An introduction to foundational concepts of leadership, emphasizing that leadership is not limited to those in formal positions of authority. It outlines the behaviors, attitudes, and skills that define both formal and informal leadership and distinguishes leadership from management.
Key Insights
- Clarifies that leadership involves both spoken and unspoken behaviors that influence and inspire others, regardless of formal title or authority.
- Highlights the distinction between leadership and management, noting that leaders focus on vision and change, while managers prioritize structure and consistency.
- Introduces the DISC assessment as a key tool for understanding personal leadership styles, which will be referenced throughout the course.
This lesson is a preview from our Leadership Skills for Non-Supervisors Course and Leadership training courses. Enroll in this course for detailed lessons, live instructor support, and project-based training.
Module One: Welcome and Setting the Stage. Our learning outcomes for module one are for you to have a strong definition of leadership. Everyone might have different thoughts about what leadership means.
We want everyone to be on the same page, and we want to clarify the role that leaders can have—even if they're not official leaders or don’t hold a formal position or authority. We'll review the importance of leadership from both formal and informal standpoints. We’ll also introduce the DISC assessment in this module, as it will be a key tool used throughout the course.
Let’s start with the definition of leadership. Leadership can be defined as the spoken and unspoken behavior that inspires and motivates an individual or a group to support the leader’s vision. One of the reasons I like this definition is that it includes both spoken and unspoken behavior.
Studies show that people are influenced even by a leader’s unspoken behavior and how they present themselves at work. This definition highlights that both what you say and how you behave can inspire and motivate others. Formal leadership involves engaging in those behaviors because of the formal authority you’ve been given within an organization.
When you have a position or title that grants you formal authority, you are a formal leader. However, it’s important to recognize that there is still a role for informal leadership, the process of engaging in leadership behaviors without any formal or delegated authority. That’s what we’ll focus on in this class.
Leadership involves how you behave and the attitudes you display every day, whether you’re in a meeting, on a Zoom call, in the hallways, in conversation, or writing memos. It’s about making a conscious choice in how you act toward yourself and others. If you aspire to be a leader in the future, practicing and strengthening leadership skills is important even before you hold a formal position.
Organizations can only succeed if they have leaders at all levels. Your leadership skills are entirely within your control—they’re learned skills.
Leadership is something you can learn, strengthen, and continue to develop if you choose to. You can think of leadership as the process of guiding others toward accomplishing a goal. Many skills are involved in leadership. Leaders must be able to form and communicate a vision, motivate others to support and achieve that vision, and demonstrate empathy.
Leaders should strive to understand others’ feelings and perspectives. They also set direction and are often responsible for inspiring and driving change. Change is essential for organizational growth and innovation, such as adopting new technology. Leaders often play a key role in initiating and managing this change.
Now let’s talk about management, because management and leadership are different. Sometimes we blend them together, but they are distinct, though both are important.
Leadership differs from management. Management involves the rational assessment of a situation, the development of goals and strategies, and the organization, direction, and control of activities required to achieve those goals. When we use management skills, we’re using analytical and process-oriented skills, focused on order and consistency.
Leaders ensure we’re doing the right things, while managers ensure we’re doing things right. This distinction helps clarify their different roles.
Good leaders can do both, but it’s important to understand the difference between leadership and management. What other traits differentiate leaders from managers? Leaders tend to innovate, develop, and inspire, while managers focus on administering, maintaining, and controlling. Leaders take a long-term view, while managers focus on short-term goals.
Leaders originate new ideas, while managers often replicate established processes. As mentioned earlier, leaders ensure we’re doing the right things; managers ensure we’re doing things right.
In summary, leaders drive change and challenge the status quo, while managers tend to maintain and uphold it.
