Why is ‘leadership’ so misunderstood?

“Leadership is not a position or title, it is an action and example.”

I recently posted that quote from Cory Booker on my Facebook page. The first two comments I received were, “Doing what is right for the majority, not the select few,” and “Great way to think about it.”

As a consultant working in the leadership arena for more than 20 years, both comments confused me. It left me wondering whether professionals today understood leadership. With all of the fantastic speakers, books devoted to leadership, and the internet overflowing with leadership information, why would people still believe that just having a title deems you a leader?

I wanted to respond to both with a lengthy explanation of leadership to help enlighten them, but what good would that do? They really believe they know what leadership is and I would just be another argumentative person on social media. No thanks.

 

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