In a time where it is easy and accessible to buy followers, what makes a leader? If I asked you how many followers you had, you would have an answer, an idea, or at least an estimate. Is it even necessary to have followers to be a leader? What exactly defines a leader and what would leading mean for you? 

Leadership has been studied for centuries and taken the shape of many trends and theories. Leadership styles have been said to range from Democratic and Autocratic, Laissez-Faire to Strategic, Transformational to Bureaucratic (1). Leadership levels have been described with traits such as Expert; Achiever; Catalyst; Co-Creator and Synergist (2).

Common to most ideologies is that leadership is an ever evolving practice, a changing phenomenon with effectiveness and qualities highly correlated to the individual leader themselves, and then, the environments and audiences they are meant to lead.

The popular Fortune magazine outlined a list of the world’s 50 greatest leaders including a diverse range of iconic figures such as the Dalai Lama and Warren Buffet, Malala Yousafzai and Angelina Jolie, (3) along with others you may have never heard of, however all praised for having a lasting and impressive impact.

Is an impact required to make a leader? Does it ought to be a positive one? In all cases leadership appears to come with responsibility. The Art Of Living’s Art Of Happiness course teaches that “the more responsibility you take, the more power you are given.” How does this apply to leadership power in a digital landscape where everyone has followers to influence? How will you lead yours?