Leadership, conceptually, is being a focal point of a group, in which assets of oneself and others are integrated into the group’s goal. This definition allows leadership to come in many shapes and forms, as focal points of a group can be focused on either a certain task or a certain skill. For example, one focal point of a group would be leading the discussions between a group, requiring strong interpersonal skill and public speaking, whereas another focal point of a group would be organizing the meeting in a way that is efficient in its use of time. Leadership can be applied to many causes, movements, groups, teams, etc.

 

For leadership to be developed, there is one key principle that has to be taken into consideration. The key principle I claim is a must in developing leadership is mindfulness. Mindfulness is defined as being aware of yourself, others, and the situation. As we take on the role of leaders, we develop our leadership by reflecting on our experience, how the situation was and it’s outcome, and finally from the feedback and criticism of others. Often, leaders put all their efforts in developing their leadership based on their self-assessments and how they learned from the situation, leaving out the feedback from teammates, mentors, judges, etc.

 

My definition of leadership over the course of time transformed from the concrete examples we see to the abstract concept I define leadership as today. This abstract concept takes into the times when I thought leadership was being the team captain of a varsity sport, or being the student body president, or being a face of an organization or community. All of these are the more vivid focal points, but then I was exposed to the other focal points that leaders are needed, such as the event planner who works through the microphone unseen by the crowd. Here leadership is developed in a multitude of ways which are unique to the purpose and goal of the role. Continuing to this day, I still see how these focal points or leadership roles have such different expectations and skills required.