Webster defines leadership as: (noun) a position as a leader of a group, when a person holds the position of leader, or the power or ability to lead other people.

Read that definition again and notice that “leadership” is defined as a noun. Nouns are, if School House Rock is to be believed (and it is!) a person, place, or thing. So why all this talk of leaders and leadership? Because people have been taught to believe that leaders and leadership are merely things. But not the International College of Businessry and Managering. We know better and that’s why we don’t focus on leaders or leadership, but on LEADERING.

Leaders and leadership are both nouns: people, places, things. Leadering is more. Is it a verb? Yes. An adjective? Most certainly. An adverb? Absolutely!

Don’t bother to check Webster. Leadering is difficult to define because certain ineffable qualities combine to be exponentially greater than the sum, product, or even third power of the first derivative of it’s parts. ICBM went to the trouble of creating a unique gerund because Leadering is more easily defined by what it’s not.

It’s not telling people what to do. That’s commanding.

It’s not telling when to do it either. That’s scheduling.

It’s not instructing them how to do it. That’s directing.

It’s not showing them how to do something, which is teaching.

It’s certainly not just evaluating and correcting mistakes, for that is proofing.

It’s not getting people to produce their best. That’s mentoring and coaching.

Leadering encompasses all these things, but it’s not just about performing actions, telling people what to do or how to do it better. While important and valuable, there’s more to it that it’s not.

Is it keeping track of tasks and measuring progress? No, that’s administering.

Is it making something new, beautiful and artistic? No that’s designing.

Is it tricking people into doing things they wouldn’t normally do? That’s manipulating which is wrong, whereas leadering is all things good.

When Knute Rockne got his team to “win one for the Gipper”, that certainly was inspiring, but it also wasn’t leadering.

Delivering less that you promised? Cheating, and definitely not leadering which yields more than expected.

Wowing people till they can’t turn away? Mesmerizing.

Are you holding frequent meetings to gather and disseminate information? While we at ICBM salute you for executing that critical and often overlooked mission, that isn’t leadering either.

Getting people to follow you into battle is leading, but it’s not leadering.

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger landed his Airbus A320 jet airliner on the Hudson river with both engines dead, skillfully piloting what was effectively an eighty ton glider with 155 souls on board. He exhibited calm and focus, the very embodiment of heroic professionalism. Yet even simultaneously coordinating his crew, correctly executing difficult and almost impossibly complicated maneuvers to save all on board from otherwise certain death isn’t leadering.

It isn’t a title.

It isn’t a position.

It isn’t a department.

It isn’t a clever slogan on a wall.

You must combine all of those things together and stir, add the fire of a dragon, courage of a warrior, patience of a saint, zestyness of a lemon, innocence of a child, drive of an athlete, crunch of a chalupa, knowledge of a Jeopardy champion, durability of a Volvo, empathy of a nurse, skill of a surgeon, finesse of a musician, artistry of a ballerina, beauty of an anvil, aerodynamics of a manatee, add the excitement of a raver dropping ecstasy and you are getting closer.

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To truly be leadering is to be walking a fine line. A balancing act, a tango, and a juggle. All at once. Defined by not only by what it is and what it can be but what it isn’t and what it never was.

You’ll find leadering most easily by wandering near the intersection of loner & cult leader. Prophet and disciple. Everything you ever wanted meets nothing you could ever imagine.

While it has been said by many adventurers “the journey is the destination”, with leadering the “destination IS the journey”. Set off for a course heading in any direction because if you are not leadering, it lies on the far side of the *here and now*…and any direction will get you there eventually. Slightly beyond metaphorical true north, your destiny awaits. Your express train to leaderingville leaves now, will you be 100% onboard, or left behind standing alone at the station?