Leadership Terms & Concepts

Vision Statement: A succinct statement of personal or organisational purpose.


Mission Statement: A motivational statement aimed at mapping future direction for an organisation or individual. For example, Steven Spielberg's mission was to be a storyteller through the medium of film.
Beliefs and Values: What are important to the individual or the organisation.
Capabilities: The mental strategies and maps that guide the individual's specific behaviours.
Identity: A person's role, mission and/or sense of self.
System: The broader context within which the organisation operates.
Leadership: The ability to influence others toward the accomplishment of some goal.
Visionary Leadership: "... is creating a world to which people want to belong." Gilles Pajou
Management: Individuals or teams who focus on efficiently controlling organisational resources.
Strategic Plan: Typically, a 3-5 year mapping of an organisation's vision, mission, values, priorities and strategies for implementation.
Strategic Planning: The process used to consult a range of stakeholders, organisational leaders and employees and developing a strategic plan.
Leadership Skills: Include self skills, relational skills, strategic thinking skills and systemic thinking skills.
Leadership Styles: Visionary Leadership Style (Spiritual/vision); Charismatic Leadership Style (Identity/mission); Inspirational Leadership Style (Beliefs/motivation); Management by Objective Leadership Style (Capabilities/direction); Contingent Reward Leadership Style (Behaviour/action); Management by Exception Leadership Style (Environment/reaction).
Meta Leadership: The leader has a broad vision for a change in a general direction. Examples might include Al Gore and tackling global warming; Kevin Rudd and revolutionising the Australian education system.
Macro-leadership: According to Nicholls (1988), the leader uses path-finding and culture building to create a successful organisation.
Micro Leadership: Refers to the leadership style chosen by the leader to create an efficient workplace environment. S/he responds to relationship behaviours and task (see situational leadership).