Purpose

1. To develop an understanding of the complexity of leadership

2. To become aware of the different ways people define leadership

Directions

1. In this exercise, select five people you know and interview them about leadership.

2. Ask each person to give you his or her definition of leadership, and to describe his or her personal beliefs about effective leadership.

3. Record each person’s response on a separate sheet of paper.

Person #1 (name) __________________________________________

Person #2 (name) _________________________________________

Person #3 (name) _________________________________________

Person #4 (name) _________________________________________

Person #5 (name) _________________________________________

Questions

1. What differences did you observe in how these people define leadership?

2. What seems to be the most common definition of leadership?

3. In what ways did people describe leadership differently from the definitions in Chapter 1, “Understanding Leadership”?

4. Of the people interviewed, whose definition comes closest to your own? Why?