LEADERSHIP

Leadership is conceptualised both as the concept that denotes an individual or a group of individuals whose authority has been accepted by others and, a process in which the set goals, plans and tasks are realized through exerting influence on one’s followers and their behaviour.

There are basically three types of theoretical approaches according to the classic ontology of leadership:

(1) leader-focused based on leadership traits, skills and styles

(2) follower-focused based on information processing, social constructivism paradigm and implicit leadership theories, and

(3) situation-focused centered on the impact of the situation on leadership and its manifestations

Leadership is primarily a concept that denotes an individual or a group of individuals whose authority has been accepted by others. It is also a process in which the set goals, plans and tasks are realised through exerting influence on one’s followers and their behaviour. It may be viewed as a relationship between two persons or as multilateral relationships in hierarchies and networks that connect people around a common purpose. Finally, leadership is the connection between collective intentionality, collective action and the desired outcomes: it exists as a guiding, integrative and coordinating mechanism of common action in the collective.

This understanding of the concept underlines the importance of the leader’s actual and desirable traits, the collection of knowledge, the personal skills that they need to perfect, and the leadership style they need to adapt to the members of the collective and to the specific characteristics of the situation and the tasks at hand.

The leader’s role is to properly inspire and motivate themselves as well as the members of the collective to make their combined actions as successful as possible. The quality of their leadership depends on their ability to achieve unity, willing participation, and maximum engagement of everyone involved, along with adequate coordination and conversations needed to achieve a result that they care about.