Leader (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what a leader is and his characteristics. Also, its importance and how to be a positive leader.

What is a leader?

A leader is a person who leads a group from a team to the population of a territory, and that has the ability to influence, stimulate and incentivize the members to give the best of each one, with the purpose of achieving common objectives.

The leader directs and demands the group from a place of equality, support and collaboration.

For example: The leader of a sports team promotes camaraderie and respect among its members, through words and attitudes. As a consequence, the team works motivated, united and becomes stronger in tournaments and competitions over time. And with each victory, that is, with each goal achieved, the self-esteem and brotherhood of the group are strengthened even more.

the word leader comes from English leader which means “person who directs or commands a group” and refers to a horizontal direction, that is, it does not emphasize hierarchy over the capacity of each team member.

Leader or boss?

Unlike the leader, The boss (who also leads a group) is considered a person with authority and power. The boss directs and gives orders to the group from a place of superiority over the other members.

The figure of a leader, on the other hand, has a positive meaning because it guides the people of a group based on values and tools so that each individual develops and gives their best to achieve the objectives that the team has in common.

For example: The head of a company's production area implemented a scoring system in exchange for employee benefits. Whoever reaches the goals or manages to surpass them will add points, while whoever does not achieve the goals will subtract and must try harder next time. The system is not sustainable over time, it is unstable, it contributes to personal acrimony and can lead to fatigue among members.

The figure of a boss can be neutral, formal or negative when he leads a group based on fear, abuse of authority or terror.

Characteristics of a leader

Each leader is unique and has qualities that differentiate him or her from others. However, there are common characteristics among people who fulfill the leadership role and among the main ones we highlight the following:

Lead. The leader leads from a place of brotherhood and empathy, not from superiority.
Guide. The leader provides tools to the group members, through accompaniment and example, instead of just giving authoritarian orders.
Hear. The leader involves the other members in the decisions so that they take part and feel motivated.
Be reliable. The leader becomes an authority who can be trusted, not someone to be feared.
Empower and delegate. The leader invites participation, provides tools and gives freedom of action to each member, instead of being distrustful and applying strict control systems.
Assume responsibilities. The leader takes the problems and conflicts as his own and does not release his responsibility, although the entire team is involved to find a solution.
Celebrate achievements together. The leader acts on behalf of a group and, in each goal achieved, speaks on behalf of all the members, he does not assume achievements as a personal merit.

How to be a good leader?

A person can be a leader of a family group r, a group of friends, a music band, an environmental movement, a group within a company, a managerial position, a locality, a political or national position, among other possibilities.

A person manages to become a leader for various reasons: because of their innate abilities to communicate and manifest their charisma, their learned abilities to influence and inspire others, and the skills learned through the experience of being in contact with diverse people.

Beyond the individual conditions of each person, Leadership is a capacity that requires learning and adaptation to the environment to the time and to the people. It is a constant learning.

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A person can lead a group very well at a given moment or can be a successful leader over time. Because the environment is constantly changing, such as social norms, technology and economies, the leader has to adapt to these changes and offer different tools to the teams he leads throughout his career.

In conclusion, a leader is not the most educated person, but rather You have to be willing to continue your learning throughout your life develop empathy and work together to achieve common goals, you should not only pursue individual success.

Importance of a leader

The leader is an important and necessary figure to guide a group towards the achievement of objectives. Without the intervention of a leader, goals are likely to be achieved, but not effectively that is, without optimizing resources, time or maximum quality.

The leader is a link between the organization and the employees, or between society and the members of a group. Has the ability to empower individuals in a group to delegate various responsibilities to them and optimize the achievement of the organization's objectives.

People are the most valuable resources of a group or organization, because they can provide added value, they can make decisions and they can enhance the work effectively.

For example: The role of a leader in a company conditions planning, decision-making and management of conflict situations. He is the one who can influence work teams, know their abilities and desires to maintain a constant and optimal balance between the organization's objectives and the needs of its members.

Examples of leaders

Among the main leaders of the world throughout history we can highlight:

Simon Bolivar (1783-1830). He was a Venezuelan military and political leader known as the “Liberator of America.” He excelled in commanding the armies of New Granada and Venezuela to advance towards Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia and achieve Spanish-American Independence (1808-1833).
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971). She was a French haute couture designer and one of the most influential figures in the history of fashion. He stood out for revolutionizing the way women dressed: he eradicated the use of corsets, shortened skirts, designed a purse with a cross strap so that women could have their hands free, and also installed pants for women, which until then was only for men. The emblematic brand of the two intertwined letters “C” is a fashion icon today.
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). He was a South African political leader and philanthropist who stood out for his activism in the defense of human rights, peace, and his fight to abolish the discrimination generated by the apartheid system. In 1964 he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the South African government. He was locked up for 27 years and upon his release he was recognized as the symbol of the fight against racism. In 1993 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. He was president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (1977-present). She was a Nigerian writer and novelist, leader of the global feminist movement. He managed to make visible how inequality undermined the minds of men and women for centuries throughout history. When he was young, a professor criticized his novels, arguing that they were not authentically African. Currently, she is recognized for being the representative voice of African women worldwide. He stood out for being in favor of the multiplicity of voices and opinions.
Malala Yousafzai (1997-present). She is a Pakistani leader, fighting for women's rights in the Middle East. She was born in a country dominated by the Taliban that prohibited women from receiving education. Malala recounted this and many other violations of women in a blog. In retaliation, in 2012 a Taliban shot him in the head. She lost her speech and facial motor skills, was exiled to the United Kingdom and managed to rehabilitate herself after several years of hospitalization. In 2014 he received the Nobel Peace Prize, and was the youngest person to receive that award.
Bill Gates (1955-present). He is an American business leader in the technology sector and founder of the company Microsoft. In addition, he carries out philanthropic work through his foundation, which helps protect vulnerable populations in Africa and Asia and global health and education programs.

References

Royal Spanish Academy (2022). Bossfrom: https://www.rae.es
Sánchez Murillo, AJ (2006). Peter Drucker, innovative master of business administrationfrom: https://www.redalyc.org
Morffe, A. (2019). The importance of leadership according to Peter Druckerfrom: https://sobregerenciayempresa.blogspot.com