What’s your definition of leadership?”
I asked that question recently during a leadership coaching session. My client immediately began answering — and kept going for more than two minutes. When he finally stopped, he looked at me and said:
“For the position I’m in, I should be able to explain leadership clearly and directly. I couldn’t do that. Let’s fix it.”
That moment became the starting point for an important exercise: creating a personal definition of leadership that was clear, authentic, and actionable.
Many leaders spend years leading teams without clearly defining what leadership means to them. When you articulate your definition in a concise and meaningful way, it becomes a guide for how you lead.
Here’s the three-step process we used to get there.
Step 1: Draw Leadership
Start with artwork. Yes — artwork. Draw a picture of what leadership looks like to you. Don’t overthink it, and don’t worry about artistic ability.
Stick figures are perfectly fine. The goal is not to create art; it’s to uncover how you naturally think about leadership.
One important rule: No words in the drawing.
No labels, no captions, no explanations. Just images.
When I did this exercise myself, I drew a series of two pictures. The first, a group of stick figures with one clearly identifiable leader. The group was in disorder.
In a second drawing, the group became more organized. The leader in central position connected to the team. The team was moving together toward a common target.
This visually captured how I think about leadership.
Step 2: Interpret the Artwork.
Explain your drawing to someone else out loud. What’s happening in the picture? What story are you telling?
As I interpreted mine, these themes emerged:
- The leader is distinct, but connected to the group.
- Leadership brings order to uncertainty.
- Leadership creates direction and focus.
- Leadership helps people move toward a shared goal.
The interpretation matters because it reveals the beliefs of how you lead.
You already know what leadership means to you. You just never took the time to articulate it and write it down. Listen to your words during this step. They are the foundation of your leadership.
Step 3: Write a Succinct Leadership Statement.
Turn your ideas into a concise statement. This part takes time. Don’t expect perfection on the first attempt. My client refined his statement over several weeks, and I did the same with mine.
When you write something down you are making a commitment to yourself.
Here’s the definition I ultimately developed: “The art of positively influencing others to unite in a common direction to achieve common goals.”
For me it is simple, clear, and memorable. Also, every word of it matters.
“The art…”
Leadership is not a formula or a checklist. There’s no single recipe that works for everyone. Leadership is an art, and each leader practices it differently.
“Positively influencing others…”
Leadership is influence, not control. Great leaders don’t force people forward; they inspire people to move willingly and purposefully. I also see leadership as a positive endeavor. My view is negative leaders are not leading they are manipulating individuals.
“Unite in a common direction…”
People need clarity. Leadership helps bring teams together, help them understand where they are going, and why.
“To achieve common goals.”
Leadership is ultimately about collective success, not individual recognition.
A Question Worth Asking Every Day
At the end of our coaching session, my client told me something powerful:
“This is what leadership is, and this is how I’m going to lead every day.”
From that point forward, he ended each day with one simple question:
How well did I fulfill my definition of leadership today?
That’s the real value of this exercise. A clear definition creates accountability. It becomes a daily standard for how you show up as a leader.
This week, take the time to go through all three steps:
- Draw leadership.
- Interpret the artwork.
- Write your leadership statement.
If you want to develop greater leadership clarity, communication, and influence, executive coaching can help you define the leader you want to become.
