July 13, 2023 | By David M. Wagner

People confuse “leadership” with “being in charge” all the time.

I’ve seen it in influential people who don’t think they’re “leaders” because they don’t have a certain job title. And I’ve seen it in managers who exhibit none of the traits of (what I consider) leadership.

I’ll offer my own definition: a leader is anyone who guides the efforts of others to achieve a greater outcome than they could realize on their own.

Let’s explore how that works in three contexts.

Positional Leadership

No, holding a title like chair, chief executive, director, supervisor, president, mayor, etc. does not make one a leader – but positions of authority clearly matter. Without leadership, individuals in charge may be perceived as abusing (or squandering) their power.

Many managers are elevated to their position on the basis of their technical knowledge or experience, rather than their leadership abilities. Recognize that guiding others effectively demands a different skillset than what’s required to perform other functions well.

Highly effective leaders exhibit empathy, compassion, curiosity, mindfulness, and a growth mindset. In short, they focus on people, not just on results. Start with developing genuine relationships with your direct reports and constituents. The resulting trust will help communication flow better in both directions.

Individual Leadership

Think of someone who has inspired you.

Maybe they helped you see the world in a different way. Or encouraged you to do something you felt scared to do. Or just made you feel safe around them.

Influential people can motivate us to act regardless of their job title.

Wielding influence is important when achieving great outcomes requires others to contribute, over whom you hold no authority (or when authority is ambiguous). Maybe mission success depends on the support of your peers, or an outside partner or funder.

In addition to practicing the behaviors of positional leaders, individuals can employ authentic persuasion to influence stakeholders, inspire networks of advocates and partners through a compelling vision for the future, and empower others to succeed in their part of the greater mission.

Organizational Leadership

Yes, entire organizations can be leaders.

In Forces for Good, authors Leslie Crutchfield and Heather Grant point to the practices of “high-impact nonprofits” such as Teach for America, the Environmental Defense Fund, and Feeding America. Each of the organizations they studied has done more than deliver successful programs – they have meaningfully moved the needle for their broader mission (such as education reform, combating climate change, and ending hunger).

How? In part, by leveraging the same tools as “individual leaders.” High-impact organizations influence others (through advocacy), create networks of supporters and partners, and devote some of their resources to helping other organizations succeed.

Whatever your mission, you can do much more with and through a community of like-minded supporters than on your own. Are you bringing all your leadership potential to the table? If you see room to do even more, schedule a free consultation to get started growing your impact through leadership.