leadership
LEE-der-ship
/ˈliː.də.ʃɪp/
The action of leading a group of people or an organization, or the ability to do this.
Leadership is often distinguished from 'management'; management is about processes, while leadership is about inspiring people.
The story behind the word. The root 'lead' comes from an Old English word meaning 'to cause to go with one.' The suffix '-ship' denotes a state or condition. Thus, leadership is the state of being the one who makes others go with them.
Word relationships
- guidance: Guidance is advice on what to do; leadership is the act of taking charge and inspiring others to follow.
- followership: The capacity or willingness to follow a leader.
Commonly confused with
- management: Management is about efficiency and systems; leadership is about vision and people.
Word family
- lead (verb): To show the way.
- leader (noun): A person who leads.
Collocations
- strong leadership
- leadership skills
- leadership role
Example sentences
- "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." Political speech.
- "She showed great leadership during the crisis, keeping the team calm and focused." Corporate evaluation.
Memory hook
A leader is on a 'ship' showing the way. The captain of the ship.
When not to use
Don't use it to simply mean 'the bosses' (the people in charge), although it can refer to them as a collective group.
Fun facts
- The word 'leadership' did not appear in the English language until the early 19th century, though 'leader' is much older.
Explore more words
inspire, statesmanship, grassroots, govern, charisma, conduct
Also appears in
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