leadership
Leadership (noun) means the ability to guide, direct, or inspire a group of people. Example: “Her leadership got the team through a difficult year.”
How to Use Leadership
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe quality or role of leading others, or the group of people doing the leading.
Word Forms
leaderships plural
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her _____ got the team through a difficult year.
Etymology
From leader plus the suffix -ship, itself going back to Old English roots meaning "state" or "condition."
Related Words
Rhymes for leadership
See all rhymes for leadership →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “leadership” mean?
The word “leadership” means the ability to guide, direct, or inspire a group of people. In plain terms, the quality or role of leading others, or the group of people doing the leading.
How do you pronounce “leadership”?
“Leadership” is pronounced LEE-duh-shihp (/ˈlidɚʃɪp/ in IPA).
How do you use “leadership” in a sentence?
Here is “leadership” used in a sentence: “Her leadership got the team through a difficult year.”
What part of speech is “leadership”?
“Leadership” is a noun.
Where does the word “leadership” come from?
The word “leadership” comes from Old English. From leader plus the suffix -ship, itself going back to Old English roots meaning "state" or "condition.".
Is “leadership” a common word?
“Leadership” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “leadership” have?
“Leadership” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the ability to guide, direct, or inspire a group of people.
Can leadership be taught or learned?
Largely, yes. While some people have natural traits that help, leadership is mostly a set of skills, including communication, decision-making, delegation, and motivating others, that can be developed through training, mentoring, and experience. Most experts agree that good leaders are made far more often than they are simply born.
What is the difference between leadership and management?
Leadership is about setting direction and inspiring people toward a shared vision. Management is about organising resources, processes, and tasks to deliver results reliably. The two overlap and both matter: leaders create change and motivate, while managers create order and efficiency. Many effective people do both at once.
What are the main styles of leadership?
Widely recognised styles include autocratic, where the leader decides alone, democratic, where decisions are shared, laissez-faire, which is hands-off, transformational, which inspires change, and servant leadership, which puts the team's needs first. Most good leaders blend styles, adapting to the situation, the task, and the people they are guiding.
Why is leadership important?
Leadership gives a group direction, purpose, and coordination that individuals acting alone rarely achieve. Good leadership aligns people around shared goals, resolves conflict, sustains motivation, and helps teams adapt to change. Without it, effort scatters and even talented groups struggle to make consistent progress.