Leadership is a power-laden, value-based and ethically driven relationship between leaders and followers who share a common vision and accomplish real changes that reflect their mutual purpose and goals. This definition has five basic components. The chapter looks at them in the ascending order of their importance to the concept: power-laden, relationship between leaders and followers, common vision, accomplish real changes, and value-based and ethically driven. The moral quality of leadership is summed up in the understanding that real leaders are ethical and possess both virtue and character. Character establishes both our day-to-day demeanor and our destiny. Therefore it is not only useful but also essential to examine the character of those who wish to lead us.

Controlled Vocabulary Terms

character; ethics; leader; leadership; power; vision