city, or a nation).

• As an aspect of group innovation and problem-solving behavior: in other words, leadership is about creating change within the group, organization, or community. It addresses and attempt to solve problems. If a group, organization, or community has no problems and doesn’t need to change anything, it has no need for leadership.