Leadership – Terms & Definitions

The obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and disclose the results in a transparent manner.

The systematic approach to dealing with the transition or transformation of an organization's goals, processes, or technologies, focused on the people side of change.

A process of directing, instructing, or training a person or group to achieve specific goals, often by asking powerful questions rather than simply giving answers.

The process by which two or more parties engaged in a disagreement reach a mutually acceptable agreement, often using negotiation and mediation techniques.

The act of transferring authority and responsibility for specific tasks to another person, a core skill for leaders looking to scale beyond their own effort.

The capacity to understand and manage one’s own emotions, and to perceive and influence the emotions of others. A crucial skill for effective leadership.

A system or process designed to gather responses, evaluate performance against goals, and apply those findings to improve future actions or systems.

Something that motivates an individual to perform an action, often financial (bonuses) or non-financial (recognition, time off, flexibility).

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; a leader's foundational trait that builds trust with all stakeholders.

The planning, organizing, and controlling of resources (people, finances, equipment) to achieve a goal; often confused with Leadership, which focuses on vision and influence.

An individual's belief in their ability to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments; a key component of self-leadership.

A philosophy where the primary goal of the leader is to serve others (employees, customers) first, emphasizing collaboration, trust, and ethical use of power.

A future state that all members of an organization aspire to create, providing a unified sense of purpose and direction.

The shared values, beliefs, behaviors, and ways of operating that influence how team members interact with each other and with external stakeholders.

Reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or system; the single most important factor for effective communication and risk-taking in teams.