Best Definition of Leadership

Korn Ferry CEO Gary Burnison's recent newsletter article, "Destination Many," describes organizational leadership using the metaphor of a journey.

… imagine a mythical cross-country journey on foot—from New York City to Santa Monica, California. And while we are at it, think about walking solo, putting in 10 hours a day; you could conceivably make it in about 90 days. 

But this cross-country trek is not a race. You’re actually traveling with—and leading—10,000 other people. 

On that mythical journey from coast to coast, we all must ponder the enormity of leading thousands of others—emotionally and sometimes physically, from here to there. Along the way, there are life events and tragedies as well—both births and deaths. Through it all, we must keep everyone motivated and aligned—the optimist and the pessimist, the curious and the cautious, the introvert and the extrovert, and everything in between—as they leave the familiar for the unknown. 

As the group moves slowly and steadily, people join and depart at different points and places. Some miss the thunderstorms in the Midwest and the wheatfields of the Great Plains. Others don’t see the Grand Canyon, or the sun rising in the Rockies. 

Wherever we are and whoever we lead, it’s the leader’s role to ensure that shared interest overshadows self-interest. 

 Whether one leads Burnison's 10,000 or 100, the leader's challenge is the same: keep the journey moving while some opt-out and others hop on board. The last point about shared interest overshadowing self-interest perfectly captures the role.