Leadership’s definition is as vague as the concept of love, power, or hope. Each has a definition but to each person who seeks these out, their own context changes the definition to suit them. Does a leader have specific characteristics that make them successful or does a specific situation form the relationship with the leader? How men are driven and why, comprises of how a leader reaches the potential of a situation and succeeds and in Understanding Leadership, by W.C.H. Prentice addresses the complexities of the elusive definition of leadership.
As leadership pertains to Prentice, it is “the accomplishment of a goal through the direction of human assistants”. This would seem to fit all situations in regards to its true definition but it clearly falls short in explaining exactly what it is. If a leader were to take this approach as literal as possible, a mechanical response to it is not too far to imagine and with motivation and response of the subordinates being such a complex subject, success seems far from reachable. And since success is the measurement of what makes a leader great, falling short of it keeps the leader from being great. Each situation is fluid and the requirements to reach the full potential are equally different. Therefore the ability to act and react towards these situations that reach the goal established is what makes leaders effective and therefore successful.
Out of this idea comes two basic lessons that successful leaders have learned. Men are complex and Men are different. Added to the complexities of the situation, the leader adapts and matches their actions to the desired outcome of the encounter with their follower. In an effort to simplify this cause in effect relationship, came the Carnegie’s golden rule. Unfortunately, Prentice designates the golden rule too over simplified and shows the leader follower relationship as a push button robot that ignores emotions and relationships that exist in the workplace. These inabilities to adapt the correct communication and relationship are the true reason leaders fail and their subordinates do not follow.
The relationship between all levels of the hierarchy within a given situation must function efficiently for a successful outcome. Even though it is hard to clearly define what leadership is, it is the ability to master these relationships to reach the desired outcome that contributes to it. The definition changes from not only person to person, but situation to situation and the ability for the leader to define it then will dictate the successfulness of the outcome.
Prentice, H.C.W. “Understanding Leadership.” Harvard Business Review 1961. Print.
