On Leaders and Leadership

What is a leader? According to one of the few definitions that I have, a leader is a person who gives the people a purpose. I agree that definition to a great purpose. But then, more questions pops up- Why cant the people give themselves a purpose? What are these purposes for? What purpose? What for? Questions snowball themselves for that particular statement. Questions that I ask myself and others around me often.

To me, leadership simply means the ability to lead. Or rather, combined with that particular statement, the ability or skill to provide the people with a purpose. For the sake of this topic, I shall define purpose as a direction for all to follow. So all in all, the leader shows everyone else the way to go. But does that mean that he(or she) will show how to get there? When we will get there? What to do to get there or what to expect when we get there? Why we get there? My answer to all those question is-yes.

Yes, the leader does all that and more. A leader points in the direction to go, tells the people what to do, shows them how to do it and finally brings them in that direction with 2 simple words that would instil a foreign feeling into everyone. That feeling that burns up inside everyone is called courage. That courage to go, no matter what the circumstances might be are, "follow me!" Those simple words are enough to make anyone follow the leader and achieve the task at hand no matter how dire the situation might be. Circumstances are varied and hence nobody can predict the outcome of their actions. In a moment of folly, it could mean their demise. In a moment of brilliance, it could mean ultimate victory. But this is unpredictable. Only the results of that actions will show. Only then will the people know if it was a moment of folly or a moment of brilliance.

But what gives the leader the right to do this? One of ways to explain this is authority. Authority is power given to the position. Hence, the person in that position has that power. But, what legitimises this? I shall get back to this when I have more time.