The first thing to note is that leadership is not by title holding or having a position. Many people only have an ambition to occupy a position instead of seeking opportunities to exhibit leadership. It is healthy to have the ambition to lead others. You may not have a title or position and yet be a leader.
Leadership is not about domination or coercing people to follow you. It is not about seeking to rule others at all costs. Today, many folks are very position-conscious and power-hungry. They seek these because of what they can get and not what they can give.
This is a great issue in underdeveloped countries of the world. The majority of their political leaders see the privilege they have as an opportunity to amass wealth for themselves and their unborn generations. There is an urgent need in the political landscape in Africa. We need leaders and not rulers. We need revolutionary leaders. This need is dire because until these leaders emerge, the continent will continue to experience an economic lull, lawlessness and chaos, just to mention a few.
Leadership is influence. It involves influencing people in a particular direction. A leader, therefore, must have a specific direction. An effective leader must have certain objectives he/she pursues. His/her followers will be led in the line of those objectives to achieve something in particular. As a leader, do you have a specific vision for those you are leading?
Influencing people to move in a particular direction is not by force. Rather, it is a function of how the leader can communicate this intended direction in a way that the followers can understand and be moved to be a part of it. The leader also needs to involve them in the process of achieving this goal.
One of the objectives of a leader should be raising followers to become leaders. This can become a reality when there is enough influence. Influencing others involves motivating and mobilizing them to do exactly what we are doing.
What impact/influence are you having on those you are leading? Are you building them? Are you empowering them? Leadership is all about empowering people to become who they ought to be and you are privileged to be involved in that process as a guide.